The Strong Women Project is a nationally recognized nutrition and moderate intensive physical activity program developed and tested by scientists and exercise physiologists at Tufts University. During this 10 part program, participants will participate in strength and balance exercises that are designed to improve muscle strength, balance and flexibility. The program occurs over a five-six week period, exercise sessions are held twice a week and each session lasts approximately one hour. Participants also learn basic nutrition principles to improve their daily diet. Staying physically active and being properly nourished is one of the most important things you can do to stay healthy for life.

No group in our society can benefit more from regularly performed exercise than middle-aged and older adults. Scientific research has demonstrated that exercise with weights (strength training) will increase strength, muscle mass, and bone density in middle aged and older women. Strengthening exercises also reduce the risk of numerous chronic diseases such as diabetes, hearth disease, osteoporosis and arthritis. Psychological health is positively affected as well. Strength training has been shown to reduce depression and improve sleep, and it contributes to a sense of well-being among older individuals.

Disability and a reduced ability to perform daily activities are primary concerns of many older women today. The loss of muscle mass combined with chronic disease symptoms can limit their ability to perform daily tasks, such as cleaning or shopping, seriously compromising their independence. Strength training is an extremely powerful antidote to the loss of muscle mass (sarcopenia) and the development of chronic diseases that are frequently associated with aging., Research has shown that increasing muscular strength in the elderly through effective strength training programs is both a realistic and safe mechanism by which to maintain functional status and independence.

Benefits of strength training:

• Arthritis Relief - a study from Tufts University showed that after a sixteen week program, the strength training decreases pain by 43%, increases muscle strength and general physical performance, improved the clinical signs and symptoms of the disease and decreased disability. The effectiveness of strength training to ease the pain of osteoarthritis was also an important result of the study.
• Restoration of Balance and Reduction of Falls - As people age, poor balance and flexibility contribute to falls and broken bones. These fractures can result in significant disability and, in some cases fatal complications. Strengthening exercises, when done properly and through the full range of motion, increase a person's flexibility and balance, decreasing the lifelihood and severity of falls. After completion of our first class in Twin Falls, one lady reported that she slipped on some ice, and had she not been doing these exercises, she probably would have broken some bones.
• Strengthening of Bone - Post-menopausal women can lose 1-2% of their bone mass annually. Research conducted and reported in the Journal of American Medical Association, showed that strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk for fractures among women aged 50-70. And YES, I am in that category!
• Proper Weight Maintenance - Strength training is crucial to weight control because individuals who have more muscle mass have a higher metabolic rate. Muscle is active tissue that consumes calories, whereas stored fat uses very little energy. Strength training can provide up to 15% increase in metabolic rate, which is enormously helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.
• Improve Glucose Control - More than 16 million Americans have type II diabetes - and the numbers are climbing steadily. In addition to presenting a greater risk for heart and renal disease, diabetes is also the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Studies now show that lifestyle changes such as strength training have a profound impact on helping older adults manage their diabetes.
• Healthy State of Mind - Strength training provides significant improvements in depression. Currently, it is not known if this is because people feel better when they are stronger or if strength training produces a helpful biochemical change in the brain. It could be a combination of the two. It is know that when older adults participate in strength training programs, their self-confidence and self-esteem improve. These improvements have a strong impact on their overall quality of life.
• Sleep Improvement - People who exercise regularly enjoy improved sleep quality. They fall asleep more quickly, sleep more deeply, awaken less often and sleep longer.
• Healthy Heart Tissue - A study has also shown that cardiac patients gained not only strength and flexibility but also aerobic capacity when they did strength training three times a week as part of their rehabilitation program. This study prompted the American Heart Association to recommend strength training as a way to reduce the risk of heart disease.

So why aren't more women strength training? It seems like for all of these reasons, we should all be very involved in this type of training. There are several reasons that I have heard recently. Some of those include: I may injure myself, I might bulk up (and look like the Incredible Hulk), I have no experience lifting weights, I don't have access to weights and a personal trainer, and I didn't know that you offered programs like this.

The Strong Women Program is a safe, effective, enjoyable, and affordable program. Participants start out with warm-ups, then do the eight strength training exercises, next do some stretching and balancing and end with nutrition tips and topics. Participants start out very slowly, and gradually increase the weights and intensity. the weights are provided for the class.

Classes will be held in Cassia County Extension Office beginning in January 2008, Tuesdays and Thursdays, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Cost is $10.00. Contact Grace Wittman for more information at 208-878-9461 or email at gwittman@uidaho.edu.

Classes will be held in Twin Falls County at the Twin Falls County Extension Office beginning in February 2008, Monday and Wednesdays, from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. Cost is $10.00. Contact Rhea Lanting for more information at 208-734-9590 or email rhlantin@uidaho.edu.