Have you been spending more time sitting and watching TV? Are you feeling a tad weaker and less energetic then you did eight months ago?
Falls are on the rise, too
Did you know that there has been a 30% increase in falls since the COVID pandemic began (data from Dr. Furth, in Australia)
A possible reason. We are becoming DETRAINED and weak.
What is detraining?
Detraining is defined as “losing fitness.” Let’s think about it in terms of an athlete who is training to run in a marathon. That athlete does specific work or training to improve speed, distance, and strength all focused on the goal to run and finish a strong marathon.
After the marathon is over, if the athlete no longer continues the same level of training and mostly sits, they will become weaker. The speed they once had is less, strength lessens and the gains they have met are now slowly eroding.
As we go into our eighth month of the pandemic, many people are becoming more sedentary and essentially detraining. At the beginning of 2020, we went out to visit friends, went shopping, took walks in the neighborhood and mall, or went to the gym. Now we are sitting much more. Even the act of walking from your car to a store is some activity.
You can start losing muscle strength in 3 weeks
You begin to lose your muscles after about 3 weeks of inactivity. The good news is that your muscles have good memory and you can build them back again quickly.
Trends
I like to look at trends. I use them to see if I am improving or not, I first take a baseline. Many of us do that with a simple weight scale. We know when it is going up or going down.
How strong are you?
Do you want to know how strong your lower body is? Wouldn’t it be nice to know if you are heading in the right direction? And of course, who can’t resist comparing ourselves to other (shh… I know you want to know).
Because lower body strength is so important for fall prevention. It’s good to know where you are TODAY.
As a nurse and trainer, I have noticed that many men are more interested in building a strong upper body and great biceps. Men, am I right? That’s great but as a nurse speaking those biceps are not going to help prevent you from taking a stumble or fall. Your strong legs will! You should be working BOTH.
Test yourself in 30 seconds
One way to test your lower body strength with this easy to do simple 30 second chair stand test.
Let’s get started. The Chair Stand Test can be completed in 30 seconds and you only need a chair.
1. Place a sturdy chair against a wall or otherwise stabilize it for safety.
2. Sit in the middle of the seat, with feet shoulder width apart, flat on the floor.
3. Cross your arms at the wrist and hold them close to the chest.
4. From the sitting position stand completely up, then completely back down. Repeat for 30 seconds.
5. Count the number of completed chair stands (up and down equals one stand). Compare that with the results below.
Scoring and comparison for your age group
Scoring: the score is the number of completed chair stands in 30 seconds. Below is a table showing the recommended ranges for this test based on age groups (from Jones & Rikli, 2002).
Results for men
| Age | Below Average | Average | Above Average |
| 60-64 | < 14 | 14 to 19 | > 19 |
| 65-69 | < 12 | 12 to 18 | > 18 |
| 70-74 | < 12 | 12 to 17 | > 17 |
| 75-79 | < 11 | 11 to 17 | > 17 |
| 80-84 | < 10 | 10 to 15 | > 15 |
| 85-89 | < 8 | 8 to 14 | > 14 |
| 90-94 | < 7 | 7 to 12 | > 12 |
Results for women
| Age | Below Average | Average | Above Average |
| 60-64 | < 12 | 12 to 17 | > 17 |
| 65-69 | < 11 | 11 to 16 | > 16 |
| 70-74 | < 10 | 10 to 15 | > 15 |
| 75-79 | < 10 | 10 to 15 | > 15 |
| 80-84 | < 9 | 9 to 14 | > 14 |
| 85-89 | < 8 | 8 to 13 | > 13 |
| 90-94 | < 4 | 4 to 11 | > 11 |
How did you do?
You probably didn’t have this information when we first closed down during the pandemic. Would it have changed anything for you? Are you thinking differently now?
Now what?
Are you in a category you are comfortable with? If not, or you want to maintain or get better, find a class or seek out help to get you stronger.
Check out my Instagram site @sandifeaster where I post quick exercise you can do at home or try out one of my classes for FREE. You can find info about my classes HERE if you are interested. There are many other options.
Maybe you just want to DIY? You can do the chair stand test daily to start building muscles, or get outside and walk. Keep weight on your legs by first getting off the couch and walking, squatting, and moving. ALL OF IT HELPS. Do the test and set your baseline and try it again next month. Know your trends.
