PERSONAL TRAINER

.HEALTH

As you grow older, lighten the load

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BY NANCY COLE nancyfitness §:aoJ.com

Are vigorous training programs a viable option for the over-50 crowd? They're not only viable, they're vital! A healthy dose of exercise can be the cure to unhealthy aging. Building lea.Tl muscle helps protect joints, while exer.cises that iilcorpo­ rate functional movements and balance help to keep our bodies aligned and injuries at bay.

There are of course moditications that should be made to your training program as you age. When choosing your exercises, replace exercises that place a significant amount of stress on your musculoskeletal system with less strenuous exer­ cises. Because our bodies become more suscepti­ ble to injury as we age, it's prudent to'decrease the load and increase the repetitions.

Since our muscles become less t1exible aild our tendons a.Tld tissues less resilient, it's beneficial to add flexibility training to our routines. If you have old injuries, you can try to work around them with exercises that actually strengt.!J.en the surrounding muscles. Consult your physician or a physical therapist for the best options.

The older we get, the more we want to avoid plyometric exercises. These movements can cause too much orthopedic stress. And since recovery time ta..1<es longer as \ve age, preventing inju..ry ensures continued progress. .

You can still employ the tried and true basic exercises, just apply some creative tralning tech­ niques to make the exercises effective for you.

For example, you an modify the traditional sin­ gle arm row by liftmg a lighter weight, increash'1g the reps a..)d holding for a count of two at the top of the movement.

With a IS-pound dumbbell in your right hand, position yourself with your left knee and hand on a bench, keeping your right leg and left arm straight. With your aqs tight and your back paral­ lel to the bench, lift the weight by pulling your elbow back and up keeping your arm close to your body and squeezing your back muscles. Then, hold for a count of two and slowly lower to the starting position. Try two sets of 16 repetitions.

RAUL RUBIERA/HERAlD STAFF ON A ROW: Nancy Cole demonstrates the single arm row. You can modify this exercise by using a lighter weight.

ASK DOCTOR

Painful sex is a symptom of many maladies

Gl: I have pain dur­ ing sexual relations. Is there something wrong?

A: About 15 percent of women have pain on sexual relations. It can b-e as simple as' a lack of vaginal-lubrica­ tion or a vaginal jpj'ec-

tion, or it can be as complicated as a severe gynecological problem. The pain might start only after menopause or it could be a prob­ lem at certain times of the cycle. The

Some women may have other gyneco­ logic problems or hormonal problems that contribute to dryness.

For some women pain with sex may be a sign of a sexually transmit­ ted disease, and for others it could be as simple as a yeast infection after tak­ ing a week of antibiotics. Although painful sex can be due to a lack of lubrication because of a physical issue, it can often be psychological and perhaps L!J.e sign oi stress, or even relationship problems. For others it could be the inability to become sexu­ ally aroused in certain circumstances.

tions. They may not feel comfortable talkh'1g about it with their loved one or even their doctor. But because' the range Qf possible problems and issues is so broad, it makes good sense to speak with your gynecologist or gen­ eral physician. It may turn out to be something complicated, but it could be something simple. Hopefully the best possible outcome is that you have had a good checkup and some simple answers to help you move on to better and more enjoyable ,ex.

Dr. Marc Gittelman is a board eel·ti­ fted urologist. Write to him at DrMare

J'r1 DR. MARC GITTELMAN

drmarcgittelman @yahco.com

LET'S TALK Hurricane Katrina was not your fate

Q: I cannot tear myself away from the TV. I feel compelled and horrified as I watch reports on the aftermath of Hurri-

. cane l<atrina. Living on a fixed income and

@bellsouth.net of health, ! identify

with the victims. I feel distressed and I haven't slept well at night. I recall difficult times in my life when I benefited frorn the kindness of others. It saddens me I am not in a position to do much. I need help to keep my sanity.

A: Your reelings offrustration, helplessness, and despair are not unusual. Living in South Florida, you. too, are a survivor of Hurricane Katrina. Now you are vicariously enduring the experience again through watching the devastating scenes on TV and "hearing the many ~ sad stories on the radio. You are [den:' tirying with those most like you, as you mentioned the plight of those most vulnerable and who faced the greatest peril. This has led you to image what your rate would have been had you lived in New Orleans or nearby. It is possible you are experi­ encing a phenomenon known as sur· vivor guilt. You need to accept this was not to be your rate. As long as you remain glued to the traumatic scenes on TV and do not give yourself a break. you are unwittingly perpetu­ ating feelings or vulnerability. And, if you think of yourself as ineffectual and oowerless your thoughts are con­ tributing to the negative reelings brew(ng inside of YOll.

You recall encountering difficult events throughout the course of your lire where others came to your aid. Your wish to reach out in return dem­ onstrates your desire to return to strangers the kindness and compas­ sion sh'own to you. It is likely there is a way for you to become involved, and this would enable you to reel produc­ tive. Local and national organizations can always use volunteers to make phone calls or assist with mailings. Rather than focus on what you cannot do, try to think about what is feasible and within your physical abilities. Being proactive will enaule you to direct your energies into helping oth­ ers and in turn this will also help you.

Dr. Andrea Corn is a licensed psy­ chologist in Lighthouse Point. Write to her at cornpsyd@be!!scuth net or c/o