Building and maintaining muscle is a large aspect in staying healthy. Having strong muscles in your legs, arms and torso is a great way to prevent medical injuries for anyone of any age.
However, instead of lifting heavy weights, consider using air resistance. Pneumatic strength training is equally effective and provides long-term benefits for your body.
First, let’s get into the benefits of muscle building and stretching.
Why is Building Muscle Important?
Our muscles are what physically supports us and allows us to physically be active every day. Without a strong abdomen, glutes, calves, hamstrings, and quadriceps, it can be difficult to even stand up from a seated position. It is important as we age to continue to be physically active and maintain optimum levels of health.
Studies show that between the ages of 20 to 80 you lose around 35 to 40 percent of your strength, with the most change taking place after age 50. Therefore, it's crucial for all age groups, but especially older adults, to take measures to strengthen their muscles and lead a long, healthy, and active life.
In addition to the well-known lower body muscles mentioned above, the human body has many other muscles that require attention. Resistance training, specifically pneumatics, is an effective way to strengthen muscles and maintain overall health.
What is Pneumatic Training?
Pneumatic training refers to air resistance training, which involves lifting air instead of traditional metal blocks.
You may be wondering how lifting air can help build muscle. However, the principle is similar to the age-old question: which weighs more, ten pounds of bricks or ten pounds of feathers? The answer, of course, is that they weigh the same.
Compared to conventional weight training and gym equipment, compressed air training offers several advantages. At Moorings Park Communities, our fitness centers are equipped with Keiser pneumatic fitness machines to provide our members with the most effective workout.
What are the Benefits of Pneumatic Training?
1. Offers Less Risk of Injury
Pneumatic equipment provides less risk of injury and is easier on the body. As Keiser notes, “the muscles remain active and engaged throughout the entire range of motion and velocities, with reduced shock loading to muscles, connective tissues and joints, which allows for workout regimens that can safely improve physical performance in ways not seen with traditional strength-training methods.”
2. Gradual Weight Increase
Pneumatic technology enables users to make progress during training by gradually increasing the resistance level. Unlike traditional weight training, where it can be unhealthy to strain your body, compressed air training allows users to work up to an appropriate weight, reducing the risk of injury and creating a more enjoyable workout experience.
3. Quiet Operation
Loud noises can be a significant deterrent in the gym, particularly the clanging of metal weights. Pneumatic gym equipment, on the other hand, operates quietly due to its air-based resistance system.
4. Easy to Use
Who doesn’t love simplicity? And the use of pneumatic strength equipment is, well, simple to use. Instead of stacking clunky, heavy weights on top of one another, users are able to set the resistance level with just a push of a button. That also increases the safety level for users.
What Types of Equipment are Available?
The range of fitness equipment available in pneumatic form is extensive, including treadmills, leg presses, squat machines, chest presses, indoor bikes, and weight racks.
Even if your goal is not to gain muscle mass, keeping active through exercise is still essential. Regular walking, for instance, has significant health benefits.
Moorings Park Communities’ fitness centers are all equipped with pneumatic machines for residents to use. We also provide personal training services to get the most knowledge and benefit from your workouts. To receive more information about what Moorings Park has to offer, or to speak with a member of our team, contact us today!
