Well Wisconsin Radio

Interviewer: The information in this podcast does not provide medical advice, a diagnosis, or treatment. It should not be used as a substitution for healthcare from a licensed healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare provider for individualized treatment or before beginning any new program

Hello, and welcome to Well Wisconsin Radio, a podcast discussing health and wellbeing topics with experts from all over the state of Wisconsin. I’m your host, Jennifer Schmidt, and today’s episode is all about staying strong and active as we age. Strength training isn’t just for athletes or young adults. As we get older, building strength, improving balance, and staying active can play a big role in helping us maintain independence, prevent falls, and continue doing the activities we enjoy.

Today, we’re joined by Jen Witte, a program leader with Strong Bodies, a community-based strength training program that helps adults improve strength, mobility, and confidence through supportive group classes. In our conversation today, we’ll talk about why strength training is so important for healthy aging, what a typical Strong Bodies class looks like, and some simple ways anybody can begin building strength and staying active at any stage of life. Welcome to the podcast, Jen. We’re so glad you’re here. Can you tell us a little bit about yourself?

Guest: Sure, I’d love to. So I am the health promotion program coordinator for UW Madison Extension. Um, and in that role, I get to provide the statewide support and oversight for our StrongBodies program, as well as train new leaders and support those leaders as they’re out in the community, um, helping everyone stay strong as they age.

Interviewer: Well, I’m so glad you can join us. I’ve had so many members across the state in different programs I’ve offered mention this program, so I thought, why not bring you on and help, um, more people become aware of the program overall? Let’s dive into our first question. Um, many people think of strength training as something for athletes or young adults. Why is strength and movement so important as we get older?

Guest: Right. That’s a great question. So, a lot of times when we do think of strength, we think of like, um, like those gym rats that are at the gym, and they’re pumping iron every day and going for bulk. But really when we think about what our muscles are there for, it’s for those day-to-day things like getting up out of a chair, carrying our groceries, right?

Um, getting on the floor to pick something up or maybe to play with grandkids. Um, those muscles support all the things that we want to do throughout the day, and that movement helps to keep our joints flexible, um, and help to support balance and coordination. So, staying active, keeping those muscles strong, um, as we age supports overall health, keeps us confident so we can do all the things we want to do, which improves quality of life.

So, strength training isn’t just about lifting those heavy weights and pumping iron at the gym. It’s really about staying capable and independent, that functional strength that just keeps us in our homes doing what we want to do for as long as possible.

Interviewer: Exactly. And that’s what we want in life, to stay as active as possible and continue enjoying it as we age. What are some of the biggest challenges that happen to our muscles, balance, and mobility as we get older?

Guest: There is a gradual loss of muscle mass and strength as we age. In fact, in our 40s, if we’re not actively working to maintain, um, our muscle mass, we lose about a quarter pound of muscle a year. Um, and that loss of muscle mass and strength, um, can make everyday things feel more tiring.Um, a lot of times we have a little bit slower reaction time and decreased balance as we age. Our joints might feel stiffer, our range of motion might be reduced Um, these changes can– are very common as we age, but they’re not all inevitable. So, some of these things that we kind of attribute to aging is more due to being sedentary and not working those muscles versus actually the aging process itself.

Interviewer: It’s so important to keep moving and staying active as we age so that muscle mass doesn’t decline to the point where we become more sedentary and less able to do the daily activities we need to do and simply enjoy. How does strength training help people stay independent and reduce the risk of falls or injuries?

Guest: Right. So, um, as we strength train, we’re maintaining or building that muscle mass that’s going to help us, um, support our balance and our stability. So, um, falls is one of, um– is a primary driver of mortality as we age. So, maintaining that muscle mass so we don’t fall, um, and we have that stability is important. Being active and strength training is going to strengthen those legs and those core muscles so used for walking and standing and balancing. Um, when we do full body strengthening workouts, it’s going to improve posture, and as our posture improves, our coordination does as well. Um, and having stronger muscles, if we do trip, right, or if we do stumble, having that muscle mass really helps us recover more quickly in the case of a fall, so hopefully we don’t actually land on the ground or those muscles, um, are helping to support and reinforce those joints.

So, if we do take a tumble, we don’t hurt, hurt ourselves, um, as much. Also, as people feel stronger, they have more confidence. Um, so they feel more steady on their feet, and they walk with more assurance. Um, that shuffle walk that sometimes we see when we age actually puts us at greater risk of falls.

So being able to take a more, uh, regular stride is going to help with pro-falls prevention too. So, when we look at people as they age, there is a process of, um, muscle loss called sarcopenia, where the muscle loss is to the degree where it actually affects your physical ability to move throughout the world.

Um, and that frailty, um, is a primary risk factor for falls. So really staying active is making sure we don’t enter into that sarcopenic range, um, and help ensure that our body is strong enough, um, to move throughout the world safely.

Interviewer: Yeah, such great points and a helpful reminder about the shuffle. It’s something we often see as people age. And of course, no one wants to experience a fall, especially something like a hip fracture, which can lead to increased sedentary time, muscle loss during recovery, and in some cases, long-term loss of mobility. It highlights the importance of starting sooner rather than later. So what are some signs, um, early signs that someone might benefit from focusing more on strength or balance in their daily routine?

Guest: Uh, well, we all at every age, right, should be focusing on balance, um, and our strength. But things to really be watching for are that, um, the normal things that you do throughout your day, getting up and out of a chair, suddenly that feels harder. Doing some of the things like maybe some of your hobbies or, um, going out with friends, it feels like more of a challenge to get over. Those can be early signs that we’re losing muscle mass, um, and the ability to navigate our space. Um, definitely the feeling of being unsteady on your feet, or fear of falling or a fall experience can be a, a red flag indicator that we should be working on our balance and our strength, um, to make sure that we’re staying safe and being able to do all the things that we want to do throughout the day.

Interviewer: I think about everyday activities like carrying groceries in the car or up the stairs, shoveling snow, which is certainly a Wisconsin favorite- … playing with grandkids or simply keeping up with them. All of these moments matter. Um, they remind us how important it is to stay focused on maintaining strength or even setting goals to improve it over time. So, can you tell us about the StrongBodies program, who it serves, and what a typical class looks like?

Guest: Yeah, for sure. So the StrongBodies program is an evidence-based strength training program that was designed out of research that was done at Tufts University back in the ’90s. Um, and that research really dug into how strength training benefited aging adults, um, with bone mineral density, managing their type 2 diabetes, as well as arthritis management. And after all that research, they found that strength training really did benefit aging adults and really all adults in those areas. Um, they decided to design a community-based program, so that way they could expand offering this throughout the United States. So, when we look at a typical program, um, classes are offered twice a week cause that’s best practice.

Um, for strength training, you’re really encouraged to strength train all your major muscle groups twice a week. Um, it’s offered in places where people already come together. So we’re looking at church basements, um, senior centers, community centers, health systems, schools, so it’s already where people, um, are joining.

Um, it uses all, um, hand weights, ankle weights, your own body weights. Um, all the locations generally provide all the supplies, so a participant just needs to show up with themselves, comfortable clothes and a water bottle, and they should be all set, um, to attend. And then when they’re in the program itself, they’re going to be doing, um, exercises that are focusing on all the major muscle groups, and so this is going to help with strength, mobility, getting people moving through their full ranges of motion, um, balance.

And then, um, there’s also adaptations that are offered cause we know that people are coming in in all different stages of being, so that way, um, it doesn’t matter what your physical ability is or what kind of, um, limitations you may have. The class can be adapted for pretty much any participant coming through that door. You can truly start at any stage.

Interviewer: So how does someone typically get registered? Do they sign up for the overall StrongBodies program or, um, is registration done for like individual class sessions or series?

Guest: Yeah, great question. So, when we look at the classes, um, they are offered, um, usually within counties, either through an extension office in that county or an aging disability resource center. Occasionally, we have partners like health systems that offer them. So, um, it’s identifying who’s offering that in your county, and you can do that by going to our website. Um, which if you just look up UW Extension StrongBodies, um, put that into your search engine, will be the first thing that pops up. And then on, um, when you look there, um, there’ll be a map where there’s pins on the map and, um, all of those pins indicate a class. So if there’s a pin near you, you click on it and it tells you who to contact in order to register to join that class.

Interviewer: That’s helpful, especially for anybody looking to explore and find a class that’s a bit closer to home. So, for someone who’s never done strength training before or maybe feels a little unsure about where to start, how does the program help make exercise feel approachable, safe, and welcoming?

Guest: Yeah. So, um, StrongBodies is designed to meet people where they are. So some people coming into our programs have had a history of being active and maybe strength training in the past, and some of our participants have never picked up a weight in their life, and our instructors know that, and they recognize that.

So, anybody new to the program, for the first couple of weeks, um, instructors really focus on having participants figure out what proper form feels like, so that’s making sure that their body is doing the movement correctly. And then after those first couple of weeks, once participants feel really good about how their body’s moving, then we worry about how to increase the weights to make sure that we’re challenging the muscles to make them stronger.

So, um, it’s simple equipment. It’s just hand weights, maybe an ankle weight as your, as your legs get stronger. Um, all participants are encouraged to work at their own pace. There’s no expectation that every two weeks you move up in weights or, or anything like that. It’s, um, really, um, our leaders are encouraging participants to listen to their bodies, move up as they’re getting stronger, um, and to really follow their own pattern of how they’re going to grow stronger, cause no two people are going to be the same and we want to make sure that, um, each participant feels supported, um, to gain strength as their body is ready to.

Interviewer: Perfect. That’s great how the program adapts to everybody, um, overall as an individual.

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Interviewer: So, Jen, what kinds of improvements do participants often notice about being involved in the program, like physically, mentally, or even socially?

Guest: Yeah. So, our participants are always, um, very happy to share back with their leaders, um, all the benefits that they’re noticing. So, um, with any strength training program, you would hope you would notice increase in strength, and participants definitely tell us that, that they’re seeing that they can, um, do the stairs in their home, um, without having to take a break when they’re going down to do laundry or coming back up, or they’re able to resume some of their favorite hobbies because now they have the, um, the strength to do that.

Um, we definitely see, um, improved mobility and endurance when we are testing our participants, um, along with them just saying that everyday tasks are easier. When we look at mental health benefits, um, our participants overall, um, do, um, through our evaluations that we provide, do report back that they have, um, improved mental health from participating in the StrongBodies program. Um, there’s increased confidence, reduced fear of falling, um, and any strength training program is going to kind of help with that mood, um, improvement and that sense of accomplishment, um, of making themselves healthier. Um, and then for the social impact, the benefits that we see from strength training in a group such as the StrongBodies program, um, there is that strong sense of community and connection, um, and decreased feelings of social isolation, um, and, uh, loneliness. Um, and time and time again, um, we do hear that, um, these community-based programs such as StrongBodies do help to create, um, another place where people just feel like they belong, which is so important as we age, especially, um, with mental and physical health. It’s valuable to have a program that offers such a well-rounded experience, not just physical benefits, but mental and emotional ones as well, along with the social aspect.

As we age, we sometimes have fewer social engagements outside of our daily routines, so it’s wonderful to have opportunities to connect with others, especially through physical activity. Many people really benefit from that sense of accountability too. Seeing familiar faces, being in the same supportive environment, and feeling uplifted and motivated by the group dynamic.

Interviewer: Those are really meaningful additions to the program. Beyond that, the social component can be very powerful too. From what you’ve, you know, heard from coaches or observed yourself, how does the group environment help, um, stay motivated and consistent?

Guest: Right. Yeah. So, I think, um, any of us that have, um, have, um, been physically active or tried to dabble in the physical activity realm know or have heard the importance of having accountability partners. And the lovely part of StrongBodies or a community-based program is that you have a built-in team of accountability partners. Once you start showing up to class and you start building those connections, um, really that encouragement and not wanting to let down your other fellow participants really is a strong motivator and driver for people to keep coming back and staying active with it. Um, and also just having that shared experience of we’re all going, you know, doing this together helps to make, um, the exercise more enjoyable, makes it less intimidating cause you’re seeing other people like you doing the same thing that you weren’t sure about, right? Um, and they– Most of our participants will say that the instructor and the fellow participants are what keep them going in it, that if they weren’t taking part in that, um, that group class, that they probably wouldn’t be doing it at home, right?

Um, so we do know that, um, that group dynamic, um, is what really keeps, um, our classes going. And we also see that when people join class, um, most of the time our series are offered, um, ongoing throughout the year, like a 10 to 12-week series. They take a week off, they start again, and we see the same group of people coming back and back over and over again because they’re sharing if they weren’t in the class, they wouldn’t be doing it. Um, and they would miss those relationships that they’ve built. So really this kind of group class, um, will have participants that participate for six, eight, ten years, depending on, um, how long the series has been going on. So, um, that group environment has been integral for them to maintain their strength, um, and independence at home.

Interviewer: For listeners who may not have access, since some people live in more rural, um, areas of Wisconsin and might not have a class available nearby right now, what are some simple ways they can build strength or improve balance at home?

Guest: Right. So, one of the biggest drivers of maintaining muscle mass and for balance is just to move, right? So, decreasing that sedentary time. As we age, sometimes we’ll see, or oftentimes we’ll see that people just gradually become more sedentary, right? They take up maybe more sedentary hobbies, um, or maybe, um, because of things we talked about earlier, they’re feeling weaker, so they just start, um, being more sedentary at home.

So, any time you can, um, break up sedentary periods of time, so if you’re doing a hobby, if you’re watching TV, if you’re reading, but purposely breaking that up and just standing, right, out of a chair. Even just chair stands, um, can help build strength. Um, if we’re looking at balance, um, as you’re standing at the counter working on something for your meal, um, stand on one leg while you’re, um, working on that, right? That’ll help with balance. Um, gentle stretching, going through range of motion will keep those joints nice and loose, um, cause we know that our muscles and our, um, joints tend to tighten as we age if we’re not moving them. Um, walking is one of the best exercises we can do, and it’s the most accessible, right? We just put on a pair of shoes and we go. So even just moving around your house, and now that weather’s finally getting nicer, going outside, getting some fresh air, um Our household chores, they count as movement too, right? Maybe not our favorite one, but maybe if we put that perspective on it that, ooh, I’m doing something good for my body while I vacuum, maybe it’ll be more of a win-win that way too.

Um, but all of those ways, um, or things are ways where you can help maintain your strength and balance at home. Um, and look for online programs. So, our StrongBodies program is offered online, um, but we’re not the only game in town. There’s YouTube videos if you have access to internet, right? Things like, um, other, um, walking online videos, strengthening online videos, yoga online videos, lots of ways where you can still, um, be active at home.

Interviewer: Yeah, there are a lot of options now with the internet being available and wide availability of videos online, which is really helpful. And there are also simple low-cost ways to get started, especially if you can’t afford equipment since it can sometimes feel like you need a lot more than you actually do. For example, you can use everyday items like filling empty gallon jugs with water to add your weight, using a backpack filled with books. There are many creative ways to use things you already have at home for strength training, and it’s really easy to find some ideas online. So how does regular movement, even small amounts throughout the day, like I think ten or fifteen minutes at a time, support healthy aging?

A lot of people have busy schedules and sometimes feel like, you know, those short bursts don’t count as real exercise.

Guest: Yeah. So, um, physical activity guidelines, um, really do encourage that all adults aim for 150 minutes a week of cardiovascular exercise, right? So that’s the exercise where we’re moving our body, um, in a way where we’re breathing harder and our heart is beating harder, right? Um, and, um, we really do, um, wanna aim for that, like you said, this ten to fifteen minutes, but even just breaking up sedentary time and moving for two to three minutes. They all add up towards that. Um, and by making sure that we’re building in little pieces if we can’t get that half hour in a day or twenty minutes in a day, um, all of that little bit of movement, um, does really add up to help us maintain our strength and our g- our joint health.

Um, so that way we feel more comfortable when we move, which sometimes then makes us feel more likely like we want to move. Um, it helps to improve our heart, um, and our energy levels. Um, and really being mindful about, um, getting up and moving to prevent really long periods of sitting, um, is super beneficial for heart health in general to help prevent cardiovascular disease. Um, and getting that heart pumping really helps, um- With keeping our brain healthy as well. Um, and I think the key thing for people to keep in mind is that those small amounts of movement add up over time, so you don’t have to do that half hour at a time or those 20 minutes at a time. Any amount of movement counts.

Um, and being consistent is more important than, um, really worrying about, like, breaking a sweat. You know, some people really think, like, it only counts if I’m doing exercise where I’m, you know, putting on exercise clothes and I’m sweating. The consistency is what matters, right? Just move your body, get that heart rate up a little bit, and you’re gonna see lots of benefits for, um, how you feel, um, and what you’re able to do throughout the day.

Interviewer: Yep, exactly. A little goes a long way, essentially. So, what are some practical steps people can take, um, also to reduce the risk of falls as they age? Because as we age, the risk of falls increases, and for some people, they kind of get in that mindset that they’re always, you know, going to fall or at risk of falling. So what are some practical tips for those, um, individuals to help reduce their risk overall?

Guest: Yeah. So, I mean, in addition to, um, taking part in strength training and some balance work, like what you would find in the Strong Bodies program, that’s gonna be really important to maintain that core amount, um, base of strength in that lower half of the body and maintaining that balance.

But then there’s some, um, just things you can think of around your house, right? So, making sure that walkways, um, in your house are well lit, um, that there’s not clutter and loose rugs around that could be fall risks. Um, our vision, um, is huge, and sometimes as we age, many of us transition to those, um, the readers or the bifocals, right?

And that really does distort that lower part of your vision a little bit. Um, important if you want to read, but harder if you’re navigating the world, right? So, um, making sure that your vision is checked, you’re keeping your prescription up to date, um, that your hearing is checked cause there’s inner ear things that affect our balance as well.

Um, and then, um, when we’re transitioning in spaces, like thinking about, um, checking for pets around us, right? Like a lot of times they’re attracted by our movement, and as we turn, um, somebody, um, one of our pets may have snuck up behind us, and we don’t want to trip over a pet. Um, and then thinking about, which is something that I need to be better on too, is like using handrails when they’re available, you know?

Going down the stairs or back up the stairs, down the stairs is a little bit, um, more risky, but using the handrail that’s there because if we’re distracted, even if our balance is good and our strength is good, it just takes one tumble before we get hurt.

Interviewer: Great tips, especially the reminder about pets. They can easily become a fall risk if they unexpectedly get underfoot while you’re moving around the house. So, thank you for those helpful reminders. In addition to that, I am also wondering how family members or perhaps caregivers can support their loved ones in staying active and maintaining strength.

Guest: Yeah. I think making it, um, a family affair. So, um, going out for a walk with a loved one to help them, um, taking them to a favorite spot in town, like to go for a little walk or a hike can be good. Um, connecting them with some of the community-based programs that might be around them. So, um, there’s definitely Strong Bodies through us, but connecting with the local aging, disability, and resource center to see what other, um, activities are out there that they can take part in can all be really important.

Um, helping the, our, our aging adults kind of assess their home environment for some of the things that we just talked about to help with those falls prevention can be important cause sometimes over time, like clutter kind of builds in, and we don’t notice it or, um, maybe you would notice a rug that somebody might trip over that your loved one might not.

So, um, helping to assess their physical environment, super important. Um, and then I think what’s really important too is celebrating the wins, right? Celebrating when, um, a loved one is active or when they join a new program. Um, we wanna focus on progress, not limitations. ‘Cause as we age, sometimes injuries, things happen, there might be some limitations, but really helping them focus on the positives, where they’re seeing progress, um, and supporting them, um, is gonna be most important to keep them moving and safe.

Interviewer: I love that. The celebration factor really is powerful, and keeping that positive mindset is such a great source of motivation to keep people moving. So, for listeners who might be interested in learning more, where can they go today to find information about the Strong Bodies program or see if there are classes available near, near them?

Guest: Yeah. Um, your best bet is to go to your search engine, um, and then type in UW Extension Strong Bodies, and we should be the first, um, link that pops up in your search. I would give you the whole link, but it’s a lot to type, so that’s your best bet. And then once you get there, um, there’s a lot of information about, um, what classes look like.

Some success stories from participants are there. You can search for classes that are near you. Um, and contact information is there too, that if you ever have a question, um, you can contact that email there. Um, I’m the one who, who checks it, so I’m always happy to answer any questions that people have.

Interviewer: Great message. Thank you for sharing that. This has been such a great conversation, and I really appreciate all the resources you’ve shared, whether it’s the StrongBodies program or other community support people can look to and explore. There are so many options now to learn more, try something new, and maybe step outside of what you’re used to, because it doesn’t have to be something like the traditional gym. There are so many ways, um, that staying strong and active can support you as an individual and just overall contribute to healthy aging.

So, if today’s episode inspired you to move a little bit more, try strength training or learn about the StrongBodies program, we’ll include resources in the show notes so you can explore classes near you and connect with local community support online.

Thank you, Jen, for joining me today.

Guest: No, thanks for having me.

Interviewer: We’re always eager for new ideas. Know an expert we should connect with? Complete our survey and let us know.

Thanks for listening to Well Wisconsin Radio. I hope you enjoyed this episode. We love hearing from our community, so please take a moment to visit the Well Wisconsin Radio card under the Benefits tab in your Well Wisconsin portal. To share your feedback or suggest a guest for a future episode, you can find our transcript in previous episodes, all at www.webmdhealthservices.com/wellwisconsinradio.

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Strength training is about more than building muscle—it’s about maintaining independence, improving balance, and staying active as you age. In this episode of Well Wisconsin Radio, host Jennifer Schmidt talks with Jen Whitty from UW–Madison Extension’s StrongBodies program about the benefits of strength training, simple ways to stay active, tips for reducing fall risk, and how StrongBodies helps adults of all fitness levels build strength in a supportive community. Tune in for practical strategies to help you stay strong, healthy, and confident at every stage of life.

The information in this podcast does not provide medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. It should not be used as a substitution for healthcare from a licensed healthcare professional. Consult with your healthcare provider for individualized treatment or before beginning any new program.

Resources referenced during the interview:
Talk to a health coach individually or sign up for group coaching today by calling 800-821-6591.
UW-Extension StrongBodies Program