Muscle power at any age

As a nationally known podiatrist and educator, who is currently dean of the Kent State University College of Podiatric Medicine, Dr. Allan Boike has a special appreciation for the biomechanics of the body.

Though the active 72-year-old has always maintained a healthy weight and stayed active with daily walking or jogging, as he aged, he noticed a loss of muscle tone. Understanding the integral role losing muscle can play in osteoporosis, falls and injuries, as well as how it supports bones, joints and ligaments, when MaxStrength Fitness in Strongsville opened a year-and-a-half ago, he decided to give it a try.

“I was very skeptical that only two 20-minute workouts a week would give me results,” says Dr. Boike. “Shockingly, I felt stronger after the first session. The effects kept getting better. I had been having lower-back pain, so much that I had to drive with a cushion behind my back. After three months at MaxStrength I was pain-free and threw away the cushion. It was such a relief. I’m also sleeping better than I have in years.”

He says the professionalism of the trainers is a big reason he’s stayed so long.

“I always look forward to my sessions,” he says. “The trainers are focused on excellent form and push me through the movements intently, both upper-and lower-extremity muscles are worked, and you feel it afterward. I need to maximize my time and MaxStrength is a culture of efficiency. If I just went to a gym myself, I wouldn’t see the gains that I’ve seen.”'

Muscle Power at Any Age

MSF Founder Jeff Tomaszewski came up with his slow exercise protocol based on his research into the connection between muscle mass and healthy aging.

“Losing muscle mass as we age, called sarcopenia, begins in the 30s and continues to decline slowly over the decades, then speeds up after age 65 for women and 70 for men,” he says. “About one-third of adults over age 70 have trouble walking, getting out of a chair, and climbing stairs. Once mobility is compromised, falls, chronic disease and senior care admissions increase. But it’s not all doom and gloom. We do have the power to build muscle at any age.”

He uses the metaphor that people should think of building muscle mass as saving for retirement. Everything you do now will pay off later.

Perfecting Your Mechanical Advantage

Through his newsletter, Jeff enjoys sharing motivational content and emerging research in the exercise science arena with members.

This month he explains the importance of holding still during a strength training session when it comes to maximizing your results.

“The moment you shift, fidget or adjust, you lose muscular tension and your body recruits muscles that shouldn’t be working,” he says. “When you move out of position, you lose mechanical advantage, which makes the movement less effective and potentially less safe. If your goal is true strength, the ability to lock yourself in place under tension is a skill that separates the elite from the average.”

MaxStrength Fitness is located at 4212 State Route 306 in Willoughby. Call 440-226-8080 at 2211 Crocker Road in Westlake, 440-835-9090 and at13500 Pearl Road in Strongsville, 440-467-0700 or for more information or to view more testimonials, visit MaxStrengthFitness.com.