While selecting an appropriate exercise load is important for progressive strength development, training effort is another variable in strength progression. Perceived effort, not necessarily heavy weights, is the key factor in building muscle and strength (Carpinelli; 2008). Perceived exertion is how hard a person feels they are working. This is important for everyone, but especially older adults. Factors including fitness level, managing chronic conditions or injury and pain, and perceived enjoyment from exercise participation influence the amount of weight or resistance a participant will comfortably use in strength training.
Using the scale of perceived exertion to determine effort in your SilverSneakers class can help class participants determine if the weight or resistance they are using for an exercise is appropriate for their muscular strength and development. While it is important to use an appropriate weight for progressive strength training, the intensity of effort is what builds muscle and strength (Carpinelli; 2008). This is important to understand when working with the complexities that often come with aging. Perceived effort or exertion is valuable when managing pain, injury or chronic conditions experienced by many of our class participants.
SilverSneakers class guidelines recommend that participants work between four and seven on a scale of one to 10 to achieve positive strength training results. Resistance is largely a matter of personal preference. If a participant feels their effort at the end of a set is at a six or a seven, the external forces produced with different amounts of resistance will elicit progressive strength gains. The bottom line to stimulate strength is to select a load that requires a reasonable effort on the final repetition of a set and gradually increase the resistance as improvements are made (Carpinelli; 2008).