Posted by Matt G on September 17, 2003 at 23:21:10:
In Reply to: Re: Re: Long Tones/Age posted by Chuck Jackson on September 17, 2003 at 17:32:35:
We'll have to see what these folks (Static Contraction Training) say in 20-30 years as their bodies degenerate.
Personally, I feel that both stretching and weight training are vital to skeletal muscle health. When younger, strechting isn't as important and moving the weights is. As you age the process will shift. Your muscles will require more stretching due to elasticlity loss in your ligaments, but weight lifting is still vital to keep up strength levels in the muscle tissue and help support metabolic rate.
However, some forms of "streching" like yoga and tai chi involve muscle resistance so they do both at the same time with an emphasis on the former. While you won't see a yoga master who is built like Arnold Swarzenegger (sp?) you would be suprised how strong they are and that goes for tai chi folk too.
Of course, we are all individuals...
Matt G