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The Benefits of Strength Training

Strength training, also known as weight training or resistance training has become very popular the last few years in weight loss circles. The reason is studies have shown that muscle burns much more energy than fat. In fact, as your muscle to fat ratio increases so does your metabolism and the rate that your body burns calories.

As we get older our metabolic rates (MR) begin to decline at a rate of half of one percent per year after the age of thirty. People over thirty, however, can increase their MR to levels of those much younger through weight training. In a recent study, a group of senior citizens were given a program that included increased food intake and weight training. One of the results was an increase in muscle mass which was responsible for increases in the rate of weight loss. (1)

The fact is that lean body mass or muscle increases the body’s metabolic rate. Muscle burns calories even during periods of rest while fat does not. Up to 70% of your total calories are burned during rest periods. The more muscle you have the higher your metabolism and the more fat you will burn.

Think about it. Since your body burns most its calories during rest, and muscle burns calories constantly, it makes sense to increase your muscle mass. All that is required is a few sessions of exercise per week. The results you will receive are well worth the effort. With a higher muscle to fat ratio you will burn more calories even while you sleep.

Besides weight loss, here are some other important benefits of strength training:

- improves your appearance

- increases your energy level

- strengthens bones, reducing risk of developing osteoporosis

- increases muscle strength and endurance making it easier to perform tasks and helps prevent musculoskeletal injury

- decreases risk of suffering low back pain

- improves your posture

- helps fight against colon cancer

- increases level of HDL (good) cholesterol which the body needs to fight disease

- decreases risk of developing diabetes

- strengthens your immune system

- lowers your resting heart rate which is a sign of a healthy heart

- improves your psychological condition

Benefits for the elderly

- improves mobility

- increases strength which results in better balance, reducing the risk of falls

- strengthens bones and decreases the risk of fractures

- increases ability to climb stairs

- improves posture

- increases flexibility

- helps to improve sleeping

How Much and how often should I weight train?

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends 8-10 exercises of strength training at moderate intensity levels, of 8-12 repetitions for each exercise involving the major muscle groups, at least two times per week.
Before you begin weight training you should get advice from your doctor. If you have any health risk factors such as high blood pressure, heart disease or pregnancy, consult your doctor, weight training may not be for you.

Weight Training Principles

The overload principle states that muscle increases in strength and size when the force applied to it is greater than what it’s usually accustomed to.

According to the progressive resistance principle, as the muscle increases in strength and endurance, the workload must be increased so that it can meet further overload.

The principle of specificity states that the gains you obtain are directly dependent on the muscle group being trained and the pattern of movement involved. Training for a specific sport increases performance when the resistance and movement of training resemble that of the sport.

Getting Started

As mentioned earlier, before you start strength training get clearance from your doctor. A good way to begin is to join a health club. There are several good ones that offer state of the art equipment, facilities and personal training.

The advantage of training at a health club is that you don’t have to lay out a large investment to purchase the necessary equipment. Most health clubs offer qualified personal trainers to guide you through the basics of weight training. They can teach you proper technique and how to get the best results from all the equipment.

The larger companies consisting of many health clubs spread out across a state, region or even the entire country, offer the latest in equipment, have spacious facilities and are well organized. They also offer very affordable memberships. To find one in your area search the Internet and compare. Go and visit several of them before you choose one to join. Many of these companies offer special deals when you purchase your membership through the Internet. Look for and inquire about these offers before you spend your money.

Another option is to join an online fitness program that provides ongoing support for training, and can guide you in the right direction. There are a few excellent online programs with qualified exercise professionals on staff that offer constant support and instruction to their members. Many of them offer personalized fitness plans tailored to your needs and your level of fitness.

Sets and Repetitions (reps)

A “repetition” of an exercise is where the muscle being trained completes one full range of motion. A “set” consists of a certain number of continuous repetitions. When someone says they completed 3 sets of 10 reps on the bench press, it means they performed 10 bench presses rested and repeated it two more times. For beginners, a resting period of one minute between sets is sufficient.

How much do I lift?

A set containing between 8-12 reps is sufficient for reasonable gains in muscle tone and endurance. Before you begin, practice on exercise technique with a light weight. Once you’ve learned the technique, here’s how to choose the right weight. If you can’t perform 8 reps with a particular weight or resistance level, the load is too high. If you can complete 12 reps comfortably, you may want to increase the weight or resistance.

Again, use the above recommendations for frequency and duration of training. This is good advice for most people who want to receive favourable gains in muscle and strength. Training days should be followed by a day of rest. Rest periods are required for muscles to heal and grow. All the major muscle groups should be trained in a period of a week. A good way to train is to alternate different exercises for the same muscle group.

In other words, when training a particular muscle, choose an exercise that’s different from the one you used last time for the same muscle. For more effective training, body builders try not to perform the exact same workout twice. They keep each training session fresh, often using many variations of exercises. The logic behind this system of training is that the muscle is constantly being shocked. As a result, the muscle responds and develops better.

References

1 www.betterbodz.com, “Sarcopenia: The Gradual Reduction of Muscle and Metabolism as You Age”, retrieved Sep 3 2004 from <http://www.betterbodz.com/Tom/strength_metabolism.html>