Strength training is the most important thing we do. Here are 7 reasons why I make that claim.

Reduce body fat

Reports have shown that after only 8 weeks of training adults who were given a constant diet were able to lower their body fat percentage. More lean muscle burns more calories!

Reverse aging effects

Adults who do not strength train lose between 5-7 pounds of muscle every decade. Because muscle is active tissue, muscle loss is accompanied by a reduction in the resting metabolic rate. The average adult experiences a 2% to 5% reduction in metabolic rate every decade of life. Regular strength training prevents muscle loss and the accompanying decrease in metabolic rate.

Better bone health

Appropriate applications of progressive resistance exercise is the key to increasing bone mineral density and connective tissue strength.

Improved glucose uptake

Study’s have shown a 23% increase in glucose uptake after 4 months of resistance training. Because poor glucose metabolism is associated with type 2 Diabetes, improved glucose metabolism is an important benefit of regular strength exercise for those dealing with diabetes.

Lower risk of colon cancer

One study at the University of Maryland (1992) showed a 56% increase in gastrointestinal transit time after 3 months of resistance training in middle-aged and older men. This is significant because delayed gastrointestinal transit time is related to a higher risk of colon cancer.

Lower blood pressure

Resistance training has been shown to significantly reduce resting blood pressure.

This type of training is not just for football players and bodybuilders. Everyone benefits! Adults older than 40 especially need resistance training on a regular basis. There are a variety of strength training options: old-fashioned barbells and dumbbells, body-weight exercises, machine-based workouts, and more. These can all be done as part of a personal training program or in a group setting like a fitness boot camp.

Regardless of the approach you take, get started now. In a short period of time you can be enjoying the benefits of better health and fitness that result from strength training.

Personal Trainer, Josh Hower

Josh leading a bootcamp workout.

Tags: resistance training, strength training

This entry was posted on Friday, March 12th, 2010 at 11:15 am and is filed under Blog, FBD Trainers. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.