In the mid-70's when I was getting started in this business, it was a challenge convincing people that strength training would benefit them. During those early years I worked with players from the Bears, Cubs, Sox, Blackhawks, Bulls and other individual athletes from various sports. I often found myself butting heads with coaches who believed the myths surrounding strength training. There were many myths, which meant I spent a great deal of time defending my position, that being that strength training is safe, productive and very beneficial to athletes of all sports. In addition, women, and some men feared that they'd become big and bulky as a result of strength training, a fear that sadly still exists for some. This is of course untrue for most men and the vast majority of all women.
Today most of those fears are gone. Yes, there is still a great deal of misinformation concerning strength training, but there's also a ton of evidence to show its value. Explaining the benefits of strength training to a new client sometimes makes me feel like the old time "snake oil" salesman who possesses the cure for everything. Truth is, strength training is the real deal.
The internet is full of strength training research, testimonials, and information of all sorts. I've listed a few of the many below. I'm in agreement with them all. I've had the opportunity to witness these strength training benefits in my clients over the past 35 years. If you're willing to invest a relatively small amount of quality time, you can make what some might call miraculous changes.
When you think of transforming your life; body, mind and spirit, do you think of strength training? You should. The benefits of strength training extend into nearly every aspect of your health and well-being.
After 35 years in health and fitness I've have come to one conclusion: Strength training is the single most effective exercise to obtain and maintain a maximum level of health and wellness throughout your entire life.
Need more proof?
1. You'll Lose More Fat.
This might be the biggest secret in fat loss. You may have been told over and over that aerobic exercise is the key to losing fat, but the truth is strength training is far more valuable. Penn State University researchers put overweight people on a reduced-calorie diet, and divided them into 3 groups, one group that didn't exercise, one that performed aerobic exercise 3 days a week and the third group that did strength training 3 days a week.
The results showed that each of the groups lost about the same amount of weight, 21 pounds. But the group that did strength training lost 21 pounds of fat. The group that didn't exercise and the group that just did aerobic exercise lost 15 pounds of fat along with nearly 6 pounds of muscle.
You don't want to sacrifice your muscle when you are losing weight! We lose muscle mass as we age anyway and the purpose of proper exercise is to redevelop the body, not break it down. Other studies of non-lifting dieters show that on average, 75% of their weight loss is from fat and 25% is muscle. The muscle loss may look good on the scale as far as the numbers go, but it won't look good in the mirror.
Muscle loss will also make it more likely that you will gain back the fat you lost because you have made your metabolism even less efficient. Muscle has to burn calories just to sustain itself. So, to lose weight, reduce your calorie intake and strength train so you can protect your hard-earned muscle and use the muscle to help you burn more fat!
2. You'll Burn More Calories
Strength training increases the calories you burn, even while you're at rest.
Why? Because your muscles use energy to maintain, repair and rebuild your muscle fibers after each strength training workout. On top of that, muscle is more metabolically active than fat, burning more calories 24/7.
At the University of Wisconsin, researchers found that when people performed a total-body workout comprised of just three exercises, their metabolisms were elevated for 39 hours AFTER the strength training workout. And, they burned a greater percentage of their calories from fat during those 39 hours, when compared to those who did aerobic exercise!
Researchers from the University of South Maine using advanced methods to estimate energy expenditures during exercise found that weight training burns more calories than running, up to 71% more! Based on these findings, it's estimated that performing just one circuit of eight exercises which takes about 8 minutes can expend about 230 calories. And by stimulating a metabolic response you keep burning calories for another day or two after you stop exercising.
3. Your Clothes Will Fit Better.
If you don't strength train you can say goodbye to a little more muscle with each passing year.
Research shows that between the ages of 30 and 50, you're likely to lose 10% of the total muscle on your body. And that number will double by the time you are 60. To put it another way, 20% of the muscle you have will be gone, and if you are not that strong now you are looking at serious degeneration and decline in your appearance, your performance, and your health.
To make matters worse, it is likely that lost muscle will be replaced by fat. According to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, scientists found that people who maintained their body weight for up to 38 years lost three pound of muscle and added three pound of fat every decade. Not only does that make you look flabby, it increases your waist size. That is because one pound of fat takes up to 18% more space on your body than one pound of muscle. Thankfully, regular strength training can prevent this fate. Use it so you don't lose it!
4. You'll Keep Your Body Young
If you're not strength training, it's not just the quantity of muscle you lose but also the quality. Research shows that your fast twitch muscle fibers are reduced by up to 50% as you age. Slow-twitch fibers decrease less than 25%. This is important because your fast-twitch fibers are the muscle fibers that are mostly responsible for generating power in a short period of time. (Think of track athletes who are good at sprints, running at an intense speed for a short period of time, as opposed to distance runners. Visualize the difference in their appearance).
If you want to keep your fast-twitch muscle fibers from being under-used and wasting away, turn back the clock with strength training. Research shows it's never too late to benefit!
5. You'll Build Stronger Bones.
Like muscle, you lose bone mass as you age. This increases the likelihood that you'll one day suffer an incapacitating fracture in your hips or vertebrae.
U.K. researchers found that among older women who break a hip during a fall, more than 50% will never walk again. In addition, considerable bone loss in your spine can result in the dreaded "Dowager's hump," a condition that leaves you with a hunchback.
The good news: A study in the Journal of Applied Physiology found that 16 weeks of strength training increased subjects' hip bone density and elevated their blood levels of osteocalcin, a marker of bone development by 19 percent.
Another bone-related benefit: Researchers in Georgia found that osteoarthritis sufferers who performed leg exercises through a full range of motion 3x week reduced knee pain by up to 58 percent.
6. You'll Be More Flexible.
With the passage of time, your flexibility can decrease by up to 50 percent. This makes it harder to squat down, bend over, reach overhead and behind you.
But in a study published by the International Journal of Sports Medicine, scientists found that three full-body workouts a week for 16 weeks increased flexibility of the hips and shoulders, while improving sit-and-reach test scores by 11 percent.
If you've been told that strength training will leave you "muscle-bound", you've been told wrong. Research shows that Olympic weightlifters rate only second to gymnasts in overall flexibility.
7. Your Heart Will Be Healthier.
Properly performed strength training really does get your blood flowing. Researcher at the University of Michigan found that people who performed three total-body weight training workouts per week for two months decreased their diastolic blood pressure (the bottom number) by an average of eight points. That's enough to reduce the risk of a stroke by 40 percent and the risk of a heart attack by 15 percent!
8. You'll Reduce Your Risk of Diabetes.
Strength Training is strong medicine. In a 4-month study, Austrian scientists found that people with type 2 diabetes who started strength training significantly lowered their blood sugar levels, improving their condition.
Just as important, strength training may be one of the best ways to prevent diabetes in the first place. That's because it not only fights the fat that puts you at an increased risk for the disease, it also improves your sensitivity to the hormone insulin. As a result your body has an easier time moving sugar from your blood stream into your muscle cells. This helps keep your blood sugar under control, reducing the likelihood of developing diabetes.
9. You'll Reduce Your Risk Of Cancer.
A University of Florida study found that people who performed three resistance training workouts three times a week for 6 months experienced significantly less oxidative cell damage than non-lifters. That's important since damaged cells can lead to cancer and other diseases.
In a study published in Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, scientists discovered that strength training speeds the rate at which food is moved through your large intestine by up to 56 percent, an effect that is thought to diminish the risk of colon cancer.
10. Your Diet Will Improve.
Strength training exercise helps you stick to a diet.
University of Pittsburgh researchers studied 169 overweight adults for 2 years and found that the participants in the control group who didn't exercise ate more than their allotted 1500 calories per day. The control group that did exercise 3x a week was much more motivated to keep their calories in check and was more aware of how sneaking snacks sabotaged their progress.
In summary, strength training reinforces your weight-loss goal and your will power to stay on track so you will be more successful.
11. You'll Handle Stress Better.
Strength training helps you stay cool under pressure. Texas A and M University scientists determined that fit people exhibit lower levels of stress hormones than those who are less fit.
In another study, researchers at the Medical College of Georgia found that the blood pressure levels of people with the most muscle returned to normal the fastest after a stressful situation, compared to those who had the least muscle.
12. You'll Be Happier.
Strength training is calming.
Researchers at the University of Alabama-Birmingham discovered that people who performed strength training workouts for six months significantly improved their scores on measures of anger and overall mood.
13. You'll Sleep Better.
Moderate to high intensity strength training helps you rest easier. Australian researchers observed that patients who performed strength training workouts for 8 weeks experienced a 23% improvement in their sleep quality. In fact, the participants were able to fall asleep faster and sleep longer than before they started strength training.
14. You'll gain endurance.
The term "cardio" shouldn't just describe traditional aerobic exercise. A study at the University of Hawaii found that circuit training on weight resistance machines raises your heart rate. According to the researchers, this approach not only strengthens your muscles, it provides cardiovascular benefits similar to those of aerobic exercise. So strength training is a more efficient way to get the same results. Save time without sacrificing results!
15. You'll Become More Confident.
When your body is stronger, you feel more sure of yourself, physically and emotionally, and that makes you more self-assured. Confident that you can lift, push, pull, walk, run, (shovel snow), or do whatever is required of you. You'll feel stronger for yourself and stronger for your family. Confidence is good for the body, mind and spirit!
16. You'll be More Productive.
Invest in strength training! It could help you make more money! U.K. researchers found that workers were 15% more productive on the days they made time to exercise compared to the days they skipped their workout.
They were also 15% more tolerant of their co-workers. What does this mean to you? On days you exercise, you can, in theory, accomplish in an eight hour day what normally would take you nine hours and 12 minutes. And, because you get more done, you will leave work feeling less stressed and happier with your work. That is exactly what the workers in this study reported on the days they exercised. Too busy to exercise? Think again!
17.You'll Add Years to Your Life.
Get stronger, live longer! University of South Carolina researchers determined that total-body strength is linked to lower risks of death from cardiovascular disease, cancer, and all causes.
Also, University of Hawaii scientists found that being strong at middle age is associated with "exceptional survival" which is defined as living until 85 years of age without developing a major disease.
18. You'll Stay Sharp.
University of Virginia scientists discovered that when men and women strength trained for 6 months, the participants in the study significantly decreased their blood levels of homoscysteine, a protein that is linked to the development of dementia and Alzheimer's disease.
19. You'll Be Even Smarter!
Here's a body-mind connection: Brazilian researchers found that 6 months of weight resistance training enhanced lifters' cognitive function. In fact, the strength training workouts resulted in improved short and long term memory, better verbal reasoning and a longer attention span.
Glen Peavey is Co-Owner of Real Exercise Personal Training in Waukegan Illinois. He's been a trainer since 1977 and has personally supervised over 85,000 training sessions. Glen is available for personal training, online training and phone consultations. He can be reached at pthit@aol.com and https://twitter.com/real_exercise
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