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Strength Training raises Metabolic Rate
- Strength training increases the body's metabolic rate. This helps your
body to burn more calories throughout the day. |
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It increases and Restores Bone Density
- Inactivity and aging can lead to a decrease in bone density and
brittleness. Studies prove that consistent strength training can increase
bone density and prevent Osteoporosis. |
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Strength Training increases
Lean Muscle Mass, Physical Strength and Endurance - For example, adults
who are sedentary will experience an annual half-pound loss of muscle and
half-percent reduction in metabolic rate unless they begin some form of
weight/strength or resistance training. |
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It helps Prevent Injuries - A wide
variety of sports-related or daily-life injuries can be prevented by
strengthening muscles and joints. Also, stronger and more resilient
muscles improves our balance, which means more comfortable living & fewer
falls or accidents. |
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Strength Training Helps Reduce Heart
Disease Risk - Participation in a consistent strength-training program has
a wide variety of affiliated health benefits including decreased
cholesterol and lowered blood pressure. |
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Improves Quality of Life - Physical
activity keeps us alive and vibrant. Strength training ensures we are
strong enough to participate in aerobic activities, outdoor recreation,
and sports. Stronger muscles and joints can have a dramatic impact on
posture and leaner toned muscles tend to make everyone feel better about
their appearance. This leads to improved self-esteem and self-confidence.
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Strength Training - Example of
Benefits
Take a 160-pound man who has 20 percent
body fat - 32 pounds of fat weight and 128 pounds of lean body weight
(muscle, bones, organs, water, etc.) Suppose he follows an effective
strength training routine and replaces five pounds of body fat with five
pounds of muscle. At the end, he may still weigh 160 pounds, but his body
fat percentage is now 17 percent fat - with 27 pounds of fat weight and 133
pounds of lean body weight. So even though his total body weight remains the
same, his lean body mass has grown and his metabolism has improved, giving
him a firmer, leaner appearance.
Weight/Strength Training Study
University of Maryland researchers have
investigated how different groups of exercisers responded to weight/strength
training.
This study included both "young" (ages 20
to 30) and "old" adults (ages 65 to 75) who participated in a 6-month
supervised exercise program. All were healthy, but exercised less than once
every 2 weeks before the study began. Three times each week, a trainer
supervised the volunteers as they performed lower and upper body exercises
using hand weights and weight machines. In order to keep it challenging, the
amount of weight was increased over time. Total body fat and muscle mass in
the thigh were measured before and after the exercise program. The
volunteers were instructed not to change their diet and activity habits
during the study.
The participants did not lose weight or
body fat, but they did get stronger. Upper and lower body strength increased
significantly. As expected, initially, men had more muscle mass than women
and younger volunteers had more muscle than the elderly. However, after the
training period, all volunteers had a significant increase in muscle volume.
Strength Training Exercising
As with all new exercises, begin slowly.
The exercises are repeated over time until they become comfortable. When you
are ready, you can intensify your workout by first adding sets of
repetitions and light weights and later by graduating to heavier weights.
Strength Training - Burns
Calories
Regular physical activity burns a
significant amount of fat calories. If one of your aims is to lose weight,
you may therefore combine a less drastic reduction in your caloric intake
with an increase in your energy (calorie) expenditure by an efficient
strength training program. You don't have to rely simply on
calorie-reduction in order to achieve your weight loss goals.
Also, strength training has hidden
benefits. Many people find that exercise reduces their appetite and helps to
develop the type of lasting lifestyle change needed for permanent weight
control.
Combine Strength Training with
Aerobic Exercise
Combine your weight/strength-traing
routine with regular cardio-aerobic exercise. The National Institutes of
Health recommend 20-minute sessions of aerobic activity at least 3 times a
week for weight loss and advise that slow weight loss of 1 to 2 pounds a
week is best for healthy and lasting results.
Sources include: Muscle size
responses to strength training in young and older men and women. SM. Roth,
FM. Ivey, GF. Martel, et al., J Am Geriatr Soc , 2001, vol. 49, pp.
1428-1433
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