Stay Healthy and Fit With Resistance Training Exercises

Leading a healthy life doesn’t just include eating a balanced diet. It also means getting exercise. According to the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines, adults need two types of exercise to improve their health: aerobic activity and muscle strengthening. For substantial  health benefits, adults should do at least 150 to 300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic exercises a week and do resistance training/muscle strengthening exercises at least twice a week. 

While resistance training exercises might seem like a small portion of your overall exercise routine, it’s important not to skip it. As you age, your muscles will naturally weaken in a process known as sarcopenia. In general, inactive adults experience a 3 to 8 percent loss of muscle mass every decade after the age of 30. Luckily, you can keep this  natural process at bay by doing simple resistance training 2-3 days a week. Of course, there are other benefits of muscle strengthening exercises that will be more visible.

Muscle Tone

Sure, everyone knows that building strong muscles doesn't happen overnight. However, it’s easy to lose motivation when you don’t see any progress after weeks of pumping iron. What’s worse, you’ll probably be sore since you’re using muscles that have been otherwise dormant. Still, that’s the process of building muscle. Essentially, working out creates microscopic damage to your muscle cells. As your body repairs these cells, your muscle cell becomes bigger since new structural and contractile proteins and being laid down. 

Depending on the amount of damage your workout gives your cells can take from one to several days to get bigger and stronger. If you stick with it you will definitely see progress. In general, most beginners will start to see some muscle definition after around 8 weeks of consistent strength training. You will eventually plateau, but that’s normal. If you want to bulk up further or just increase your strength, you’ll need to get more specific with both your nutrition and training to continue making progress.

Improving your muscle tone and strength isn’t something that only men should worry about. Women should follow a similar workout regiment. A lot of women tend to be afraid of lifting for a variety of reasons including a fear or becoming too bulky and inflexible. If you are afraid of looking bulky, don’t worry. The women who you might see on Instagram who are super muscular are professional bodybuilders. Much like their male counterparts, these women spend hours in the gym every day, something most normal women just don’t have the time for. Instead, focus on getting the recommended 2-3 days of resistance training a week whether that’s pumping iron, using resistance bands, or doing some body weight exercises. 

Maintain Strength As You Age

As mentioned, people naturally lose around 3 to 8 percent of their muscle mass every ten years after the age of 30 with the decline speeding up after your 50s. Sarcopenia is one of the most common causes of muscle weakness in senior citizens and is a key component of frailty. It’s associated with serious health outcomes such as hospitalizations, physical disability, falls, fractures, and even death. Even those who don’t experience these outcomes still are negatively affected by sarcopenia as it makes it  harder for them to live independently. They might find walking to take a lot of energy and might not be able to do simple things like open the window or carry groceries. 

So far, only resistance training seems to prevent and improve sarcopenia. Not only does it improve overall strength, it also seems to improve balance, speed, and flexibility all very important for fall prevention in older adults. Remember, it’s never too late to start resistance training. Whether you’re 30 or 60, progressive resistance training can improve your muscle strength so long as you do it consistently. The best exercises focus on large muscle groups throughout your body. Typical exercises include:

• Push-ups

• Squats

• Shoulder Rows

• Step ups

If you’re a senior citizen, you should talk to a physical therapist before you begin any kind of strengthening program. For the younger folk, you should take advantage of a personal trainer, at least for the first few weeks so that you learn the proper form and techniques needed to improve your overall strength.

Improve Posture

Have you ever noticed that people who workout tend to stand up straighter? While some of this might be due to confidence, the biggest reason for their improved posture is a stronger core. The muscles groups around your spin help you sit up straighter and maintain proper posture when standing or sitting. Sure, working out your core also means getting rid of those pesky love handles and getting abs, but it’s mostly important so that you can support your spine better. 

At this point, you might be wondering why you need to care about good posture. The truth is, poor posture is one of the biggest contributors to back problems. Office workers who are sitting for 8+ hours a day are already too familiar with constant lower back pain from poor seated posture. The more slouched your position, the more pressure and stress you’re putting on your spine and hips. This can eventually lead to issues like a herniated disc, which are incredibly painful.

In addition to back problems, poor posture can also lead to other issues such as:

• Incontinence

• Constipation

• Heartburn and slow digestion

People tend to have bad posture for a variety of reasons, but at the end of the day it has become a habit to sit or stand improperly. Therefore, it will take some time to break the habit. Yes, resistance training can make it easier for you to improve your posture as you strengthen the necessary muscles around your core. However, you also need to get into the habit of checking and correcting your posture so you don’t slide back into bad habits. Good standing posture means your head is in line with your shoulders, your shoulders are back, your stomach is pulled in, and your body is more or less in a straight line. When sitting, you should make sure that both feet are firmly planted on the ground and that your knees are bent at a natural 90 degree angle. 

Some great exercises to incorporate into your routine for better posture include doing exercises like planks, twists, curl-ups, and single leg extensions. All of these can help build up your core muscles. When it comes to actually improving your posture, you’ll need to remind yourself to check in every 30 minutes or an hour to see if you’ve slipped into bad habits. If you have, just correct and continue about your day. The more you practice and correct yourself, the more likely  you are to improve your overall posture.

Mental Health

You’ve probably heard that exercise can help improve your mood, but are some activities better than others? There’s been plenty of research on the benefits of endurance activities such as running, cycling, or swimming. You’ve probably heard or perhaps even experienced the ‘runner’s high,’ a feeling of euphoria coupled with reduced anxiety and decreased ability to feel pain. Initially, scientists believed this state was caused due to the endorphins released to your bloodstream, but recent research finds that it might actually be caused by endocannabinoids. These molecules act on your endocannabinoid system, which makes you feel euphoric and relaxed after a run.

So what about resistance training? While there isn't as much research around lifting and mental health, a meta-analysis of 33 clinical trials found that resistance training significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adults with the highest benefits found in people performing low-to-moderate intensity strength training and people with mild-to-moderate depression.  

Studies also found that strength training also helped reduce symptoms of anxiety. It’s important to note that the subjects in these studies were not clinically diagnosed with anxiety disorder so the benefits were mainly for people with generalized stress and anxiety With that said, moderate-intensity strength training did provide small yet significant reductions. How does it work? Essentially, strength training releases a protein called BDNF (brain-derived neurotrophic factor) into the hippocampus region of the brain. This area is responsible for mood regulation. In people that are depressed this area shrinks up to 25 percent of its normal volume. The release of BDNF can trigger growth of brain cells in the hippocampus, restoring it to its original size and improving communication between cells.

More Confidence

One of the great things about weight training is that you can often see the benefits faster than cardio. Sure, you’ll be sore after the first few sessions, but after that, you’ll notice that you’re able to lift more and that your muscles don’t hurt as much anymore. In just a couple of months, you’ll start seeing some muscle gain. More importantly, once you have finished your session, you are able to look back on your performance and reflect on progress and areas for improvement. If you keep a journal (and you should) you’ll be able to actually track how far you’ve come even over the course of a month. It’s a huge self-esteem boost to see all the progress you’ve made.

Of course, even the very act of lifting weights can help improve your confidence. Lifting weights can be challenging especially if you push yourself. Overcoming the challenges you set for yourself - whether mental or physical - is rewarding. It can increase your confidence because it shows you that you have the power and ability to overcome an obstacle. Plus, there’s the added benefit of getting into shape. Most people tend to be more confident when they are healthy and in shape.

Heart Health

Like your biceps, your heart is a muscle, and arguably one of the most important one in your body as it keeps you alive. Unfortunately, many people don’t take good care of their heart, which is why heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. There are a lot of reasons why heart disease has become so prevalent, but it mainly comes down to poor diet, increased stress, and lack of physical activity. Luckily, you can kill two birds with one stone by lifting weights.

Some studies have found that those who did at least an hour of weight training per week reduced their chances of getting cardiovascular diseases by as much as 70 percent. It didn’t matter if they worked out once, twice, or three times so long as they hit the one hour mark. Interestingly, anything over an hour did not lead to any additional benefits. This could be due to the reduced amount of fat around the heart sace, which is directly associated with lower risk of heart disease. 

Weight training also has other indirect heart benefits. When compared to those who did not weight training, people who did lift weights had a 17 percent lower risk of developing a metabolic disorder such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc. All of which decreases your risk of heart disease and diabetes. 

Resistance training has also been found to reduce overall stress levels. As mentioned previously, weight training floods your body with endorphins, which helps boost your mood and reduces anxiety. For many, lifting weights is also a meditative activity as you are only focused on the task at hand and focused on both the weights and your movement. It makes it impossible for your mind to stray to anywhere but the present. Why is that important? Both mindfulness and meditation have both been shown to reduce stress. Mindfulness in particular lowers your stress response and has been found to change brain structures and activity regions associated with attention and emotional regulation.

Stronger Bones

Resistance training doesn’t just strengthen your muscles, it’s also good for your bones. By putting stress on your bones you are increasing overall bone density, which can reduce the risk of developing osteoporosis later in life. This is especially important for women as they are more likely to develop this degenerative bone disease than men.  

As bones grow more fragile, they are more susceptible to fracture and breaking even after a minor fall. While you might not be able to completely reverse the effects of osteoporosis, you can certainly help slow its development by weight training. In fact, strength training now only slows bone loss, it can even build more bone. Activities that put stress on the bone can encourage bone-forming cells into action. It even has benefits beyond what aerobic exercise can offer as you can target areas such as the hips, spines, and wrists, all sites that are likely to fracture. Of course, strength training also improves overall power and balance, which can help prevent falls in the first place.

Lower Blood Glucose

You don’t have to do aerobic exercise to cut your risk of developing diabetes. While endurance training should be a part of your workout regiment, you can still reduce your blood glucose levels with just resistance training. So how does it work? Your body relies on glucose, which comes from starches and sugars you eat. Insulin then delivers glucose from your blood to the rest of your body. If you don’t make enough insulin or if your cells ignore insulin, you can develop type 2 diabetes. 

The biggest risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes is being overweight. Aerobic exercise burns a lot of energy, which can lead to weight loss and lower your risk of developing diabetes. A recent study found that doing 150 minutes of weight training a week can reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 34 percent. Lifting helps burn up blood sugar and the muscles you build improves glucose storage. Weight training also spurs weight loss and targets harmful belly fat that can exacerbate insulin resistance.

Of course, you shouldn’t forego aerobic exercises completely as it can still help improve your overall health. With that said, if you cannot do aerobic exercises, strength training is a great option to improve your health. Plus, you don’t have to leave your house to do it. You can easily purchase weights for your home gym or start with bodyweight exercises.

Resistance Training Is A Leading Aspects To A Healthy Lifestyle

Resistance training is one of the most important aspects in leading a healthy lifestyle. Yes, it can be difficult to start at first. If you’ve never lifted weights before or if you haven’t touched a dumbbell since high school, it’s probably a good idea to start off slow. Go find a personal trainer and tell them what your goals are. They will create a schedule that will work with your current fitness levels and goals. While it’s not cheap, you should try to stick with the personal trainer for at least a month. This way, you’ll perfect the forms and get a feel for the various sets and cycles you should do. Don’t be afraid to ask questions or request different exercises if you feel like the ones they are giving you are too hard or too easy. 

As you progress through your weight training, you’ll start to notice progress relatively quickly. Maybe that means you can do heavier weights or perhaps you’re actually noticing some muscle on your body. Whatever the case, take note and enjoy your accomplishments! Of course, even if you don’t hit a goal or maybe have a bad day, don’t take it too hard. Everyone has an off day. The important thing is to keep a routine and stick with it. That’s the surest way to succeed and see all of the benefits of resistance training.

Rebekah Pierce is a professional social blogger and has worked on several online publications including Citrus Sleep. Rebekah is an experienced content writer and copyeditor. You will find many of her works throughout CitrusSleep.com that cover a wide array of subjects including sleep education, natural, sleep products, electronics, fashion and many more. She is passionate about her work and family.

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