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 Benefits
of Strength Training
One of the best ways to keep your
body and mind functioning at its best is
to exercise. Regular strength training
helps build muscle and increases bone
density, thereby helping to prevent
frailty and osteoporosis. Some other
health benefits of strength training
include:
Balance
As adults get older they are more
susceptible to falls. One way to
decrease the risk of falls is to improve
muscle strength and balance. One study
looked at 112 healthy older adults that
strength trained at different levels of
intensity for twice a week for 8-12
weeks. The results showed that strength
training significantly improved balance
compared to those that did not strength
train.
Click here to read more about this
study.
Arthritis
It was once thought that there was
little that can be done to treat
arthritis. Recent research has found
that strength training can reduce the
signs and symptoms of arthritis. A
recent study published in the
Physical Therapy Journal looked at
both low intensity strength training and
vigorous intensity strength training in
patients with knee osteoarthritis and
found significant improvements in both
groups. In addition, there were no
significant differences between the
low-intensity and the vigorous intensity
group. Therefore, low-intensity or
vigorous intensity strength training can
be beneficial for patients with knee
osteoarthritis.
Click
here to read more about this study.
Flexibility
Flexibility is also important for
physical activity and every day life.
One study looked at the effect of
strength training for 10 weeks on the
flexibility of sedentary middle-aged
women. The strength training program
consisted of 7 exercises with 8 to 12
repetitions each. Flexibility
measurements were taken pre and post
training. The results found that
strength training can increase
flexibility in previously sedentary
middle-aged women in some, but not all
joint movements.
Click here to read more about this
study.
Weight Control
The American College and Sport Medicine
guidelines for healthy adults include an
aerobic recommendation and a strength
training recommendation. A recent study
done at the University of
Missouri-Columbia found that
participants that did aerobic and
strength training exercises for three
times a week for 12 weeks lost a
significant amount of intra-abdominal
fat. Abdominal fat is a risk factor for
heart disease and diabetes so this study
confirms the importance of aerobic
exercise and strength training for one’s
health.
Click here to learn more about this
study.
Less Depression
Exercise has been shown to improve not
only physical health, but mental
health. One study looked at the effect
of strength training on older adults
that were depressed. The subjects had
10 weeks of supervised strength training
followed by 10 weeks of unsupervised
exercise. There was also a follow-up
with the participants at 26 months. The
results found that the Beck Depression
Inventory (BDI) was significantly
reduced at both 20 weeks and 26 months
of follow-up in exercisers compared with
controls. Also, at the 26-month
follow-up, 33% of the exercisers were
still regularly strength training.
Click here to learn more about this
study.
Reduced
Risk of Heart Disease
Many research studies have found that
exercise can reduce the risk of heart
disease. A study published in the
Journal of American Medical Association
looked at the exercise type and
intensity and its effect on heart
disease. The study compared men who did
not strength train to men who performed
strength training for less than 30
minutes or for 30 or more minutes per
week. They found strength training for
30 minutes or more per week was
associated with a significant 23% risk
reduction of heart disease.
Click
here to read more about this study.
Helps Manage Diabetes
According to the National Center for
Health Statistics (2003-2006), over 23%
of US population 60 years and older has
diabetes. Aerobic exercise has been
shown to be an effective way to prevent
and manage diabetes. A study by Tufts
University also found that strength
training can be an effective way to
manage diabetes. The subjects that
lifted weights three times a week for 16
weeks reduced their plasma glucose
levels and reduced the dose of
prescribed diabetes medication in 72% of
strength training subjects compared with
the control group. The subjects that
participated in strength training also
increased lean mass, reduced systolic
blood pressure, and decreased trunk fat
mass compared to the control group.
Click here to read more about this
study.
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