Whether looking to lose weight, stay fit, or find a healthier way to live, people everywhere are finding out that regular exercise should include strength training in addition to aerobic activity and a diet rich in egg protein and chicken breast protein powder. The Centers for Disease Control recommends that adults exercise between one and two hours a week depending on intensity level, but they also recommend twice-weekly strength-building activities that work all the major muscle groups.
Some will ask what strength training has to do with staying healthy. Is there actual scientific support out there to suggest the importance of lifting or other strength-based activities? How exactly does strength training benefit adults and contribute to healthy bodies?
To answer these questions, we must first address some common myths about strength training.
Myth: Cardio Activity is Enough
It is true that doing cardio with the use of exercise equipment is an important part of fitness levels, but cardio alone is not optimal. The truth is that lifting weights is important for all adults, not just those who want to be body builders. This is why the CDC recommends adults engage in strength training at least two times a week.
Cardio and Strength-Training are Necessary
Here are the facts. Research shows that inactive adults lose bone density, and strength training can slow or even reverse this loss. These same studies also show that lifting weights can increase metabolism and decrease fatty tissue. Resistance programs have additionally been shown to have positive benefits for heart health, to ease lower back pain, to aid in disease prevention and to improve cognitive abilities.
Myth: You’ll Gain Weight if You Lift Weights
We have all heard that muscle weighs more than fat, so it might also seem true that lifting weights can impede your attempt to lose weight. Some people have even reported gaining weight instead of losing it when they start a strength program.
Stronger Bodies, Leaner Bodies
The truth is that muscle may weigh more than fat, but building muscle also increases a person’s resting metabolism. This means that a person who has been lifting weights burns fat faster than someone who has not been lifting. Those stronger muscles use up more energy than the muscles of an inactive adult, so those who start a strength training regimen will find themselves growing stronger and leaner at the same time.
Myth: Strength Training Slows You Down
Many people are under the impression that lifting weights can bulk you up and slow you down. The truth is that over-training may in fact lead to slower athletes, but for those who train correctly, lifting weights strengthens your muscles and makes your body more adaptive. More reps at lower weight can strengthen lean muscle and help you get faster, and heavier weights at more reps can aid athletes in muscle endurance.
Strength Training Improves Performance
Let’s look at runners as an example. Studies have shown that when athletes begin a strength training regimen, their endurance increases and their performance at distance running improves. Another study demonstrates that explosive strength training can yield faster running times at shorter distances. The conclusion we can draw from these different studies is that whether aiming to get faster or go longer, people can alter their strength training plans to suit their fitness goals.
Myth: Lifting Weights Leads to Injuries
Another common myth about strength training is that people who lift get hurt often and frequently need time for injury recovery. It is certainly true that a lack of training when using weights can lead to injury, but that is true of any activity. It is vitally important that anyone who begins resistance training does so with the proper technique. Many gyms offers personal trainers to help with this, but there also videos available online that demonstrate how to hone technique.
Strength Training Prevents Injury
The fact is that when people lift correctly, they are less likely to get injured, especially those who participate in any sort of activity. Lifting builds muscle, which allows for more stable joints and stronger weak spots. Strength and resistance programs can even be developed specifically to address weak areas and prevent injury. This is the reason that physical therapists often ask patients to perform resistance exercises as part of their recovery.
Myth: Weight Lifters are Dumb Jocks
You know the stereotype. He’s the muscled-out dude who is not the sharpest tool in the shed. This dumb jock stereotype arises from an unfair association between athletes and a distaste for school. Sure, some athletes prefer playing sports or participating in activities to being in a classroom environment, but that is true of all types of people.
Strength Training Makes You Smarter
To dispel the myth that those who lift are lacking intellectually, one can point to dozens of studies that demonstrate a link between strength training and better information processing. This research suggests that strength training, even above other types of exercise, facilitates better overall cognition in adults.
If you’re looking to start strength training soon, be sure to train correctly to avoid injury and choose a program designed specifically with your fitness goals in mind. Remember, the benefits of strength training are numerous. Even a moderate resistance regimen can make you stronger, faster, smarter and healthier, and all those endorphins from lifting will make you feel good, too!