When most people think of exercise, they think of aerobic activity, or something that gets your heart rate up and makes you breathe hard, like running or cycling.
But there’s another kind of exercise that you might not know about: resistance training. While it may not be as popular some exercises, resistance training has plenty of benefits for your health.
What is resistance training?
Resistance training is the act to perform a movement against a resistance inserted in a program as a form of exercise. It's commonly referred to as strength training, or simply weightlifting.
Nevertheless, adding resistance to your workouts isn't just about lifting weights. You can have resistance by using bands, dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, plates our even using your own body weight.
By practicing resistance training, you can acquire many benefits such as hypertrophy, increase in strength and power, and other important adaptations.
When you build muscle, the body burns more calories even when at rest. This can help you reach a healthy weight and have more energy throughout your day.
Resistance training can also reduce joint pain and lower your risk of injuries caused by everyday tasks and activities such as lifting heavy objects or playing sports.
When people think about exercises for elderly, what commonly comes to mind is low impact exercises like aerobics under the water or walking.
However, scientific studies have proven that resistance training is one of the safest and more efficient form of exercise for general health and a great ally against aging.
The benefits of resistance training
While resistance training is often viewed as a tool for building muscle, it’s also effective for building strength and endurance as well as balance and mobility. Several studies show that exercise in general may lower your risk of heart disease, but resistance training has been shown to be even more beneficial in reducing bad cholesterol levels and increasing HDL (good) cholesterol levels.
It’s also been shown to increase metabolism, which means that during exercise your body burns more calories than if you were doing aerobic activity alone. All these factors combined can help give people with high blood pressure a major health boost: Blood pressure usually decreases when resistance training is incorporated into an exercise regimen on a regular basis.
The importance of a professional to design a resistance training
A qualified professional can help you achieve your goals in a shorter time span than if you attempted it by yourself with no guidance. A knowledge of a specialist trainer can guarantee you the right strategy for your goals safely and effectively.
Having a Gold Standard certified professional to prescribe and lead through a resistance training is highly recommended for special population such as elderly people due to their fragility and different level of health.
Benefits of personalized resistance training for aging
According to the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, a properly designed resistance training program can contribute with general health and longevity in older adults. The research shows that resistance training:
Is capable of countering age-related changes in human skeletal muscle contractile function, atrophy, and morphology as you age.
Can improve muscular strength, power, and neuromuscular functioning of seniors.
Promotes healthy aging by maintaining mobility, strength, performance of daily activities, and independence.
Increases the strength of older adults, enabling them to be better equipped to handle injuries and bad events like falls.
By positively impacting psychosocial well-being, it has the potential to aid in an older adult's overall quality of life.
Can be used for individuals with more frail health, mobility problems, cognitive problems, or chronic condition.
Can be adapted to suit elderly adults residing in nursing facilities, by being portable and suitable with exercise alternatives.
Whether you’re a middle-aged or an elderly person, resistance training is great to improve your health and overall wellness.
As we age, our muscle mass decreases, and our bones become weaker. Studies have shown that resistance training can offset these losses and help build muscle to keep us more mobile and flexible in old age. Weight-bearing exercises are especially beneficial because they strengthen bone without putting any extra pressure on it.
Moreover, like other exercises, resistance training has been shown to help keep our hearts healthy and reduce stress and self-confidence increasement.
The combination of exercise modalities such as stretching and mobility in your exercising program can help you prevent injuries, improve posture, and keep you consistent when it comes to your journey towards your health.
How often should I workout?
According to American college of sports medicine [ACSM], any healthy adult aged 18-65 should spend a minimum of 30 minutes at moderate intensity, or 20 minutes at vigorous intensity on most days of the week.
Every adult should do physical activities at least two days a week to maintain or improve muscular strength and endurance.
Including or improving my resistance training routine
4REAL believes that having professional direction is a great investment to align your life with your goals and your physical wellbeing is the foundation to have healthy habits and experience long-term wellness in life.
If you're interested in transforming your health thorough exercising but needs help to find a way to become your best-self, work now with a specialist personal trainer!
4REAL counts with Gold Standard professionals to deliver you a personalized support and guidance to your wellness journey. Click here to find more information about our plans.
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