A fitness routine is incomplete without strength training

Strength Training: The Workout You Love to Hate (But Can’t Skip)

A fitness routine is incomplete without strength training.

These are exercises where the muscles have to work against an opposing force or resistance, building endurance. This can be accomplished with weight machines at the gym, but can also be achieved using weights and resistance bands at home. You can even strength train using your own body weight by doing pushups or squats.

Many people dislike strength training and say they find it boring or intimidating. In fact, only 28 percent of US adults say they actually do the recommended two sessions per week.

But strength training provides enormous benefits. For one, it prevents injuries. As we age, we lose muscle mass, which makes us weaker and more prone to falls, which is the leading cause of death among older adults in the US. Strength training slows the muscle decline that comes with age, and protects against these deadly falls.

Strength training provides many additional benefits:

Builds Muscle:

Strength training creates microscopic tears to the muscles, forcing the body to repair it, which results in a stronger muscle.

Builds Bone Health:

Strength training puts stress on the bones, which can slow bone loss and even build bone mass, lowering the risk of osteoporosis.

Improves Joint Health:

Strength training strengthens muscles, ligaments, and tendons that support joints, and can decrease joint pain.

Increases Metabolic Rate:

Strength training increases the amount of lean muscle in the body, and building muscle burns more calories.

Controls Blood Sugar:

Pushing and pulling during weight training requires glucose, which the body gets from the bloodstream. Strength training can control blood sugar levels by clearing glucose out of the bloodstream.

Promotes Cognitive Function:

Strength training increases blood flow to the brain, providing nourishment to brain cells and stimulating growth factors, which aid in creating new neural connections.

Mood Booster:

Past studies have shown that twice-a-week strength training reduces the symptoms of depression. It can also keep anxiety in check.

Strength training also increases longevity. Recent studies have found adding 30-60 minutes of weight training twice a week lowers the risk of all-cause mortality by 15 percent. It also provides cardiovascular benefits, lowering the risk of cardiovascular disease by 17 percent. These numbers are even higher when researchers examined the results of women, separate from men. Women who strength train two to three times per week saw their risk of cardiovascular disease decrease by 30 percent when compared to women who didn’t.

Strength training is beneficial for younger women as well, making the body stronger for pregnancy, labor, and delivery. It also lowers the risk of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, and postpartum depression. (If you’re pregnant, check with your doctor before beginning a strength training routine.)

Make sure you adjust your routine as you get stronger. The last thing you want is for strength training to get easier. If that happens, it’s a sign you need to switch things up. One way you can do this is to increase the weights you’re using. If you’ve been using five-pound weights, switch to seven- or ten-pound weights. Another way is to increase the repetitions of each exercise. You can do this by timing your exercises and aiming for a specific number of repetitions per minute.

Strength training requires proper form, and if you’ve never tried it before, it’s best to consult with a trainer or attend a class where you can be guided.

(Originally featured in Family First, Issue 925)