I hear a lot of people tell me all the reasons why they don’t want to do any sort of resistance training-especially when it comes to picking up a dumbbell or barbell. The most common thing I have heard is “ I don’t want to get too bulky”, or “I’m trying to lose weight, so it won’t benefit me”. Seeing as though it is 2018, I thought we had made it past this fear, but this still persists. It’s important to point out that body builders work very hard to look the way that they do. It is a specific work out regimen and diet. You will not gradually start to look like one, unless you diet and train like one.
Let me be the first to tell you, you are doing your body and health a complete disservice if you skip resistance training. You may not enjoy resistance training, it may not be your “thing”, but you should be doing it. At least once or twice a week. Your body will thank you for it.
I know what you’re thinking.. Me? Resistance train? Nah.
YES YOU. You should resistance train.
So what is resistance training? Resistance training is a type of exercise that causes the muscles to contract against an external force. That external force is usually dumbbells, tubing, bands, or your own bodyweight. This kind of training can be done at home, in the gym or even outside. Get yourself a set of kettlebells or dumbbells, and some tubing, you’ll be set.
Benefits of Resistance Training
Decrease your chances of injury AND prevent disease.
Have you ever known someone who suffered from a hip fracture as an older adult? There are a lot of commercials for what to do when someone has fallen and can’t get up. If you haven’t seen these, they are pretty common, and so is osteoporosis. According to the International Osteoporosis Foundation, 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 will experience osteoporotic fractures, and 1 in 5 men over the age of 50 will as well (International Osteoporosis Foundation). Luckily, resistance training reduces your risks of osteoporosis because it increases bone mass density. So if anything, lift to strengthen those bones and hopefully avoid the pain later down the road. In addition to making your bones more dense, a good resistance training program will incorporate balance and stability, and will help you control you center of gravity. Meaning you’ll have a better handle on your balance, making you less likely to fall.
Manage Type 2 Diabetes
In addition, resistance training has shown to be helpful in managing type 2 diabetes. In an article from Annals of Internal Medicine, the researchers found that “Either aerobic or resistance training alone improves glycemic control in type 2 diabetes, but the improvements are greatest with combined aerobic and resistance training” (Sigal RJ, Kenny GP, et al. 2007). Combining aerobic exercise with resistance training is a great way to improve complications associated with type 2 diabetes!
Increase Capacity to Exercise
Another reason to resistance train is you can increase your CAPACITY to exercise! Regular resistance training will create stronger muscles, therefore increasing your amount of force. Additionally, you’ll increase your resting metabolic rate (RMR) which results in more calories burned on a daily basis (ACE Personal Trainer Manual, 329.) Resistance training alone isn’t the most effective way to achieve weight loss, but the health benefits are undeniable. A well rounded exercise program should include aerobic and resistance training, which lead to the best results associated with changes in body weight, waist measurements, and fat mass (ACE Personal Trainer Manual, 328).
Other benefits of resistance training include:
- Stronger muscles. Look stronger, feel stronger.
- Reduced pain of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.
- Decrease in depression in older men and women.
- Improved functional ability in older adults.
- Increased mitochondrial content and oxidative capacity of muscle tissue.
I hope after reading this, you have been swayed to incorporate some sort of resistance training into your workout regime. Resistance is good for you, good for your muscles. The weights won’t bite!
Resources
International Osteoporosis Foundation Website, 2018. https://www.iofbonehealth.org/facts-and-statistics/calcium-studies-map
Sigal RJ, Kenny GP, Boulé NG, Wells GA, Prud’homme D, Fortier M, et al. Effects of Aerobic Training, Resistance Training, or Both on Glycemic Control in Type 2 Diabetes: A Randomized Trial. Ann Intern Med. ;147:357–369. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-147-6-200709180-00005
Ace Personal Trainer Manual (2014).
