Total Health Breakthroughs: Free Natural Health Newsletter and Alternative Health Articles

“I’m gonna pump you up!” How can we forget this well known phrase from an unforgettable Saturday Night Live skit! We laugh at the memory of two over-inflated comedians flexing their biceps, when in fact pumping up is exactly what we should be doing!

By definition, strength training (or “pumping up”) is the process of lifting progressively heavier resistance for the purpose of building strength, muscular endurance and size of skeletal muscle.¹

In the past, strength training wasn’t fully appreciated for its importance in true fitness and health.  Today that has really changed — almost everyone knows they should be doing some strength training to preserve physical capacity and metabolic health.  Not to mention it’s a great way to sculpt your appearance.  With strength training, you can also be very specific for injury prevention. However, I still find that strength training is not fully appreciated for how well it can help us preserve our health and physical independence as we age.

Muscle preservation is the key.  For every decade you grow older, you will lose about 61/2 pounds of muscle, and muscle is our metabolically active tissue responsible for more than 25 percent of our calorie use.² Age-related muscle loss is a big reason people gain weight as they age, if they don’t take measures to preserve their muscle.

Research indicates men and women both gain about 2-4 pounds of muscle and 40-60 percent more strength after only two months of regular strength training. Although your metabolism naturally decreases as you age, strength training can markedly delay this process.

Since there are as many ways to strength train as there are trainers, it can be confusing, especially for anyone who hasn’t yet incorporated much strength training into their fitness routine. And sometimes even when we are more advanced in our fitness level, we can use a reminder of the fundamentals.  I have a few pointers that have helped my clients.

Strength Training Guidelines²

• Select at least one exercise for each major muscle group: Quadriceps, Hamstrings, Lower Back, Abdominals, Chest, Upper Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps and Neck.
• Train large muscle groups before small. For example, the legs are larger than the muscles of the arms and neck.
• Lift at a slow pace. As you begin a program, a reasonable recommendation is a 1- to 2-second lift followed by a 3- to 4-second lowering.
• Complete 8 to 12 repetitions with 70-80 percent of maximum safe muscle development.
• The key is progressive resistance. As a muscle group adapts to a given weight or a high number of reps (> 15) gradually increase the weight by five percent or less (2.5-5 lbs) and drop back to 8-10 reps.
• Warm-up prior to strength training. Eight to 10 minutes of light aerobic activity like walking on the treadmill or a stationary bike are easy options.
• Strength train every other day. Allow the muscles worked at least 24 hours to properly recover and synthesize protein to build muscle.

Preserving our muscle is the difference between being able or not being able to do very basic activities as you get older.  And did I mention strength training can decrease blood pressure, increase bone density and even protect your memory and eyesight³ as you age?  If I were a betting person, I’d put my money where the muscle is!  Strength training is one of the best things you can do to protect your health as you age.

References

1. en.wikipedia.org/wiki/strength training.
2. Westcott, W. Personal Trainer Manual. Richard T. Cotton, Ed., pages 241-248.
3. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/10/061031192307.htm.

[Ed. Note: Melissa Hawthorne, RN, BSN, CSCS is the owner of Priority Fitness Personal Training and Wellness.  She is a Master Trainer for the Resist-a-ball Company, ISCA Personal Training, Kick-boxing, and Beamfit.  Melissa serves as a fitness consultant for the LaValle Metabolic Institute.  To learn more, click here.]