
The irrefutable reasons to start your strength training NOW
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There is no doubt and science, with countless studies, confirms that strength training is the most effective method to increase muscle mass, strength and cardiovascular endurance.
The goal with strength training is to build muscle by gradually increasing the weight of the loads you lift. This means that in order to gain muscle, the exercises that require you to use your strength must reach a point where they challenge your muscles, without causing you to lose proper technique.
It may seem contradictory that you intentionally “injure” yourself during training in order to gain muscle mass, but that is exactly what happens and it is precisely to stimulate hormones and neurotransmitters that will “heal those micro-tears” and make your body build mass and become stronger.
Once your muscles adapt, you can make variations in your training and this is done through changes in the weight you handle, number of sets, number of repetitions in the set, as well as rest periods or even emphasis on the negative movement or eccentric phase of the exercise, for example.
To achieve these goals, some type of resistance (or weight) is typically used, such as body weight, barbells and dumbbells; resistance bands, or other tools.
9 benefits of strength training
The thing to keep in mind when making the decision to incorporate strength training into your lifestyle is that you are making a long-term investment: You are laying the foundation for healthy aging, at the postural, muscular, hormonal level, as well as the health of your brain.
I recently learned that skeletal muscle is an endocrine organ. When a muscle contracts, the duration and intensity of the contraction releases myosins (which are hormonal peptides) or proteins that are released from skeletal muscle cells.
Among the leucines that are released are the well-known IL-6 or IL-15 that affect lipolysis in the body (movement of fats) and the use of glucose. Remember that excessive levels of glucose in the body are toxic and therefore must be removed from the body.
When exercising (fasting is a plus) the use of sugar is improved, but other molecules released by skeletal muscle such as Irisin and Cathepsin B stimulate the production of Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor or BDNF, which is a component of neurogenesis (birth of new neurons), as well as consolidating synaptic connections in the brain.
It should be noted that the human body is made up of approximately 40% skeletal muscle and 10% visceral smooth muscle and cardiac muscle, which constitute what is colloquially called "body meat."
Muscles have a great capacity for adaptation, modifying both their content and their shape more than any other organ. Severe atrophy can be quickly strengthened again thanks to training, especially strength training.
I think I've just given you a taste of the benefits and how important strength training is for your body, but there's more. Let's get to the specifics.
Functional strength
Functional strength refers to the strength you need on a daily basis to perform your daily activities such as getting up, bending down, maintaining good posture, carrying (children, shopping bags, moderately heavy objects), for example. This is because strength training, as you will see, protects bones, joints and helps you maintain good posture due to the muscle strengthening obtained through this type of training.
Muscle mass and tone
By nature, using your muscles to counteract a weight or resistance improves your muscle tone and can increase your muscle mass, not necessarily hypertrophy (muscle size), depending on the regimen. From starting out with even light weights, you can begin to see results.
Studies confirm that by increasing weight and performing between 8-12 repetitions per set, you can begin to notice muscle hypertrophy.
Reduction of body fat, especially in the abdomen
According to a Harvard study published in the journal Obesity , “ When people incorporate strength training into their exercise routine, they not only burn calories, but they increase lean muscle mass, which boosts metabolism.” Muscle mass is an important factor in determining basal metabolic rate, or the number of calories the body burns per day to maintain physiological functions.
Helps preserve muscle during weight loss
The potential health benefits of diet-induced weight loss may be compromised by the loss of lean body mass associated with weight loss.
A review published in the National Library of Medicine provides an overview of what is known about weight loss-induced muscle loss and its implications for overall physical function (e.g., ability to lift objects, walk, and climb stairs). It indicates that both cardiovascular and strength training help preserve muscle mass during weight loss, and resistance-type exercise also improves muscle strength. Therefore, it is concluded that weight loss treatment, including a low-calorie diet with adequate (but not excessive) protein intake and increased physical activity (particularly weight-bearing exercise), should be promoted to maintain muscle mass and improve muscle strength and physical function in people with obesity.
Prevents sarcopenia
According to the American College of Sports Medicine, a healthy body fat composition for a 60-69 year old man is 21-23% body fat and for women it is 23.2-27.5%. Building and maintaining lean muscle prevents the body from storing too much extra fat.
Sarcopenia – age-related loss of muscle mass, strength and function – can be caused by poor diet, lack of exercise and hormonal changes.
When you lose muscle, your body must replace it with something, which is almost always fat. And while it's normal to lose some muscle mass with age, losing too much can be harmful. Increased body fat stores increase the risk of metabolic diseases, obesity and cancer. Sarcopenia can start as early as age 40, so the time to act is now.
Strength training is the only activity that has been shown to slow the progression of sarcopenia and reduce its effects. Resistance training and light weight lifting can help you increase strength and retain more muscle as you age, leaving less room for fat to accumulate and improving your overall health.
Improves bone mass
An article from the Royal Osteoporosis Society states that progressive muscle strength training is the best type of muscle strengthening exercise for your bones. It involves using weights or resistance bands to increase the work of your muscles over time. To do this, you gradually increase the weight you lift, in a slow and controlled manner. As your training progresses, you find that the movements become easier as your muscles get stronger.
Weights are probably best for bone strength, but bands are a great way to start. And it's important to gradually increase the load in your workout based on your fitness and muscle strength.
Prevents injuries and can speed up recovery when used in rehabilitation
We usually think of collagen as having to be consumed in order to have reserves in the body and enjoy its benefits, but one of the things that captivates me the most about strength training is that it also increases the number and diameter of collagen fibrils in the tendons to increase their strength and help prevent injuries, as corroborated by a 2015 review published in the International Journal of Sports & Physical Therapy , a publication of the International Federation of Sports Physiotherapy. This means that you can maintain high levels of collagen in your body through strength training and strengthened by the collagen you consume through your diet and/or supplementation.
As for how strength training contributes to the rehabilitation process, it is done through:
Muscle strengthening: Orthopedic injuries often result in muscle weakness or atrophy due to disuse or trauma. Strength training helps counteract this by targeting weakened muscles, gradually increasing their strength and endurance over time. By incorporating resistance exercises, such as weight lifting, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises, individuals can regain muscle mass and improve their functional ability.
Joint stability and support: Strong muscles play a crucial role in joint stability, especially after an injury or surgery. Through specific exercises that focus on joint stability and proprioception, individuals can improve balance, coordination, and overall joint function. This not only improves mobility, but also reduces the risk of future injuries by providing better support to vulnerable areas.
Supports and enhances cardiovascular health
Visceral or abdominal fat is located in and around vital organs and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). This fat is linked to CVD because it is associated with the release of certain proteins and hormones that cause inflammation. This inflammation has been shown to damage blood vessels, increase blood pressure, and cause other heart problems. Therefore, preventing or reducing any excess abdominal fat through strength training can certainly improve heart health.
Health.usnews.com cites a 2013 study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology showing that young men who regularly strength train have better HDL, or good, cholesterol function compared to those who never train. Strength training improves blood pressure and triglyceride levels similarly to cardio, but has even greater benefits on HDL.
Promotes mental health
According to an article from Pennsylvania State University, USA, scientific studies are linking strength training not only to physical health but also to mental health.
There is strong evidence that exercise can prevent and treat depression. This includes weight training. A 2018 study published in JAMA Psychiatry validates the connection.
The study was a meta-analysis, meaning the researchers actually looked at 33 studies on depression in the context of weight training.
In all studies, weight training benefited mood. People who were depressed before the study showed improvement. Those who were not depressed were less likely to become depressed than people who did not exercise with weights. The number of exercises or repetitions, or whether people gained muscle strength, made no difference. Simply exercising helped combat depression.
It's never too late to start
One of the ways that aging deterioration is detected in the body is that, even if the person is active, the intensity of exercise decreases.
When muscles pull on bones, they give them work to do. Bones respond by renewing themselves. This maintains or improves their strength. As muscles get stronger, they pull harder. This means your bones are more likely to get stronger.
To strengthen your muscles, you'll need to move them against a certain load. To do this, add a weight for the muscles to work against. This can be your own body weight, a resistance band, or a dumbbell.
How to get started?
Perhaps the most practical option is to start progressive muscular endurance training with a qualified instructor at a gym. There, better than anywhere else, they will be able to advise you on the techniques and weights and machines you can use.
Some instructors can also advise you on weights or bands you can use at home. When making the progressions, it is important to take into account your physical condition and muscle strength.
Four groups of muscle-strengthening exercises can help strengthen your bones. These include lower back exercises such as deadlifts, push-ups, pull-ups, such as rowing, and squats that involve all of the leg muscles. It is recommended that you do one exercise from each group.
As you progress through the stages, the exercises will work your muscles harder and these harder exercises are known as "progressions." However, the next article will focus in depth on how to get started with weight training.