Resistance exercise

Resistance exercise is medicine. Whether using dumbbells or kettlebells, your own body weight, rubber tubing or a jug of water, resistance exercise, also known as strength training, increases the strength and mass of our muscles, bones, and boosts our metabolism. The benefits of resistance exercise are well-documented and ongoing research continues to prove that it's an important activity for us all to engage in, especially as we age. 
 
Benefits of resistance training include:

• Improved mobility, balance, and posture

• Can assist in the prevention and management of type 2 diabetes by improving insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance and decreasing visceral fat (i.e. fat around your midsection)
  
• Decreases the risk of heart disease by lowering body fat, decreasing blood pressure,  improving cholesterol (lowers our LDL (aka “lousy") and increases our HDL (aka “healthy”) cholesterol), and reducing triglycerides
  
• Protects against osteoporosis by increasing bone mineral density        
• Helps prevent the inevitable loss of muscle mass as we age (3% to 8% per decade in inactive adults!)
• Helps increase our metabolic rate: muscle is active tissue that consumes calories
• Improved quality of sleep
• Can improve our mental health
  

Heeding the above information, I do my best to incorporate resistance training into my lifestyle. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends a minimum of two days each week, so that is my goal. I have a favorite kettle bell circuit, practice yoga, rent workout videos from the library, and consult my weekly Women’s Health magazine for new ideas. When lifting weights, a typical training program involves one to three sets of several different exercises targeting the major muscle groups like the quadriceps, hamstrings, gluteals, pectorals, and deltoids. Additional exercises can be added for smaller muscle groups, such as biceps, triceps, trapezious, or calves. Repetition ranges are typically 8–15 per set (make sure to use a weight heavy enough to cause fatigue at the end of each set), and rest intervals between sets typically last 1–2 minutes, allowing a strength training session to be completed in 20–30 minutes.  For injury prevention, proper technique is essential.

What resistance exercises do you practice? Share with me and others in the comment area below, I look forward to hearing about your favorite exercises and experiences. 

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