Today's article about Benefits of strength training lay or. is very close to my heart. I originally wrote this post not for this blog, but for a person very close to my heart. My whole life I was and am an enthusiastic athlete – whether football, climbing, bouldering, cycling or of course weight training.
Not only do I love the feeling of having exhausted myself, but rather I realized very early on how valuable exercise and sports are for staying fit at an advanced age.
Of course I can't see into the future either, but for me the principle is: He who rests, rusts! Who has not experienced that spry pensioners after a small accident are suddenly thrown completely off track and can no longer get on their feet?!
And this is exactly the reason why this post was written – I wanted to convince a loved one to get moving. Science agrees nowadays, That active people live longer. Strength training is natural Only one way to be active. Nevertheless, this paper is mainly devoted to how weight training can improve health.
If you also know a person or have a family member where you feel talking doesn't help – why not show them the post. Maybe it will really convince that person to get moving.
Strength training increases the likelihood of surviving cancer by 30-40% (part 1)
The researchers followed 8.700 men over a period of 23 years. They found that exercising men (with more muscle) were up to 40% more likely to survive cancer. Higher body fat percentage increased the risk of dying after cancer. The authors recommend strength training 1-2 times per week. Furthermore, the authors saw no reason why the results should not be applicable to women.
Ruiz et al. (2009) Muscular Strength and Adiposity as Predictors of Adulthood Cancer Mortality in Men. Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prevention 18(5), 1468-1476.
Strength training increases likelihood of cancer survival by 33% (part 2)
The researchers followed 2.900 people up to 7 years after a cancer diagnosis. They concluded that increased physical activity alone (gardening, etc.) did not reduce the mortality rate! Strength training (adapted to the patient) and normal physical activity reduced the mortality rate by one third (33%)! This was mainly attributed to the higher percentage of muscle in the body. Higher physical strength attributed.
Hardee et al. (2014) The Effect of Resistance Exercise on All-Cause Mortality in Cancer Survivors. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 89 (8), 1108-1115.
Strength training has positive effects on depression
In a meta-study, Gordon et al looked at. (2018) the results of the effects of strength training on depression from multiple studies totaling nearly 2.000 participants. The researchers found that strength training increased significantly reduced depressive symptoms in adults – regardless of their health status, training schedule, training volume, or improvements in strength.
Gordon, B.R., McDowell, C.P., Hallgren, M., Meyer, J.D., Lyons, M, Herring, M.P. (2018) Association of Efficacy of Resistance Exercise Training With Depressive Symptoms: Meta-analysis and Meta-regression Analysis of Randomized Clinical Trials. JAMA Psychiatry. 75(6), 566-576. doi: 10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2018.0572.
Strength training may reduce the risk of developing cancer while increasing the chance of survival
Strength training reduces the likelihood of developing diabetes by up to 30 to 60%
Overall 32.000 men (that's right, two-and-thirty-thousand!) were followed over a period of 18. The researchers found that 150 minutes of strength training per week (for example, 1.5 hours twice a week) Reduced the risk of developing diabetes by 32.
When additional endurance training was carried out, the risk reduced by up to 60% – which means that the chance was less than half without activity.
The reason was probably: Through the strength training the organism reacts faster / better to insulin. This allows muscle cells to absorb glucose faster. Again, the authors ame that the results are applicable to women.
In addition, recent studies have shown that a persistently inactive lifestyle as an adolescent is associated with an increased risk of impaired glucose metabolism in adulthood, and thus an increased risk of developing diabetes! You can read more about the link between exercise as a youth and diabetes here.
Grontved et al. (2012) A Prospective Study of Weight Training and Risk of Type-2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men. Arch. Intern Med. 172 (17), 1306-1312.
Strength training helps preserve muscle mass in old age
This study is a summary of several studies – the conclusion in one sentence: "Progressive strength training should be encouraged in healthy adults to minimize age-related degeneration of muscle function." ("Progressive resistance exercise should thus be encouraged among healthy adults to minimize degenerative muscular function associated with aging.").
Among others, older participants (> 50 years) who exercised regularly (> 18 weeks), up to 30% more body strength and 25% more upper body strength. In addition, participants gained an average of about 1 kg of pure muscle mass over a similar time period. Both can lead to significantly better health or. Contribute to fitness, and especially as you get older, help you survive accidents better (by physically protecting and strengthening your bones through muscle).
Peterson et al. (2011) Resistance Exercise for the Aging Adult: Clinical Implications and Prescription Guidelines. The American Journal of Medicine 124 (3), 194-198.
Strength training increases bone density
Again a meta-study summarizing several studies. The main findings were:
– Strength training can Osteoporosis prevent – In women over 50 years of age, strength training led to a higher bone density, Spine and hips in particular Osteoporosis-related bone damage (fractures) healed faster in trained participants.
Layne& Nelson (1999) The effects of progressive resistance training on bone density: a review. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc. 31 (1), S. 25-30.
Strength training can reduce the risk of diabetes by up to 60%
Strength training reduces blood prere
This was a study with 200 participants. Some background is needed to interpret the results, but the finding was: strength (isometric) training (which means "normal" strength training) lowered systolic blood prere by an average of 6.7 mmHg and diastolic blood prere by 4.8 mmHg, compared with an untrained condition. The authors' conclusion: strength training can help lower blood prere significantly and clinically.
Sure, neither is too much if you have significantly high blood prere, but both numbers represent averages. In addition, of course, this means that strength training may contribute to getting high blood prere in the first place.
Carlson et al. (2014) Isometric Exercise Training for Blood Prere Management: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. Mayo Clinic Proceedings 89 (3), 327-334.
Strength training improves memory by up to 10%
After a memory exercise, the subjects either completed a workout with weights or not. After 48 hours, each group was tested to see how much of the memory exercise they retained. The exercisers retained an average of 10% more of what they learned 48 hours ago than the non-exercisers. The effect appears to be amplified as the intensity of the training session increases.
Weinberg et al. (2014) A single bout of resistance exercise can enhance episodic memory performance. Acta Psychologica 153, p. 13-19.
Strength training is the best age precaution
Another meta-study focused on the benefits of strength training and drew several conclusions. Some have already been mentioned, but since the authors also looked at other studies, these conclusions are reinforced. Here are the main conclusions from the authors, strength training…
– lowers the risk of getting cancer in the first place by up to 50% (d.h. halves the risk of getting cancer), – increases the chances of surviving breast cancer and decreases the risk of further lymphomas, – decreases the risk of getting prostate cancer (just for the sake of completeness), – decreases the risk of suffering from osteoporosis, – decreases the risk for Cardiovascular diseases, strokes and heart attacks,
– lowers the risk of developing diabetes, – increases bone density, – increases the Survival rate in car accidents and gunshot wounds.
Another important conclusion of the (meta) study was that the frequency of strength training plays a minor role. It is important that the workout is regular (d.h. takes place at least 1 time per week. A session of 30 minutes (60 minutes is better) is enough to achieve most of the benefits.
In addition basic calorie turnover increases due to the extra muscle mass. That means you can eat more and still lose weight because:
1) burn additional calories through sports and
2) your new muscles naturally lead to a higher basal metabolic rate.
Winett& Carpinelli (2001) Potential Health-Related Benefits of Resistance Training. Preventive Medicine 33 (5), 503-513
Strength training makes you mentally stronger and improves your self-confidence
Admittedly, this point is subjective and my personal opinion. However, don't you feel that you? If you feel physically stronger, you feel mentally stronger, right??
strength training teaches you to stay on the ball, to overcome discomfort and to challenge yourself over and over again. Also through weight training you learn to push yourself, Even if everything inside you says, "Stop," when your muscles start to give out and it burns and it hurts.
When we get into these high intensity situations, we have a choice, we can either stop and try to return to our comfort zone, or and decide that this level of discomfort is worth the reward.
In my opinion, this decision – that it is worthwhile to stick with it in this situation – contributes 100 percent to successful situations in other parts of our lives.
In addition, strength training simply the best way to get a slim, well-toned body – for both men and women. You can do all the cardio you want, but without some kind of strength training and muscle building you won't get the fancy muscles in the right places.
Summary
I hope to show you with this short overview that weight training can not only give you fat muscles or is good for bodybuilders.
Here you have once again all 13 advantages at a glance:
1. Strength training increases the likelihood of surviving cancer. 2. Strength training lowers the risk of getting cancer in the first place. 3. Strength training lowers the probability of developing diabetes. 4. Strength training helps maintain muscle mass as you age. 5. strength training increases bone density. 6. Strength training reduces blood prere. 7. strength training improves memory. 8. Strength training lowers the risk of suffering from osteoporosis. 9. Strength training reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease, strokes and heart attacks. 10. weight training increases your total calorie turnover. 11. Strength training has positive effects on depression. 12. Strength training increases the chance of survival in car accidents and gunshot wounds. 13. strength training makes you mentally stronger. Improves your self-confidence. Strength training makes you mentally stronger. Improves your self-confidence.
Fitness and weight training also has other benefits that don't show up here. For example, how about Release of endorphins after a workout – who would not like to have more of the happy hormone?!
weight training is, in my opinion, one of the best and cheapest retirement plans and I would be very happy if I could convince one or the other of the benefits as well. You have been convinced by the article. You want to start weight training? In this Post you'll learn the 4 basics for effective muscle building and in this Post you learn how to optimize serve training plan can!