Strength training isn’t just about lifting heavy weights, muscle-bound males and bulging biceps. Do it regularly for a slimmer, more sculpted body shape – no matter what your age!
Why do it?
Everyone can benefit from strength training, whether they’re aged 18 or 80!
US experts have highlighted the importance of strength training to overall health and fitness in their most recent activity guidelines. Be Active Your Way: A Guide for Adults recommends adults do at least two-and-a-half hours of aerobic exercise each week (that’s 30 minutes, five days per week) to improve cardiovascular fitness and burn calories.
In addition to the cardio workouts, it also recommends adults do two 30-minute strength training sessions a week. That’s because aerobic exercise doesn’t stop muscle loss, which is a natural part of getting older, and strength training keeps your muscles strong.
So what is strength training?
Strength training – also called weight or resistance training – refers to exercise that uses resistance weight to work a muscle or a group of muscles to the point of fatigue.
One of the biggest fears women have about strength training is that it will lead to big, bulky muscles. However, women produce much less of the muscle-building hormone testosterone than men, so the female body isn’t geared towards bulking up. To build big Schwarzenegger-size muscles you’d need to train very often, very hard, and use heavy weights; you won’t get bulky doing two 30-minute sessions per week.
The health benefits of strength training
Strength training offers a lot of health benefits:
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It builds and retains muscle. The amount of muscle in your body decreases as you get older because of hormonal changes. The good news is that regular strength training challenges the muscles and counters this loss. If you lose some body fat and replace it with muscle, you will gain a sleek and sculptured look. Lifting weights increases muscles’ strength, size and endurance by making them work harder than they're used to, and this is what gives shape and definition to the body. Sydney-based personal trainer, Roza Bacelas, suggests all-over body resistance training sessions for the best results.
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It boosts metabolism. Unlike fat, which is a storage material, muscle is an active body tissue that burns fuel (calories) 24 hours a day. The more muscle your body contains, the more fuel you’ll burn, which will help keep your weight in check.
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It helps to strengthen bones. Any weight-bearing exercise (walking, running, exercises like push-ups and weight training) encourages bone cells to build up and helps keep your bones strong. The denser your bones, the less likely it is that you’ll develop the bone-thinning condition, osteoporosis.
Strength training can also help you build more flexibility into your joints, aid your balance and improve the way you feel about yourself. It really is as close to an anti-ageing miracle as you're likely to find!
Getting started
If you’re new to strength training or if you want to make sure that you’re getting the techniques right and are doing everything safely, think about getting some initial instruction from a specialist trainer.
Always strength train slowly. Roza Bacelas says, “Perform each exercise of your choice in a controlled manner and use a 2-2 count, which means 2 seconds to lift and 2 seconds to release. When you lift weights slowly you activate more muscle fibres, leading to increased strength and a faster metabolism. If an exercise is painful or uncomfortable, make sure you’re doing it correctly. If you are and it still feels painful, stop. Keep your lower and upper back supported whenever possible.”
Roza adds, “Don't hold your breath while you do the exercises. For fast, effective workouts, mix exercises up or try doing more than one at a time, such as a squat combined with a bicep curl. It raises your heart rate and burns more calories, too.”
Remember to stretch and to check with your doctor first if you have any health problems or if you haven’t exercised for some time.