How to Elevate Your Health Through Strength Training
Resistance workouts, including weightlifting, offer numerous health advantages.
What comes to mind when you consider strength training? The image of barbells and weight plates — the substantial gear of gym-goers who lift heavy — likely appears first.
.However, resistance training, also referred to as strength training, is just one method of muscle growth. . The truth is, you don’t need to heft weights to enhance your strength. There are various other exercise methods available to you, including options that require absolutely NO equipment.
Let’s delve into the specifics with exercise physiologist Katie Lawton, MEd, and athletic trainer Tom Iannetta, ATC, CSCS.
Katie Lawton, MEd, explains how you can incorporate strength training into your exercise regimen.
Strength training is a form of physical activity where your muscles work against some kind of resistance. This action “loads” the muscles by necessitating that they overcome, counter, or manage an opposing force.
Consider the classic example of performing a bench press:
- You overcome a force (concentric contraction) when you raise the weight.
- You counter a force while holding the weight at the apex of the press (isometric contraction).
- You manage a force while lowering the weight (eccentric contraction).
.According to Lawton, "you are giving your muscles a stimulus to engage at every stage." “As you proceed, your muscles gain strength and adapt to the demands you’re imposing on them.”
Conversely, neglecting strength-enhancing activities can be detrimental. Without regular muscle engagement, they typically lose mass and become weaker, particularly as time progresses.
Health and fitness recommendations usually advise committing two sessions weekly to total-body strength training. (This can also be distributed over multiple days, focusing on specialized workouts for your upper and lower body.)
Sessions of strength training usually last between thirty to an hour.. Here’s how you can utilize that timeframe.
Free weights
It’s obvious: lifting heavy objects fosters muscle growth. A free-weight session might involve challenging your upper and lower body with gear such as:
- Barbells
- Dumbbells
- Kettlebells
- Medicine balls
Stabilizing free weights while you maneuver them throughout your workout imposes additional demands on your muscles and involves more muscle groups. “You reap significant rewards from free weights,” remarks Lawton.
Weightlifting machines
Weightlifting machines are made up of wheel, lever, and pulley systems that help you lift weights. They effectively apply engineering principles to assist you in moving weights during your workout.
This mechanization allows you to lift without the worry of the instability that can arise when trying to steady free weights.
“Using weightlifting machines may present a safer option for those initiating a weight training regimen,”
So, are weightlifting machines superior, inferior, or equal to free weights? This topic is a significant point of contention in the fitness community. The bottom line? Research indicates both have their merits, and the decision often hinges on personal preference.
Resistance bands
Don’t let their appearance fool you; resistance bands can effectively engage your muscles, mirroring the effects of free weights or machines and delivering comparable strength gains, all while being gentler on your joints.
Compared to other strength-training tools, resistance bands are more reasonably priced, portable, and adaptable.
Body weight exercises
You don't need any gear for a strength-training workout — just your own body. Body weight exercises use your mass and gravity as resistance to enhance strength.
Compared to other strength-training tools, resistance bands are more reasonably priced, portable, and adaptable.
- Push-ups
- Burpees
- Planks
- Wall squats
- Lunges
“Body weight exercises might appear straightforward, yet they can exercise your muscles quite rigorously,” explains Lawton. “Small-scale studies suggest they can yield benefits comparable to traditional weight lifting.”
Suspension training is another form of body weight exercise, although it requires a set of straps and other equipment to elevate you off the ground.
Regardless of the strength training method you choose, your body will experience advantages. Here are 10 ways it enhances your health, strength, and overall ability to navigate the physical challenges of daily living.
Bodyweight exercises that fall under the category of strength training include the following examples:
Weight control: Increased muscle mass elevates your metabolism and daily caloric expenditure. The reason? Muscle burns more calories than other body tissues, even when you’re sedentary.
Enhances stability: Strengthening your core and lower body provides you with a more stable foundation, helping you maintain your balance and posture.
Strengthens bones: Weight-bearing activities encourage the growth of tissue that enhances bone strength, which can guard against osteoporosis and bone breaks.
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