When it comes to strength training, there is no shortage of research to support the many benefits to your health. Regular strength training burns calories, reshapes your physique and can improve mobility and day-to-day functionality. In case you need further convincing, read on…

Strength training…

• Prevents osteoporosis. Don’t just lift weights to sculpt your muscles. Do it so you’ll continue to stand up straight, forever. Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease characterized by a loss of bone density. Loss of density increases your risk for fractures. To keep your bones healthy and strong, add resistance training to your workout routine 2-3 times per week, and weight-bearing cardiovascular exercise 3-5 times per week. Studies show that progressively overloading the skeletal system stimulates bone formation. Examples of resistance training include: squats and lunges. Both of these closed-chain activities direct force through the axial skeleton, allowing increased loads to be used. Examples of weight bearing activity include: walking at a brisk pace, jogging/running, and jumping. Consistent activity over the long-term will bring better results, so do what you can, when you can, for as long as you can.

• Improves musculoskeletal health. The ability to move fluidly and with confidence diminishes with age, due largely to physical inactivity rather than age itself (Marcell 2003). Loss of muscle mass and strength decreases approximately 1-2% per year starting at age 50. As muscle loss decreases, there is a direct, linear relationship between loss of independence. The end result? Falls, fractures and dependence on nursing home services. If you are in your 40s, 30s, or even 20s, you may be thinking, “So what? I’m young.” Research shows that performing just one set of 8-10 exercises that cover all major muscle groups, 10-15 repetitions per exercise at a “somewhat hard” level, 1-2 times per week, helps maintain muscle strength, metabolic rate and joint health for the long haul. (ASCM 2006).

• Improves arthritis. The term “arthritis” actually refers to more than 100 rheumatic diseases. Osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis are the two most prevalent types of arthritis. Consistent exercise improves joint mobility, nourishes the tissue surrounding the joints and helps relieve stiffness and pain (Finckh, Iversen & Liang 2003). A note of caution: if you have significant damage, especially in weight-bearing joints such as the knee and hip, high-impact exercise should be avoided. Instead, try swimming, aqua-walking, or cycling. Gradually increase your activity level over time to reduce your risk of injury.

• Helps you feel better. Winter will be here before you know it, so establishing a routine now will go a long way toward helping you ease those winter blues. Exercise should make you feel good. Yes, it can be challenging during the workout. However, afterward you should feel good. When you exercise at an intensity sufficient to raise your heart rate within its target range for at least 20 mins, your body releases mood-enhancing chemicals that positively affect your mood. After a bout of somewhat intense exercise, you’ll notice reduced tension, less fatigue, diminished anger and improved vigor. Studies show that a single bout of 25-60 mins. Of sustained cardiovascular activity (jogging, for example) increases positive feelings. Who couldn’t use more positive feelings?

• Helps manage anxiety and depression.  What comes first, the depression, or the lack of physical activity? Studies show that individuals with clinical depression (note: this is quite different than the occasional bad mood, “blues” or seasonal affective disorder) have a reduced capacity for physical exertion (Fox 1999). However, those who can muster the wear-with-all to get out there and sweat a little rate cardiovascular and resistance training equally effective as anti-depressant pharmaceuticals.

If you’d like to stay on top of the latest research related to strength training, check out IDEA Health and Fitness Association,  the American College of Sports Medicine,  or Science Daily.

If you’re like many of the busy people I know, you get to the gym, make a beeline for the cardio room, hop on the first open machine you see, throw down your requisite number of minutes on the machine, then high-tail it back to your car with nary a post-workout stretch, or even a passing glance at the weights on your way out. When you’re short on time, it is tempting to skip what you think are the “non-essential” parts of your program and go for the calorie burn instead, but you’re actually missing out on valuable and necessary components of a well-rounded and effective fitness program. It is possible to fit both strength and cardio into your schedule, even if you only have an hour to work with.

Performing strength and cardio in the same workout session is known as concurrent training. You may have heard that you shouldn’t perform strength and cardio in the same session, but this can actually be a very efficient way to train. But which one should you do first? It is a common dilemma every exerciser faces. The simple truth is, just as there are many ways to skin a cat, there are many answers to this elusive question. The long and short of it is this: it depends on your overall goal. So, let’s begin with that.

What is your goal?

- If your goal is to increase strength and muscle hypertrophy, do your strength training first.

- If your goal is to improve cardiovascular fitness, do cardio first.

Is it really that simple? Yes, for the most part. Ultimately, it comes down to the type of exercise you do. A study published in the IDEA Fitness Journal (April 2007) examined the use of the cycle ergometer
(a lower body exercise), followed by strength training of the lower and upper extremities. Results indicated that lower body cardiovascular activity (cycling, running. stair stepping) had no effect on upper body performance during strength training, but it did impair performance during lower-body training. Conclusion: to maximize strength training sessions performed after bouts of cardio, make sure strength training is Iimited to alternate extremities.

Example
After running, power walking, cycling, dance or step aerobics, or stair master/stair climbing: perform upper body and/or core exercises.

After swimming, rowing, boxing, elliptical training with lots of upper-body resistance (i.e, you’re using the attached poles the way you should), or cross-country skiing: perform lower body and/or core exercises

And remember, you don’t have to do three sets of each strength training exercise to reap the benefits. One set of 10-12 exercises performed at an intensity that equates to about 75% of your 1RM (i.e, the 8th or so rep is the last one you can complete with good form), will result in respectable strength gains.

Still worried that strength training won’t leave enough time for the amount of cardio you need? Try interval training. Alternating bouts of high-intensity training with active recovery burns more calories in less time than steady-state cardio. Try bumping up the intensity of your workout to 85-90% of your max heart rate for a short time (30 seconds to 2 minutes, depending on your level of training), then actively recover by lowering the intensity until your heart rate returns to within 60-80% of your max heart rate.

Resources:

Kravitz, Len, PhD; IDEA Fitness Journal, April 2007; vol 4; no.4; p20-21

* Note: Blue Sky Gym and the author disclaim any liability for any injury, physical or emotional, suffered during or as a result of exercise or activities recommended. As always, you should use common sense and consult your health professional before beginning any exercise routine or program.