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Strength Training: 10 Things You Must Know
By Gary Matthews
Lets face it everybody knows that strength training builds
muscle but did you know that it does more much more for you
in the health stakes. Lets have a look at these strength
training tips one by one and you will see what a difference
this valuable tool will make to your general health:
Weights Improve Immunity - Immune strength depends on
the availability of the amino acid glutamine and your muscles
have to supply the glutamine to your immune system in order
for it to work.
The more muscle you have the more abundant the glutamine
supply, and other things being equal, the better your immune
system works.
Weights Grow Bone - A study at Stanford University showed
clearly that about 20% of bone mineral density is dependent
on maintaining muscle.
A new study reported in February 2000 in the British Journal
of Sports Medicine shows that even in elderly women, a one-
year weight-training program increased their strength by 20-
30%, with a significant increase in bone density.
Weights Combat Diabetes - New studies published between
1995 and 2000 show that weight training has an unexpected
benefit - it improves glucose tolerance in patients with Type 2
(adult-onset) diabetes.
In one of these studies, post-menopausal women with
diabetes followed a weight-training program for four months.
Their glucose sensitivity to a challenge improved by an
average of 29%.
Weights Wack Arthritis - At Tufts University in the USA,
researches gave patients with rheumatoid arthritis 10 weeks
of high-intensity weight training.
Results showed significant reductions in joint pain and fatigue
and a big gain in strength. Results showed that the weight
work caused a significant decline in arthritis activity.
Weights Raise Testosterone - Did you know that strength
training is one of the best exercises to raise testosterone
levels in men and women! With strength training the levels of
both testosterone and growth hormone rise dramatically.
Since loss of strength and muscle mass are the prime causes
of most age-related diseases a lifelong strength training
program is one of the best insurance polices for a better
quality of life for both men and women.
Avoid Muscle Loss - although endurance exercise improves
our cardiovascular fitness, it does not prevent the loss of
muscle tissue.
Only strength training maintains our muscle mass and
strength throughout our mid-life years. After the age of 20 up
to 1/2 pound of muscle tissue is lost per year in both males
and females owing to the normal ageing process.
By Strength Training once a week using all the major muscle
groups until you are unable to push each exercise for another
repetition, 3-4 exercises, and 15 -20 minutes max training
time. Keep getting stronger, Smile, be positive and live life.
Avoid Metabolic Rate Reduction - because muscle is very
active tissue, muscle loss is accompanied by a reduction in
our resting metabolism.
Research indicates that an average adult experiences a 5%
reduction in metabolic rate every decade of life. Only high
intensity strength training performed once or twice a week
with prescribed rest periods can avoid this.
Increase Muscle Mass - because most adults do not perform
strength exercise, they need to first replace the tissue that has
been lost through inactivity. Fortunately research shows that
a standard strength training program can increase muscle
mass by about 4 kg or 10 lbs over a ten-week period.
Increase Metabolic Rate - Research reveals that adding 10
lbs of muscle increases our resting metabolism by 7% and
our daily calorie requirements by 15%.
At rest, 2 lbs of muscle requires 77 calories per day for tissue
maintenance and during exercise, muscle energy utilization
increases dramatically.
Adults who replace muscle through sensible strength
exercise use more calories all day long thereby reducing the
likelihood of fat accumulation.
Reduce Body Fat - In a 1994 study, strength exercise
produced 10 lbs of fat loss after two months of training, even
though the subjects were eating 155 more calories per day.
That is, a basic strength-training program resulted in 8 lbs
more muscle, 10 lbs less fat and more calories per day food
intake.
Increase Bone Mineral Density - The effects of progressive
resistance exercise are similar for muscle tissue and bone
tissue.
The same training stimulus that increases muscle strength
also increases bone density and mineral content. A 1993
study demonstrated significant increases in the bone mineral
density of the upper femur after four months of strength
training.
So, now you can go ahead with your strength training
endeavours knowing that you will be experiencing all these
benefits found in the above tips.
About the Author
Gary Matthews is the author of the popular fitness eBooks Maximum Weight Loss and Maximum Weight Gain. Please visit http://www.maximumfitness.com right now for your 'free' muscle building e-course.
Article Source: http://www.simplysearch4it.com/article/19844.html
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