Why Resistance Training is Important
Once you start to see the benefits of resistance training, you won’t want to stop! If the benefits don’t convince you to add a resistance training program to your workout schedule, then we are hoping these reasons why resistance training is important will. Read on to find out why you should be implementing resistance training into your routine today.
What is Resistance Training
Resistance training is any training that causes your muscles to work against external resistance. That includes strength training, bodyweight training, grabbing milk jugs out of your fridge and doing curls, TRX training, and even picking up your kids.
1 | Keeps You Strong
Listen, when we get older muscle mass starts to decline. It’s a totally normal part of the aging process, but that doesn’t mean you need to lose all of your strength. By forcing your muscle groups to resist pressure, you are building and maintaining muscle. And, muscle is ever-important for your day-to-day functions. You will be able to do things independently for longer like walking your dog, picking up your children and grandchildren, opening jars, walking upstairs, standing from a seated position, and more if you work on gaining and maintaining muscle strength and mass as you age.
2 | Helps With Posture
Having a good posture allows you to balance your body to minimize the impact on your joints and ligaments. You want to make sure you are moving as symmetrical as possible, and that is where resistance exercise training for posture comes into play. The four main areas that can contribute to poor posture are our shoulders, spine, abdominals, and hips. By targeting those areas with a well-rounded resistance training program, you will naturally start to walk and sit a little taller and with better posture. One way to help right now is to sit up straight, release your shoulders from your ears, and put both feet on the ground. Every little adjustment counts.
3 | Better Heart Health and Well-Being
According to Medical News Today, “A survey of 4,000 adults revealed that static activity, such as strength training, had stronger links to a reduced risk of cardiovascular diseases than dynamic activity, such as walking and cycling.” Either form of exercise brings benefits, but the combination of strength and cardio training will increase your endurance, and ability to stay independent longer as you age. Basically, a balanced workout routine is a total win! The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity, and, furthermore, explains that you can gain even more bang-for-your-activity-level-buck by being active for 300 minutes per week.
4 | Less Risk of Injury
Athletes are not the only people who need to worry about injuries. All of us are susceptible to injury from moving through our day-to-day lives. Resistance training is a fantastic way to thwart injury. By regularly training, you will improve your balance, which can help to prevent you from falling. Speaking of balance, imbalance in your muscles can also lead to injury. By training an undertrained muscle through resistance exercises, you can build the balance of strength in your muscles throughout your body. That way, if your previously undertrained muscles are suddenly utilized more, you will be more likely to get through it without injury. It also makes the tissues around our joints stronger, so if you are experiencing hip or knee pain, ask your doctor what kind of resistance training could help.
How To Get Started
We want to see you flexing well into your golden years. If you are looking for some guidance in your resistance training routine, we have a few ways we can help!
Group Exercise
Group Exercise classes like BODYPUMP and Fitness Boot Camp offer fantastic resistance training routines with the help of a certified instructor to guide you through the moves. You can find out more about our classes here.
Team Training
If you are looking for cardio and resistance training wrapped into one high-energy gym session, then Team Training might be perfect for you. These sessions are guided by a coach who can correct your form and help push you further than you ever thought you could go.
Circuit Training
Our circuit area offers a 30-minute full-body workout. Just read the rules of the circuit, hop onto a machine, and watch for the lights to guide you to your next exercise.
Machines
If you want to go it alone, each machine will have illustrations with instructions on how to complete the resistance training exercise. Read the instructions, start with a comfortable weight, and move up when you are ready.
There are plenty of tools for resistance training at each of our locations. Stop by and find out which workout you love to come in and complete! We cannot wait to get to know you.