7 reasons why everyone needs strength training

In the WHO guide advise 150 minutes of light or 75 minutes of moderate intensity activity per week. We are talking about aerobic, or, in other words, cardio loads - like walking, running or playing outdoors.

Only one line is devoted to strength exercises. It is advised to perform them at least twice a week and choose the load on all muscle groups. Since the recommendations are not particularly detailed, many people do not really understand what needs to be done and whether it is important at all.

For example, in one study, scientists asked British older people as they understand the injunction to "develop strength". Most thought it was yoga Pilates or even normal walking.

At the same time, power loads are exercises with weights, in which a person has to overcome the resistance of simulators, free weights or his own body.

Such training is often considered the lot of young men who want to look muscular. But in fact, power loads are necessary first of all for health - regardless of gender. Moreover, the older a person becomes, the more he needs weight training.

Below we list good reasons to include strength training in your workout schedule.

1. Life Extension

Cardio has long been known to prolong life and reduce the risk of dying from heart disease. Much less survey research has been devoted to the force, but there is still some information. One experiment analyzed data from nearly 100,000 people and checkedwhether they are able to follow the recommendations of the physical activity guide.

It turned out that people who did only the aerobic part of the prescriptions had a 32% lower risk of dying from a heart attack, while those who did both cardio and strength training had a 41% lower risk of dying from a heart attack. Moreover, at women The relationship between strength training and life expectancy was even clearer than for men.

2. Preservation of muscle mass

After 30 years inactive people lose 3 to 8% of muscle mass every decade - about 0.2 kg of dry mass per year. And after 50 years, muscles melt twice as fast.

Strength training two to three times a week help to avoid muscle loss and increase their size. 2-3 months of regular training Can increase 1.3-1.4 kg of dry weight, regardless of age.

3. Getting rid of excess fat

Power training increase protein synthesis and breakdown, which increases the resting metabolic rate - that is, the number of calories that the body spends on internal processes necessary to maintain life. For inactive adults, this "cost item" is 65-70% of daily energy expenditure.

In addition, force loads damage muscle tissue. And to fix it, too need energy. Finally, after class metabolism at rest increases by 5–9% and these changes persist for 2–3 days.

For example, a 20-minute weight circuit workout can make you burn about 200 kcal and demand additional 50 kcal for recovery in the first hour after class. For the next 72 hours, the body will repair muscles and spend That's 100 more calories a day.

Doing two 20-minute power circuits per week can increase your energy expenditure by 5,000 kcal per month (8 workouts x 250 kcal + 30 days x 100 kcal).

Perhaps that is why weight training helps not only build muscle mass, but also lose fat. Besides, they are good manage with visceral fat reserves, which accumulate on the internal organs, increase the waist circumference and the risk of cardiovascular disease.

4. Reducing the risk of type 2 diabetes

Power training help increase sensitivity to insulin - a pancreatic hormone that is involved in carbohydrate metabolism, as well as reduce glycated hemoglobin level. The latter is a combination of hemoglobin with glucose and reflects the overall level blood sugar.

Moreover, voluminous and intensive classes are best suited for these purposes. In other words, training with heavy weights and lots of sets and reps.

American Diabetes Association advises Arrange power loads on the main muscle groups three times a week and perform three sets of 8-10 repetitions at high intensity.

5. Improving the state of the cardiovascular system

In a 2011 scientific review concludedthat strength training is at least as effective in reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) as aerobic exercise.

Resistance exercise lowers blood pressure, improves lipid profile, and increases glycemic control, all of which are beneficial for heart health and reduce the risk of metabolic syndrome.

Moreover, power loads fit for both healthy people and those already suffering from CVD.

6. Increase in bone mineral density

Inactive adults with age lose more than just muscle. Bone mineral density decreases by 1–3% each year of life. And sooner or later, this can lead to osteoporosis, a disease in which the bones become thinner and brittle, increasing the risk of fractures.

Regular strength training helps to avoid this. In one study, six months of training increased bone density in young men by 2.7–7.7%, and in girls by 1.5%.

For women of the same age, weight training is simply necessary. Due to the lack of estrogen during menopause, the risk of osteoporosis and osteopenia. And power loads help increase bone mineral density by 1-3%.

7. Maintaining mental health

According to a scientific review, strength training help combat fatigue, reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. Moreover, weight training helps improve self-esteem, moreover, both in young and old people, in healthy and suffering from oncology and heart disease.

They are especially useful for those who are aged. In one research 10 weeks of strength training helped participants aged 60-84 come out of depression and improve the quality of life.