Lifting weights may be an important part of strength training in your exercise routine. However, remember to consult your health provider before beginning any type of physical activity. Discuss with him or her how your personal health condition may be affected by exercise. Also, you will want to start slowly with any type of exercise routine. A good adage to remember is “start low and go slow.” Doing too much, too soon may seriously injure your body.
All types of exercise may provide benefits, including reduced risk for chronic diseases such as coronary heart disease, hypertension, Type 2 Diabetes, obesity and more. Strength or resistance training is an important part of exercising. It is defined as working your muscles against an applied force or weight and is generally done with free weights, bands or machines.
Strength training may be effective in:
- preserving or gaining muscle
- boosting metabolic rate
- improving muscular strength and balance
- improving glucose and lipid levels
- reducing arthritis symptoms
- improving self-esteem and self confidence
- decreasing depression
- improving sleep
Strength training is particularly important to weight control because greater muscle mass that comes as the result of this kind of activity has a higher metabolic rate. That means that the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn during exercise, as well as at rest.
According to the 2008 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, strength training exercises are recommended at least two days per week (not on consecutive days). You should aim for 8-12 repetitions of 6-8 exercises. Examples of strength training exercises you might do include sit ups, push ups, pull ups, and exercises done with free weights (dumbbells or barbells) or machines. Strength training is very valuable to include along with exercises that promote flexibility, aerobic capacity, and stamina.
The NIA publication Exercise & Physical Activity: Your Everyday Guide from the National Institute on Aging has information on exercise for older adults as well as suggestions and illustrations for exercises. You may access the publication at http://www.nia.nih.gov/HealthInformation/Publications/ExerciseGuide. You may view the information on-line, download it in Adobe PDF format or order print copies free of charge. Information from the NIA is also available in Spanish at http://www.nia.nih.gov/Espanol.
References
- Castaneda C, Layne J, Munoz-Orians L, et al. A randomized control trial of progressive resistance exercise training in older adults with type-2 diabetes. Diabetes Care 2002;25:235-41.
- Nelson M, Fiatarone M, Morganti C, Trice I, Greenberg R, Evans W. Effects of high-intensity strength training on multiple risk factors for osteoporotic fractures. JAMA 1994;272:1909-14.
- Singh N, Clements K, Fiatarone M. A randomized controlled trail of progressive resistance training in depressed elders. J Gerontol 1997;52:27-35.
- Singh N, Clements K, Fiatarone M. Sleep, sleep-deprivation and daytime activities: a randomized controlled trail of the effect of exercise on sleep. Sleep 1997;20:95-101.
- US Department of Health and Human Services and US Department of Agriculture. Dietary Guidelines for Americans, 2005.
