Unlock the Power of Strength Training
Grab your dumbbells – let’s talk about strength training! While this is by no means a comprehensive guide (that would be unbearingly long), this is a brief overview of what strength training is, why it’s important, and how to get started – no matter where you’re at in your fitness journey.
I’m always talking about how strength training (also called resistance training) is essential for anyone trying to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life. People ask me: How do I start? What exactly is strength training? How often do I need to do it to get the benefits?
WHAT: Strength training is simply loading your muscles and joints with a load. This can be your own bodyweight, resistance bands, or actual weights like dumbbells, barbells or weight machines.
Pro tip: It’s best to do a full body routine at least twice a week. This doesn’t need to be hours spent in the gym but as little as 20-30 minutes can be effective.
WHY: Brace yourself, this is a big section. Besides getting stronger, improving bone density, tendon health, blood flow to tissues, and injury prevention, there is a list of benefits you may not be aware of:
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balancing blood sugar
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mental clarity
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improve body composition
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reduce food cravings
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increase longevity (and better quality of life in that increased time span)
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decrease risk of diabetes, Alzheimers, dementia, hypertension, high cholesterol
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protects you from gestational diabetes during pregnancy
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reduce likelihood of falls
Dr. Gabrielle Lyons, author of Forever Strong, is disrupting the medical world with her idea of “muscle-centric medicine”. Instead of focusing on treating obesity and all comorbidities associated with it, Dr. Lyons is focusing on preventative, holistic medicine through building and maintaining quality muscle through exercise and adequate protein intake. She deemed muscle as the “organ of longevity” and a “suit of armour” through life. This view is extremely important – we need to realize the role of skeletal muscle in health, function and longevity.
Having more muscle will not only allow you to do more in your everyday life (carry your groceries, play with your kids, etc) and improve your metabolism (muscle is very metabolically active and soaks up glycogen), but it will also make you more resilient in any case of chronic illness (eg. cancer, autoimmunity). Cancer essentially attacks and breaks down body tissues and muscle helps to combat this, and can literally lengthen your lifespan.
Thinking ahead to the future: (picture yourself at 90), are you able to get dressed and use the bathroom without assistance? What you do now, in your 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and 60s will set you up for success in your 90s. Bone density and muscle tend to depreciate as we age (and as we get less active) so it’s essential to not only build up as much as you can earlier in life but also maintain what you worked so hard for! Experts used to think that past age 30 you could no longer improve bone density, but that is no longer the case. You can always improve your strength and joint health, it truly is never too late.
HOW: Ok now that I have you all fired up and ready to do some strength training, how do you start?
First off, strength training doesn’t have to be fancy. It’s not about doing weird, complicated exercises at a fancy gym. You can keep it simple and do it anywhere!
For true beginners, start with bodyweight and band exercises. Focus on these six key movements:
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Push (think push-ups or wall push-ups)
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Pull (band rows)
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Squat (try squatting to a chair)
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Lunge (step-ups onto a box)
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Hinge (Romanian deadlifts)
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Carry (grab some dumbbells and carry them for a short distance)
If this sounds like a different language or you don’t have the basics down with how to properly do these movements, I would recommend getting started with a professional such as our exercise based physiotherapist Will Howatt of WH Physiotherapy and Wellness.
Once you are comfortable with the basics, there are many avenues you can take to get in regular strength training. There are lots of free workouts on youtube, local gyms with classes or online trainers and apps. Two of my favourite apps are SD Evolution and Stronger by the Day. These are both well rounded programs that focus on progressive overload. This is the concept of gradually increasing your weight or repetitions – this is how you get stronger! You shouldn’t be doing the same weights for years on end.
Bottom Line: Start Today, Not Tomorrow.
The truth is, it’s never too late to start. You’re not too old. There will never be a perfect time, so why not start right now? Get started today and set yourself up for a strong, healthy, and fulfilling future as you age. Go grab those dumbbells!