Strength Training, or resistance training, is a key element of any exercise regimen. It focuses on building and maintaining skeletal muscle strength. This is necessary because muscles perform four important functions in the body, they:

• Produce movement
• Stabilize joints
• Generate heat
• Maintain posture

Almost all movements made by the human body are a result of muscle contraction.

Skeletal Muscles – Purpose and Importance

Skeletal muscles are one of three types of muscles in the body. The other two are cardiac (heart) and smooth (found in hollow parts of the body such as blood vessels, intestines and bladder).

Skeletal muscles are responsible for overall body movement (locomotion) and manipulation, enabling you to respond quickly to changes in your external environment. Made of tissue, they attach to and cover the bony skeleton. Fibers in these muscles are the longest in the body and have stripes or striations.

They are the only muscles that can be controlled voluntarily. We can make them contract rapidly or slowly, use them to exert a small or large amount of force. For example, picking up a penny requires a minimal amount of exertion, while lifting a 50lb. dumbbell requires significantly more.

When we repeatedly contract these muscles such as when we do abdominal crunches, we feel how easily they tire, requiring us to rest them after short periods of activity. As we age our muscles tire more easily due to muscle loss. Because of the important role skeletal muscles play in our ability to move and control our body it is vital that we maintain their strength, as we get older.

Benefits of Resistance Training

Many people falsely believe that cardiovascular exercise alone is enough to maintain healthy muscles. While aerobic activity such as walking, running or cycling are important for good health, only resistance training provides the focused effort that is needed to keep muscles strong. A well-designed strength training program has the following benefits:

• Maintains muscle strength – Adults typically lose muscle mass as they age. Resistance training can slow or halt this process.
• Builds strong bones – Through the stressing of bones, strength training increases bone density and reduces the risk of osteoporosis.
• Burns more calories – Toned muscles use energy more efficiently, enabling the body to burn more calories at rest.
• Increases stamina – Stronger muscles help you feel more energetic.
• Reduces risk of injury – Resistance training reduces the risk of injury as we age. It protects joints and improves balance.
• Improves chronic conditions – Strength training can be used to manage and improve symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis, back pain, depression, diabetes and osteoporosis.

If you would like to start or revamp your resistance training routine, I can help. Just email me at Peggy@thebalancedyogi and we can set up a time to talk either by email, phone or in person.

Thanks as always for reading and sharing these articles with your friends.

Until next time,

Peggy