What to Expect from Weight Training
What to Expect from Weight Training
Weight training (or strength training) is one of the key elements of an overall fitness program. When you incorporate it into your life, you not only will become stronger,more capable, and healthier, you also will become more energetic, will feel better, and will look better. Remember that muscle is denser than fat, so a toned body looks slimmer, stronger, and more attractive than a flabby one. Also remember that a toned,slimmer-looking body might actually weigh as much as, or even more than, a flabby,out-of-shape one.
For muscles to become stronger, you need to demand more of them than their usual workload. Working them harder in this way is known as overloading— that’s what you want to do when weight-training. Physiologically, when you lift enough weight to overload your muscles, you cause tiny tears in the muscle fibers. When they regenerate,the muscles become incrementally stronger. Not only will you be able to lift more in the gym, everyday activities will quickly become easier.
In addition to the benefit of muscular strength in and of itself, strong muscles and strong bones are linked. Muscles are attached to bones. When you strength-train, those muscles literally tug on bones. Therefore, as you build your muscles, your bones become stronger as a response to the greater force being exerted on them. In a sense,your bones try to “match” your muscles. You can help the process by taking in sufficient calcium and by participating in aerobic activities.
Various studies indicate that weight training reduces various serious health risks.Strength training improves glucose metabolism, for example, which can help control adult onset diabetes. Such training also helps speed the digestive process, or gastroin-testinal transit time, and reduces the risk of colon cancer. It can help ease lower back
pain and can reduce arthritis pain, both osteo- and rheumatoid. Strength training can even help emotional well-being. A recent report in Medicine and Science in Sports and Fitness revealed that male and female volunteers experienced “significantly reduced anxiety” for three hours after a single weight-training session.
The bad news about muscles is that, when they are not used, they lose strength rapidly.The good news, however, is that strength can easily and quickly be recaptured, even by people who have never worked with weights. Muscle tissue burns calories much faster than fat tissue, so even after you’ve stopped exercising for the day, the “furnace” muscles keep utilizing calories. In other words, strong muscles actually will raise your metabolism. Obviously, the best thing you can do for yourself is not let your muscles become weak and flaccid in the first place. If you are out of shape, be encouraged by the fact that muscles begin to build extremely quickly when you commence strength training.
People differ in their potential strength. This is why some can become bodybuilders and others can’t. Everyone, however, can become stronger. Some people feel increased strength from weight-training session number one and weight-training session number two. Virtually everyone sees a marked difference after six to 10 weeks of conscientious strength training. When tested, this increase can be anywhere from about 10 percent for a tentative new exerciser to as much as 40 percent for an aggressive person (especially males, who in general, have greater muscle-building capacity than females).
One of America’s leading experts in fitness issues has a list of a dozen reasons to strength-train. Dr. Wayne L. Westcott, research director at the South Shore YMCA in Quincy, Massachusetts, found the following after a 12-year study of 1,132 people in YMCA weight-training programs. The following are his 12 reasons why every adult should weight-train:
? To avoid muscle loss
? To avoid metabolic rate reduction
? To increase metabolic rate
? To reduce body fat
? To increase bone mineral density
? To improve glucose metabolism
? To increase gastrointestinal transit time
? To reduce resting blood pressure
? To improve blood lipid levels
? To reduce low back pain
? To reduce arthritic pain
In addition to Dr. Westcott’s dozen reasons for adults to weight-train, here are three more:
? To improve posture
? To increase sex drive
? To improve overall quality of life