Avoid-Muscle-Loss

9 BIG FAT Reasons Why YOU Need to Strength Train

Strength Training, according to Matthew Riddell, will help you 'avoid-muscle-loss', 'boost your metabolic rate', 'increase your lean muscle mass', 'reduce your body fat', 'replace bone mineral density', 'improve your glucose metabolism', 'reduce back pain', 'reduce resting blood pressure'... and 'you'll feel bloody fantastic'.

During the past few years, more and more studies have shown that sensible strength training produces massive health and fitness benefits. Key researchers have provided a wealth of data on the positive effects of sensible, regular resistance training! Consider these 9 Great Reasons to Lift Weights...

1. Avoid Muscle Loss. Adults who do not strength train lose between 2.2 and 3.2kg of muscle every decade. Although endurance exercise improves our cardiovascular fitness, it does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue. Only strength exercise (pumping iron!) maintains our muscle mass and strength through our mid-life years.
2. Boost Your Metabolic Rate. Because muscle is very active tissue, muscle loss is accompanied by a reduction in resting metabolism. Research indicates that average adults experience a 2% to 5% reduction in metabolic rate every decade. By pumping iron on a weekly basis you can easily increase your base metabolic rate by 7% in just eight weeks. Adults who strength train use more energy all day long, thereby significantly reducing the likelihood of storing fat! Put simply - lift weights and turn your body into a fat burning machine.
3. Increase Your Lean Muscle Mass. The de-evolution of modern man has left most of us trapped behind desks, and as a consequence most adults do NOT perform the basic strength exercises our bodies require. Fortunately, strength training just ONCE a week for 30 minutes will increase lean muscle by at least 1.5kg over an 8 week period! Simple and very effective.
4. Reduce Your Body Fat. Cool fitness fact - if you Pump Iron and eat more you will STILL lose fat! A 1994 study showed that strength training produced 1/8kg of fat loss over three months - even though the subjects were eating 15% more calories each day. That is, a basic (0nce weekly) strength training program resulted in 1.4kg more muscle, 1.8kg less fat and 370 more calories per day food intake. Pinch me! Where is the downside?
5. Replace Bone Mineral Density. If you want bones of steel then simple strength training is a must! Osteoporosis can be halted and in many cases reversed by a regular strength routine. Oh, and sorry guys, walking is NOT enough. For bones to be stronger, they need to be progressively challenged. The minor stresses of strength training cause your body to lay down bone mineral density, and as demonstrated in a 1993 study, just three months can witness a significant increase in femur strength.
6. Improve Your Glucose Metabolism. Diabetes Type II is on the rise, and arguably the best way to guard against its onset is to strength train. Researchers have reported a 23% increase in glucose uptake after just four months of strength training. As poor glucose metabolism is associated with adult onset diabetes, it's pretty damn important to make sure you're doing everything possible. Pump iron and pull out your sweet tooth!
7. Reduce Back Pain. Numerous studies have shown that if your spinal muscles are kept strong through regular strength training, they are very unlikely to be injured. DUH! If you find yourself with a twinging, stiff or sore back, chances are that it needs some functional strength work. Years of research at the University of Florida Medical School showed that you will notice a difference in around 10 weeks - particularly in the lower spinal region.
8. Reduce Resting Blood Pressure. Strength Training alone has been shown to reduce resting blood pressure significantly. A 1995 study revealed that combining aerobic and strength training is an even more effective method of improving blood pressure readings. After two months of combined training, participants reduced their systolic reading by 5mm Hg and their diastolic reading by 3mm Hg!
9. You'll Feel Bloody FANTASTIC! Let us not forget the feel-good factor. If you want to be happier and healthier for a LOT longer, lifting weights is a MUST. Physiologically, strength exercise floods the body with endorphins - our natural feel good drug. Not to mention that when you look in the mirror and see visible improvements EVERY SINGLE WEEK, chances are you'll feel pretty damn good about yourself. Start today and be amazed at what you can achieve.

And Remember... If You Can Breathe... You Can Achieve!

This article "9 BIG FAT Reasons Why YOU Need to Strength Train" was written by Matthew Riddell, based on an original work by Dr Wayne L. Wescott PhD.

Matthew has also written a great little, easy to read book outlining "The Seven Secrets to Amazing Health"

I can highly recommend it. Matthew has outlined seven simple secrets that turn conventional dieting upside-down.

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