As we age, the importance of doing regular forms of resistance training increases quite significantly. There are many benefits to doing this type of training. This article is designed to highlight some of those that may be the most important for you to consider.
Here is my Top 10 List:
- Fight against osteoporosis.
- Prevent sarcopenia (muscle loss with age).
- Gain or regain strength, and improve balance, mobility, and function.
- Correct poor posture and muscle imbalances.
- Boost your metabolism.
- Reduce the likelihood and severity of injuries.
- Improve mood and brain function.
- Get better quality of sleep.
- Healthy stress management.
- Improve overall health and body composition (muscle to fat ratio).
As you can see, there are many reasons to do resistance training. Especially as we age. Cardiovascular training is also of great importance, but for different reasons, and one cannot compensate with one for the other. One is aerobic (cardio), and the other is anaerobic (resistance). They each serve different purposes. Perhaps you are already going on walks or runs, but you may be lacking the type of training that your muscles, connective tissues, and bones need to be strong and healthy.
If you are not incorporating this type of training into your weekly schedule, consider adding it two or three days per week to provide your body with the stimulus that it needs to function well. If you need help with exercise selection, proper exercise techniques, putting a program together, motivation, or accountability, we are here to help!