Brad Scott
Exercise is an important aspect of overall health and wellness. Adults are recommended to participate in at least 30 minutes of moderate intensity exercise at least five days each week. Furthermore, we should be participating in activities that maintain or improve strength at least twice a week.
Specifically, adults should perform at least two non-consecutive days of training against resistance for at least one round of 8 to 12 repetitions for healthy adults and 10 to 15 repetitions for more frail adults. This should be done for each body region: chest, back, shoulders, front arm, back arm, abdominals, quads/front of leg, and hamstrings/back of leg.
We usually associate strength training with the use of a barbell and weight plates. In actuality, this can be done in a variety of ways including different types of weights, machines, as well as the use of body weight movements such as squats, lunges, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, steps, and many more.
How do we increase strength? In order to maintain or gain strength, we progressively overload the muscle system being worked. If we can lift ten pounds, we need to lift this more times, or lift 11 pounds, to increase the stress on the muscles and surrounding tissues. Want to get better or more efficient at certain tasks that require strength? We need to practice those tasks with additional resistance to assist in using the overload principle.
If we do not use it, we lose it. Think about someone requiring their hands to get off a toilet seat or someone not being able to get up from the floor after retrieving an item, or, worse, falling down. Their muscular system is unable to produce enough force to lift their body weight against gravity. With strength training, we can change that!
What are the effects of strength training besides just bigger muscles?
Stronger bones: Putting more stress through bones fights effects of osteopenia/osteoporosis and decreases the chance of fractures.
Stronger tendons, ligaments, and connective tissues: More strength training promotes the ability for our connective tissues to be more resistant to stress and injury.
Joint protection: Our muscles are our dynamic support to the joints. As normal wear and tear happens (arthritis), our muscle strength becomes even more important to assist in maintaining joint space and proper movement to reduce further progression of normal wear.
Weight loss: Strength training is a very large part of weight loss programs for all people. Cardio alone won’t do the trick.
Pain modulation: Getting muscles to work around an area of discomfort in many cases can assist in actually reducing pain around the area.
Physical Therapists are in a great position to help you reach your goals with strength and conditioning, no matter what the circumstances. We will work together to modify and build a plan that supports the benefits of strength training and gets you back to doing what you need and love to do—pain free!
For more information, please visit www.AzOPT.net.