Importance of Resistance Training

I remember the days when I would go to the gym, run on the treadmill for 30-45 minutes, and leave. At the time, I didn’t understand the importance of focusing on building muscle through resistance training for our health. I was only participating in long cardio sessions which actually can affect muscle growth.

So why is resistance training important? When performing resistance training, your muscles are stressed which stimulates the process of breaking down old and weak tissue and rebuilding new and stronger muscles.

Benefits of increased muscle mass:

• Increased bone strength

• Decrease in body fat

• Increased flexibility and balance

• Weight control

• Improved blood pressure

• Improved cholesterol levels

• Blood sugar control

As you can see, there are many benefits to increased muscle mass. According to ACE Fitness, adults who do not engage in resistance training can lose an average of 5lbs of muscle per decade. Try to incorporate it at least three times per week (if medically cleared) in combination with consuming adequate protein. The table below provides training volume based on your goal.

Note: 1-RM=One repetition maximum (the greatest amount of weight that can be lifted one time)

If you’ve never participated in resistance training, try starting off with exercises using your own body weight like planks, squats, lunges, or push ups