Hitch Fit Living Magazine Volume 5 - March/April 2016 | Page 41

When beginning an exercise regimen, many of your average people overlook proper
resistance training. Why is this? Through my experience as a trainer, the main answers I
have come across are lack of experience with resistance exercises or a misconception that only
people looking to build lots of muscle or improve sport performance lift weights. There is also
a very large misconception that lifting weights will make you ”big and bulky” but this is not
entirely true. This article will help to educate readers about the importance of a proper
resistance training routine.
First, what are the benefits of resistance training? The most obvious answer is
resistance exercises help to build muscle and strength. Why is this important? Having more
muscle or a leaner body increases metabolism and makes it easier to lose and maintain
weight. Typically having more muscle, in most cases, means you will be stronger and can
make day to day labors or activities much easier, especially in older adults.
There are many benefits to resistance training and some of the most important are as
follows; decreases in blood pressure, improved blood sugar, increases in bone density,
decreases in muscle loss, improved mobility, stronger joints, and prevention/improvement of
arthritis. Many of these benefits are very important as we age. When we age, we lose muscle
and gain more body fat naturally. Resistance training can help to slow these effects. Also as
we age, we become more susceptible (especially women) to developing bone density issues
such as osteoporosis and osteomalacia. Resistance training stimulates bone production
making our bones stronger and less susceptible to fracture or other injuries. A great example
would be an older adult that has trouble getting in and out of a chair. Increasing leg strength
could greatly improve this person’s ability to get up and around.
Where to begin? For starters, you should consult with your physician, especially if you
are older in age or have underlying health conditions that could be made worse with
improper exercise. For an example, we will use someone who has no underlying conditions.
The types of resistance exercises that will benefit the most are compound over isolation
exercises. Compound exercises utilize multiple joints and multiple muscles so they create a
larger stimulus for the body to adapt towards. These types of exercises usually include
various presses/pulling movements with the larger muscle groups. Examples being the leg
press, squatting, chest presses, and rows.