Health Benefits of Resistance Training

Fitness professionals and healthcare professionals have been touting the benefits of regular exercise for decades. It is generally considered common knowledge that cardiovascular exercise strengthens the heart and the lungs, improves mood and aids in weight loss. However, less attention has been given to the many health benefits that regular resistance training can provide.

Resistance training, also known as weight training, is exercise that requires the body’s muscles to operate under some kind of resistance. Whether the resistance is in the form of body weight or free weights like dumbbells and barbells, resistance training offers health benefits above and beyond that of cardiovascular exercise.

Enhanced Metabolism

Because resistance exercise stresses the muscles of the body, a degree of muscle breakdown occurs as a result. The body’s recovery process to stimulate new muscle growth requires an abundance of energy. This energy comes from food that is ingested and from fat tissue that is stored on the body. Additionally, the mere existence of healthy muscle tissue requires the body to use energy more rapidly, twenty-four hours per day. The body’s metabolism is enhanced and uses stored body fat and ingested calories for energy, even at rest.

Increased Bone Density

Regular resistance training places stress on ligaments and tendons, the connective tissue that joins the muscles and bones. Over time, the body adapts to the stress by increasing the strength and integrity of the connective tissue. This allows the connective tissue to accommodate more resistance, which stresses the hard tissue of the skeletal system. As the bones endure regular stress, the body adapts by increasing the strength and density of the bones. This improvement in bone condition can help prevent and reverse bone disease such as osteoporosis.

Improved Immunity

Like the body’s muscles, connective tissue and bones, the immune system responds to regular stress through adaptation. Recovery from resistance training requires an immune system response. Over time, the body adapts to the increased demands by improving the efficiency of the immune system. This enhanced immunity can help reduce the occurrence of disease and infection.

Increased Energy

One of the most noticeable and immediate benefits of resistance training is the increased energy levels that can result. As the muscles of the body grow stronger, the metabolism improves and immunity increases. This can have a noticeable impact on energy levels that can be maintained for a considerable period of time. Also, resistance exercise causes the body to use energy more effectively, allowing the mind and body to function in a more efficient manner. When the body efficiently uses and processes stored body fat and consumed calories, overall energy levels can improve.

Performing moderate intensity resistance training three to four times per week in conjunction with cardiovascular exercise and a sound nutritional plan can result in the health benefits of an enhanced metabolism, increased bone density, improved immunity and increased energy. For those who desire to enhance their physical fitness program and improve their quality of life, the addition of resistance training would be a wise course of action.

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