Weight Training is for Everyone

It seems to be a popular belief that weight training is only for men, and more specifically, only men who want bigger muscles. Thus, the only men who "should" touch the weights are those are "Meat-heads" or want to be "Meat-heads". Well, this theory is SO WRONG.

Weight training, or resistance training as it is commonly referred to in scientific circles, is a crucial form of exercise for anyone looking to improve their physique, or even their general health. In fact, I'll list groups that most would not expect to benefit from weight training:

1. The elderly- older individuals benefit greatly from resistance training because it promotes specific usage of their muscles. As we age our bodies become catabolic, meaning we burn muscle as opposed to building it, so it is crucial to utilize weight training to avoid this catabolism. It is the simple adage, "if you don't use it you lose it."

2. Women- women benefit because of the calcium release into the bloodstream during resistance training. This calcium is then free to bind with bone cells and further fortify the bone structure of the woman. This is crucial because studies show that women possess less bone-density then men, and see greater degradation of bone cells as well (osteoporosis).

3. Older Teens- Age is crucial on this one because you do not want to effect the growth plates on bones by weight training too young. However, around fifteen for boys and sixteen for girls is an excellent time to insert regular resistance training into their lives. Teenagers no only benefit from the increase in physical activity, but studies seem to show that training during this period of time may assist in altering their body-type to a more healthy, easier to maintain body. Furthermore, any athletes will see an increase in performance as a result of training. Lastly, starting young is a crucial component to ensuring one's child becomes and remains physically active in life.

4. Overweight and obese individuals- contrary to popular belief weight training is a great means to lose weight. So long as the resistance is managed, hypertrophy (muscle growth) will not occur at a rate equal to or greater then the rate of fat loss. Thus, the person will continue to lose weight, while repositioning their weight to more lean mass. Furthermore, studies PROVE that resistance training leads to an increase in muscle cells which increases the BMR of an individual.
 BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate) is the amount of calories an individual will burn when physically inactive (sedentary).

Increasing one's BMR is crucial to burning more calories during the day, even during the mundane daily tasks that involve little movement. Once the person begins to exercise their base is higher then normal, which in turn, allows them to burn more calories during their workout, and see greater success.

Another excellent benefit of resistance training is that studies show that it increases mitochondria (the muscle's powerhouse) located within a muscle cell. These organelles break down fats for energy usage during exercise and normal contraction. The more mitochondria in a muscle, the more fat that muscle can use as energy. Not only does using this energy help someone lose unwanted weight, but it also is an excellent performance boost considering fat is 9 calories per gram, compared to 4 calories per gram for carbohydrates.

The lesson here is:

Resistance training is an excellent mode of exercise for anyone looking to change their physique or improve their health. It is crucial to understand that just because one lifts weights does not indicate that they will get "big muscles", or even get significantly stronger. Simply put, the only way to get big is to lift big weights. Therefore, if your goal is anything besides increasing your muscle mass or strength, then temper the weights you lift.

Stay with something that you can lift 12 to 15 times for a total of 3 to 4 sets. Ensure that you train every body part equally. Meaning, if you do 8 total sets for your chest, then do 8 for your back. Furthermore, if you do 10 sets for your quadriceps muscle group, then ensure that your hamstrings and calves get the same attention. This is crucial because you do not want to develop any imbalances in the muscle structure.



Weight Training is an excellent form of exercise that can be done long into life. So lift now, lift tomorrow, lift with a purpose, and of course, stay fit forever.