Going from STRENGTH TO STRENGTH

JANA PITTMAN EXPLAINS THE IMPORTANCE OF STRENGTH TRAINING AS YOU GET OLDER

Big muscles… do we like them or hate them? I guess it depends on what your ideal body shape is. Regardless, there is a misconception that strength training always equals masculine muscles.

Adding in strength and resistance training to your exercise routine has many more benefits than creating definition. It improves your heart health, bone health, mood, reduces body fat, increases energy levels and metabolism, helps maintain flexibility and strength for movement, and improves cognitive function.

Sadly, despite these benefits, just under 25 per cent of Aussies aged 18-64 are doing regular strength training.

For me as a doctor, strength training equals prolonged body freedom! The old ‘use it or lose it’ statement resonates here. As we age, we stiffen up and become weaker. Our muscles atrophy (reduce in size) and bones weaken, but often our fat percentage increases, which means we must shift more weight but with less strength to do so!

Strength workouts help maintain bone density as you age, which is particularly important for women after menopause, when we can lose up to 40 per cent of the inner bone mass, which can lead to osteoporosis and fractures.

I have seen many patients go from living independently to an assisted living facility after several falls and fractured hips! But don’t wait till you’re in old age, as we now know bone loss starts from around 30 years onwards!

Although most people see the main benefits as musculoskeletal, strength training helps reduce body fat and create lean muscle, which leads to a lower risk of stroke and heart disease. This has even been found when strength training has been completed without aerobic exercise.

So what is strength training? Well, it has various names and types: resistance workouts, weightlifting, bodybuilding, power lifting, iron pumping, Olympic lifting, or just simply working out. They are all various means of applying a load or stress to the muscle and body. Even using your own body weight to do a range of movement exercises like squats and push-ups is excellent. The trick is you must do enough repetitions that you feel uncomfortable.

For example, if you are doing abdominal crunches, when you feel a burn, start trying to do a few more crunches before moving to another exercise. This ‘stress’ tells the muscle to improve and grow stronger. Load equals strength.

Lastly, get a trainer to teach you correct form and help you set goals. Improper technique can cause injury. Take time, learn your body and reap the rewards.