It’s strength training, stupid
Q I have been reading this column for years, and you always encourage people to train for strength. Why? I really see no need for it in my suburban life.
A And there, dear readers, lies the problem. Either I can take the bait and rant to the point of sounding like a rabid Republican in the Bible Belt, bemoaning the decline of manliness in an age of millennials, or I can live up to my reputation and tell you that you’re being stupid.
Strength is not the preserve of dungaree-wearing hillbillies or Fourways weekend warriors. It’s not even the preserve of actual athletes, such as gymnasts or powerlifters or swimmers. Strength, and the associated skeletal muscle and neurological adaptations, is fundamental to promoting overall physical and mental health and wellbeing, especially as we age.
You could walk on the treadmill every day for the rest of your life, and it would be of great benefit. You could walk in nature every day, and it would have even more benefit. Now, imagine walking every day, and then training — responsibly and not dangerously — in a manner that improves bone density, regulates hormones, supports joint stability, boosts metabolism, helps in fat loss, helps with posture, enables you to carry or lift things for yourself, and has a number of positive cognitive benefits.
Imagine, even as you age, neuromuscular adaptations that allow for precise and controlled movement and co-ordination for everyday tasks.
Sounds too good to be true? It almost is, yet no-one wants to believe it. Of course, life is funny and the only thing one can predict with 100% certainty is that nothing can be predicted with 100% certainty.
However, in the absence of developing debilitating conditions, or having accidents, or worse, the benefits of resistance training far outweigh ignoring it at the expense of only cardiovascular exercise or worse, a sedentary lifestyle.
There’s no such thing as “cardio is better than strength training” or the other way around. You want to be, and need to be, doing both.
Strength training is not about screaming and throwing weights around the gym, or joining a Crossfit box and deciding on day one to superset box jumps, pull-ups and cleansand-presses until you throw up. Responsible resistance training — supervised and taught by a good coach — works alongside your current level of mobility, your strengths and your weaknesses. It is progressive and well thought out.
We’d need exponentially more space than this column will allow to go into detail, but some of the often-overlooked benefits of resistance training are astounding.
The hormonal benefits are crucial, not least when men and women reach middle age and beyond. These benefits are not just a case of “lift more and miraculously have more testosterone”, but have to do with a host of adaptations such as body composition (body fat mass versus lean body mass, which includes muscle, organs, bones, blood and skin) and its effects on hormone levels, including oestrogen.
Weight-bearing exercises are known to increase bone density, which is an age-defying superpower. Improved neuromuscular efficiency and co-ordination have a direct impact on everyday life, from the grocery store to the garden and, of course, the gym.
It has been shown that strength training increases the release of neurotropic factors, which support a host of vital body functions. Similarly, resistance training is known to positively influence neurotransmitter levels, including dopamine and serotonin. It is exceptionally exciting for this author, at least, that studies transcend the “feel-good” factor and delve into actual biological mechanisms that support cognitive function and wellbeing.
Whether you choose to include strength training in your regimen is up to you. If you decide to give it a go, do so under supervision. Do it properly and you’ll reap the benefits, but do it incorrectly and it could hurt you.
The next time you go to Leroy Merlin and need someone else to push your trolley and pack your car, think about this column. Think about the confidence and pride that comes with doing things for yourself. But most importantly, stop associating strength with some kind of primitive caveman stereotype and start associating it with vitality and wellness, because that’s the truth.