Resistance training, often overlooked in favor of aerobic exercise, offers a multitude of health benefits beyond muscle building. A recent review published in Exercise Sport and Movement has shown that RT can improve cognitive function, combat sarcopenia, aid cancer survivorship, manage obesity and type 2 diabetes, and even reduce mortality risk. Unlike traditional weightlifting, which requires heavy weights, lighter loads can still yield significant results. Incorporating RT into your routine, even just a few times a week, can enhance your overall health and well-being.

Key points

1. Beyond Muscle Building: Resistance training offers a wide range of health benefits beyond increasing muscle mass and strength.

2. Healthy Aging: RT can help combat sarcopenia, a condition of age-related muscle loss, and improve mobility in older adults.

3. Enhanced Cognitive Function: Regular RT has been shown to positively impact cognitive function, including executive functions and global cognition.

4. Cancer Survivorship: RT can improve physical and psychosocial function, reduce cancer recurrence, and increase survival rates for cancer survivors.

5. Metabolic Health: RT is effective in managing obesity and type 2 diabetes, and it can improve insulin sensitivity and metabolic health.

6. Reduced Mortality Risk: Engaging in RT has been linked to a reduced risk of all-cause mortality, including from cardiovascular diseases and cancer.

7. Accessible for All: Resistance training can be performed using bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, or household items, making it accessible to a wide range of people.

The Underappreciated Power of Resistance Training: A Comprehensive Look at Its Health Benefits

In the world of fitness and health, aerobic training (AT) often takes center stage. We're constantly reminded of the importance of getting our 150 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous cardio each week. But what about resistance training (RT)? While it's mentioned in most physical activity guidelines, with a recommendation to engage in strengthening activities twice weekly, the true potential of RT is often overlooked. Today, we're going to dive deep into the world of resistance training and explore its wide-ranging health benefits that go far beyond building muscle.

Rethinking Resistance Training

For years, resistance training has been primarily associated with bodybuilders and athletes looking to increase muscle mass and strength. However, recent research has revealed that RT can offer health benefits comparable to, and in some cases superior to, aerobic training. Even more intriguingly, many of these benefits can be achieved without the need to lift heavy weights, making RT accessible to a broader range of people.

The Multifaceted Benefits of Resistance Training

• Healthy Aging and Improved Mobility

  As we age, our bodies naturally lose muscle mass and strength, a condition known as sarcopenia. This age-related muscle loss is inversely related to morbidity and mortality, and the associated treatment costs in the US health system are astronomical - around $19 billion per year.

  Resistance training has shown remarkable results in combating sarcopenia and improving mobility in older adults. When combined with aerobic training and balance exercises, RT effectively reduces the risk of falls in care facilities. Importantly, these benefits can be achieved with lower load resistance training, making it a safe and effective option for older adults.

• Enhanced Cognitive Function

  Cognitive decline is another common concern associated with aging. However, engaging in regular physical activity, including resistance training, can help mitigate this decline. RT has been shown to positively affect executive functions (such as focus, attention, and multitasking) and global cognitive function in older adults.

  Interestingly, the cognitive benefits of RT can be seen even in relatively short-term programs, especially for those who are already experiencing cognitive impairment. For cognitively healthy older adults, consistent RT performed twice a week at moderate intensity for 16 weeks or more has been shown to improve overall cognitive function.

• Cancer Survivorship

  Cancer and its treatments often lead to significant muscle loss, which can negatively impact treatment outcomes and quality of life. Resistance training has emerged as a powerful tool in cancer care, offering benefits that extend beyond maintaining muscle mass.

  Regular RT has been associated with improvements in physical and psychosocial function, increased fatigue resistance, better quality of life, reduced cancer recurrence, and increased survival rates. In fact, studies have shown that RT, either alone or combined with aerobic training, is superior to AT alone in reducing all-cause and cancer-specific mortality.

• Metabolic Health: Managing Obesity and Type 2 Diabetes

  Obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) are increasingly prevalent health concerns worldwide. While aerobic training has traditionally been the go-to recommendation for managing these conditions, resistance training is proving to be equally effective.

  Recent research has shown that there's no clinically significant difference between RT and AT in lowering hemoglobin A1c (a key indicator of blood sugar control) or other T2D-relevant health outcomes. RT has also been effective in reducing fat mass in overweight and obese older adults.

  Even more promising is the combination of RT and AT, which appears to be superior in managing T2D and obesity compared to either form of exercise alone. RT induces adaptations that improve metabolic health, including enhanced muscle protein remodeling, increased mitochondrial oxidative capacity, and improved insulin sensitivity.

• Reduced Mortality Risk

  Perhaps one of the most compelling reasons to incorporate resistance training into your routine is its association with reduced mortality risk. Several cohort studies and reviews have emerged showing that participation in RT is linked to reduced mortality from all causes, including type 2 diabetes, cancer, and cardiovascular diseases—and these benefits are independent of aerobic training.

Performing just 1-2 sessions per week, or the equivalent of 60-120 minutes weekly, has shown consistent effects in decreasing all-cause mortality. Interestingly, the maximum risk reduction for all-cause, cardiovascular, and total cancer mortality was observed with approximately 30-60 minutes per week of RT.

How does Resistance Training help?

• Muscle Adaptation: RT induces molecular signals that lead to the synthesis of new myofibrillar and mitochondrial proteins, increasing muscle size and endurance.

• Sarcopenia Prevention: Regular RT helps combat age-related loss of muscle mass and strength, which is inversely related to morbidity and mortality.

• Cognitive Function: RT increases brain-derived neurotrophic factors and cerebral blood flow, associated with improved cognition, especially executive functions and global cognitive function in older adults.

• Cancer Survivorship: RT helps counteract muscle wasting associated with cancer and its treatments. It's linked to improved physical function, quality of life, and reduced cancer recurrence and mortality.

• Metabolic Health: RT improves insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, and fat mass reduction in individuals with obesity and type 2 diabetes. It enhances muscle protein remodeling and mitochondrial oxidative capacity.

• Mortality Risk Reduction: Cohort studies show that regular RT (1-2 sessions/week) is associated with reduced all-cause mortality, independent of aerobic training.

• Low-Load Benefits: Many health benefits can be achieved by lifting lighter loads to volitional failure, making RT accessible to a broader population.

The scientific basis for these benefits lies in RT's ability to induce beneficial adaptations at the cellular and systemic levels, improving overall physical function, metabolic health, and longevity. These effects are mediated through various physiological mechanisms, including hormonal responses, protein synthesis, and improvements in body composition and metabolic flexibility.

Breaking Down Barriers: The Accessibility of Resistance Training

One of the most exciting aspects of recent RT research is the finding that many health benefits can be achieved by lifting lighter loads to volitional failure. This means you don't need to lift heavy weights or have access to a fully equipped gym to reap the rewards of resistance training. Body weight exercises, resistance bands, or even household items can be used effectively for RT. This opens up the possibilities for people who may have been intimidated by traditional weight training or those with limited access to gym facilities.

Practical Recommendations for Incorporating Resistance Training

Based on the current research, here are some practical recommendations for incorporating resistance training into your routine:

• Aim for at least two RT sessions per week.

• Focus on exercises that target major muscle groups.

• Use light-to-moderate relative loads (≥30% but <70% of your one-repetition maximum) or use body weight as resistance.

• Perform repetitions within a set to the point that results in a high degree of effort or relatively close to momentary muscular failure.

• Start slowly and progressively increase the intensity and duration of your RT sessions.

• Consider combining RT with aerobic training for optimal health benefits.

The Future of Resistance Training Research

While the benefits of resistance training are becoming increasingly clear, there's still much to learn. Future research should focus on determining the optimal dose and intensity of RT, both alone and in combination with aerobic training, to maximize health benefits and reduce mortality risk.

We also need to better understand how different populations respond to various RT protocols. For example, how might the optimal RT program differ for cancer survivors compared to individuals with type 2 diabetes? How can we tailor RT programs to meet the specific needs of older adults with varying levels of physical function?

Conclusion: Embracing the Power of Resistance Training

As we've explored in this post, the health benefits of resistance training extend far beyond building muscle and increasing strength. From healthy aging and improved cognitive function to better metabolic health and reduced mortality risk, RT offers a wide range of benefits that can significantly improve quality of life and overall health.

It's time for resistance training to step out of the shadows and take its place alongside aerobic training at the forefront of physical activity guidelines. By incorporating regular RT into our routines, we can build not just stronger muscles, but healthier, more resilient bodies and minds.

Remember, you don't need to lift heavy weights or spend hours in the gym to benefit from resistance training. Even light-to-moderate intensity RT, performed consistently, can yield significant health improvements. So whether you're using body weight exercises, resistance bands, or traditional weights, the key is to start where you are and progressively challenge yourself over time.

As we continue to uncover the full potential of resistance training, one thing is clear: it's a powerful tool for health and longevity that deserves a prominent place in everyone's fitness routine. So why not start today? Your future self will thank you for it.

Faqs

Question: What are the benefits of strength training?

Answer: Strength training, also known as resistance training, offers numerous health benefits. It can help build muscle mass, increase strength, improve bone density, enhance balance and coordination, boost metabolism, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases.

Question: What are the benefits of resistance training?

Answer: Resistance training provides a wide range of health benefits, including:

• Increased muscle mass and strength: This can improve physical performance, reduce the risk of injuries, and enhance overall functional ability.

• Improved bone density: Regular resistance training can help prevent osteoporosis and reduce the risk of fractures.

• Enhanced balance and coordination: Stronger muscles can improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls.

• Boosted metabolism: Building muscle mass can increase your resting metabolic rate, helping you burn more calories even when you're not actively exercising.

• Reduced risk of chronic diseases: Resistance training can help manage weight, lower blood pressure, improve blood sugar control, and reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes.

Question: What is resistance training?

Answer: Resistance training involves using resistance to work your muscles against external forces. This can be done using weights, resistance bands, body weight exercises, or other forms of resistance.

Question: Does resistance training help your bones?

Answer: Yes, resistance training can help improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis. When you engage in resistance training, your bones respond by becoming stronger and denser. This is particularly important for older adults who are at a higher risk of bone loss.

Related Articles

The Protein Paradox: How Reducing Isoleucine in Your Diet May Help You Live Longer

Preserving Muscle Strength in Seniors: How Heavy Resistance Training Fights Sarcopenia

Body Recomposition: Your Path to a Lean, Muscular Body

Journal Reference

Sawan, S. A., Nunes, E. A., Lim, C., McKendry, J., & Phillips, S. M. (2022). The Health Benefits of Resistance Exercise: Beyond Hypertrophy and Big Weights. Exercise Sport and Movement, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1249/esm.0000000000000001

Image credit: https://www.frontiersin.org/files/Articles/441213/fphys-10-00645-HTML/image_m/fphys-10-00645-g002.jpg

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