This Kind of Exercise Could Improve Lifespan

Resistance or strength training has a laundry list of benefits, but two new benefits have recently been confirmed — along with how much time you need to spend exercising for the greatest health impact. New research confirms that strength training can help prevent disease and improve lifespan. Here’s what the research says and the best way to begin reaping those benefits, no matter your age or current fitness ability.

From the Research

The research is a review and analysis of 16 studies with close to 480,000 total participants between 18 and 98, mostly located in the U.S. At the end of the review, researchers concluded that people who performed 30 to 60 minute of resistance or strength training weekly were significantly more likely to enjoy longer, healthier lives. Compared to people who didn’t perform strength training exercises, the weight-training people in the group were:

• 40% less likely to die from premature death
• 46% less likely to develop heart disease
• 28% less likely to die from cancer

It’s even more incentive to incorporate strength or resistance training into your workout program. And that’s true no matter how old you are, or whether you’re brand new to this kind of fitness.

Strength vs Resistance Training

The terms are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinction. Resistance training can refer to resistance from body weight exercises, such as push ups, pulls up or squats. Here at Framework Personal Training in Reno, resistance training is a form of functional training, which benefits our clients in their golden years. By mimicking movements repeated in day-to-day life, such as squatting to pick something up or reaching overhead, our clients see direct benefits in their mobility, flexibility, balance, and strength.

Strength training, on the other hand, uses weights with a focus on time under tension to improve strength and muscle growth. In both cases, you’ll benefit from improved bone density, better stress management, a greater sense of well-being, improved quality of sleep, and, as the research above shows, a lowered risk of disease and a longer lifespan.

While that all sounds great, the biggest hurdle for many people is just getting started. Where to begin? What to do? How to perform these exercises properly? If you’re brand new to the gym, a personal trainer can be the best way to learn the ropes. At Framework, our certified trainers specialize in fitness over 40. We’ll create a personalized program to help you safely and effectively reach your personal fitness goals. You’ll also learn proper technique.

Don’t wait another minute to benefit from resistance training. Contact Framework Personal Training to learn more.