Weight Training

Weight training, aka resistance or strength training is an excellent way to gain muscle mass, tone up your body or simply get healthy! Some benefits include:

- increase metabolic rate which in turn allows your body to burn calories more efficiently, even at rest¹

- cut down on cardiovascular stress by reduction of resting blood pressure and heart rate²

- increase bone density, thus reducing risk of osteoporosis³

- improve strength, power and muscular endurance³

- eliminate ‘bingo arms’ ‘moobs’ and ‘muffin top’—syndromes by increasing lean muscle mass or decreasing body fat

- bingo arms: flabby upper arm flesh of women which swings back and forth endlessly when yelling “BINGO!” and waving arms in air.

- Moobs: man-boobs; can be used for communication if jiggled properly.

- Muffin top: flab that hangs over pants

- Definitions courtesy of urban dictionary

What are your weight training goals?

- Increase muscle mass/strength training

- Exercise with a heavy load; perform a low number of repetitions (i.e. 8 to 10) over a short period of time.

- Tone: add definition to body without a significant increase in muscle mass

- Low load, high number of repetitions (i.e. 15 to 20) over an extended period of time.

- Power training: how much work a muscle can produce per unit time; power is required to perform movements which involve strength and speed

- Plyometric training or stretch-shortening drills: to be explored further in a future post.

1. McArdle WD. Katch FI. Katch VL. Essentials of Exercise Physiology Second Edition. 2000. Lippincott Williams and Wilkins. 389-411.

2. Parker, ND. Hunter, GR. Treuth, MS. Kekes-Szabo, T. Kell, SH. Weinsier, R. White, M. Effects of Strength Training on Cardiovascular Responses During a Submaximal Walk and a Weight-Loaded Walking Test in Older Females. Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation. 1996;16(1):56-62.

3. Deschenes MR. Kraemer WJ. Performance and physiologic adaptations to resistance training. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2002;81(Suppl):S3-S16.