Note from Wendy – Because I receive so much feedback from women complaining about menopausal weight gain, I asked the “trainer of trainers,” Joan Pagano, to offer perspective and advice on keeping fit and healthy as we age. This is her third of five blog posts this week. Joan is the author of three books that I highly recommend: “Strength Training for Women,” “8 Weeks to a Younger Body,” and “15 Minute Total Body Workout.” Her latest book and DVD, “15-Minute Abs,” will be in bookstores in early December. Visit her website to learn more about her and to preview her books.
Cardio exercise has been the focus of fitness programs for many years, and now strength training has emerged as an equally important component of a well rounded exercise regime. Study after study reveals its beneficial effect on weight control, energy level, bone density, posture, balance and the ability to resist diseases like osteoporosis, hypertension and diabetes.
Strength training is the technique of applying resistance to the muscles and bones to stimulate growth. It is also called resistance training or weight lifting. There are many different types of resistance, all of which are effective, including using your own body weight:
- free weights or dumb bell
- machines
- stretch bands and tubes
- weighted balls and bars
Strength training keeps you lean by building muscle. As early as age twenty-five, you may begin to lose muscle mass and strength without being aware of it. Even if you maintain your weight perfectly, your lean body mass begins to decline and your body fat increases. Strength training defends against this process by maintaining lean body mass and boosting your metabolism to burn more calories even at rest.
As muscles respond to resistance they become more defined or sculpted. Core training, for example, strengthens the muscles of the trunk to firm your torso, flatten your belly and trim your waistline. For best results, perform a variety of exercises that target your core from all angles. And, of course, do regular cardio exercise to reduce any overlying fat.
Without strength training, your body ages faster than necessary. Aging causes a decrease in fast twitch muscle fibers, causing you to slow down. Strength training restores these fibers, reviving your energy levels. Strong people are more active and stable, less likely to suffer a fall. As muscles develop, they provide more support for the skeleton, improving posture.
Strength training delivers a bonus for the bones! As a muscle contracts against resistance, it pulls on the bone, causing bone deposition at the site of stress. Because it is site-specific, it is important to do strength training exercises for all major muscle groups to maintain bone density throughout the skeleton.
A full-body strength training program should include:
- 8-10 separate exercises that work the major muscle groups - hips and thighs, back, chest, shoulders, arms and abdominals
- 8-12 repetitions (the number of times you lift and lower the weight) of each exercise in good form (the last few should be somewhat difficult)
- 1-3 sets of each exercise (one set is enough to see improvement in strength)
- A minimum of two full-body weight-training sessions per week on non-consecutive days.
My blog post tomorrow will focus on stretching, the third pillar of a well-rounded exercise program and a key factor in maintaining a youthful appearance and active lifestyle.
Copyright 2008 Joan Pagano. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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