Strength Training

National guidelines recommend a minimum of two sessions of strength training per week to maximise its functional and health benefits. But what is strength training, and why is it essential to incorporate it in our exercise routine? Let’s find out.

What is Strength Training?

Strength training (also called resistance training) is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to build strength, anaerobic endurance, and the size of skeletal muscles. In other words, strength training is designed to challenge your muscles to gain strength and to build lean body mass gradually. The word ‘challenge’ is an essential part of the training, as your muscles need to be worked hard enough to improve.

Does this mean you can be challenged just with bodyweight exercises, such as push ups or squats? Absolutely! But what happens when your body adapts to the training load, and it does not feel challenged anymore? Then we use the concept of ‘progressive overload’, where we gradually increase the weight throughout our training routine over time. This is to make sure there is continuous improvement in our strength by lifting progressively heavier weights.

To ensure you build your strength, the weight should be heavy enough so you can only perform between 4 and 6 repetitions in each set of exercise. In a conditioning programme this could mean:

3 sets of 4-6x Goblet squats (heavy weight)
3 sets of 4-6x Chest presses (heavy weight)
3 sets of 4-6x Bent over rows (heavy weight)

Lifting heavy weights (if it’s done with the correct technique) is a safe and extremely beneficial training method for all ages and genders – not to mention the satisfaction of realising your true strength potential after a heavy lift. But the health benefits of strength training aren’t limited to just getting stronger. Let’s have a look at the wider benefits it provides.

What are the benefits of Strength Training

The outcome of strength training isn’t just gaining muscle mass. There are many physiological and functional benefits to regular resistance training, such as:

improved physical performance and movement control
improved walking speed and functional independence
improved cognitive abilities
improved bone development (1 to 3 % increase in bone density)
reduced low back pain and reduced discomfort associated with arthritis and fibromyalgia

These listed benefits can reduce the risk of muscular injury in your exercise routine and in your daily activities. You would also find that regular resistance training helps with your cardiovascular health. Who would have thought that you can improve your 5K time AND reduce the risk of injury with regular strength training?

Regular resistance training can also improve your body composition. A recent 10-week study on strength training showed that by completing two resistance training sessions a week the participants:

increased their lean weight by 1.4 kg,
increased their resting metabolic rate by 7%,
and reduced their fat weight by 1.8 kg.

If losing fat while achieving a lean and strong body is your personal goal, then strength training is for you.

Is Strength Training for you?

When you hear the phrase ‘strength training’, you might associate it with muscular powerlifters in the gym. However, the benefits of resistance training can be enjoyed by anyone.

70 is the new 40- Aging population and strength training.

Did you know that the physical activity guidance issued by the UK Chief Medical Officers recommends strength training for older adults? This is to gain functional independence and balance skills to avoid the risk of falls. Two sessions of strength training a week can also reduce the risk of:

type 2 diabetes by 40%
coronary heart disease by 35%
depression by 30%.

The intensity of resistance training can always be adapted for every age group without compromising technique or safety. Therefore, this type of training is highly recommended for older adults to maintain functional independence and activity levels.

Do women get 'bulky' with regular Strength Training?

This is a common question we often hear.

Lifting weights can create hypertrophy (muscle gains), but it does not automatically make women ‘bulky’. It would rather give a lean and toned look, with the previously listed health and functional benefits. Being strong can also boost your self-esteem and can decrease your lower back pain caused by all-day sitting.

As resistance training helps with bone development, women in pre- and post-menopause should also engage in regular weightlifting to preserve bone and muscle mass.

What should you takeaway from this blog?

Anyone can do strength training provided it is done with the right technique and with progressive overload. Don’t be afraid to lift heavy; the aim is to have a maximum of 6 repetitions of each exercise in one set to work your strength. Strength training has a long list of health and functional benefits, not to mention the body composition improvement which occurs with regular training.

Do you need help with your weightlifting technique? You can book a one-to-one strength training session or a personalised small group strength training session. You could also join us on our Be Strong class on Thursdays at 18.30. We focus on the main resistance training elements to improve your weightlifting technique, so you can enjoy the benefits strength training can offer!

If you are interested in trying one of Barbara’s amazing strength training classes, or enquiring about a one-to-one session,

Call us on: 0161 676 0341
Email us at: info@wellbeing-rehab.co.uk