The very mention of strength and power training conjures up an image of a hunk with six packs, rippling muscles, lifting weights. Strength training is largely seen as a domain of the young aspiring to have perfect bodies. It is also associated more with weight training than with other forms of muscle strengthening exercises. But strength training is much more than lifting weights- it includes within its fold every form of exercises that build muscles. A simple plank is a good strength training exercise that uses your body weight as a resistance. Weights, dumbbells, elastic bands, medicine balls and kettlebells are some of the resistance tools that are commonly used for strength training.
The aim of the weight resistance is to strengthen muscles and support bones. Strength training is particularly important for older people. As you age you lose bone density and muscle mass. A regular strength training can ensure that you do not lose your lean body mass and your muscles remain strong to prevent falls and fractures often associated with old age.
Your overall health is closely linked to the health of your muscles
Every person, irrespective of her nature of work, or age requires strong muscles for completing everyday tasks like walking, climbing, lifting etc. With age, muscles see a steep decline After the age of 35 an average person starts losing 1-2% of muscle mass every year. Another study put this figure as 3-5 % every decade after clocking 30 years. Be warned that the rate can go even higher for the most inactive individuals.
This annual loss of muscle mass builds up in the early fifties to give you aching joints, higher risk of falls and inflated waistline. As you reach your 60s and 70s, muscle loss accelerates to 3% a year. This makes everyday activities harder, so you are likely to become less active. Eventually, even simple tasks such as climbing stairs, walking, and just getting out of a chair become more difficult. Nonetheless, do not get alarmed because you can counteract this trend by starting with strength training and developing an exercise plan.
It is true that well-built muscles are a sight of beauty and power. They give you a fantastic aesthetic feel. However, their benefits go way further than this. The best part of strength training is that when you work out your muscles, you boost their health, which in turn guarantees your overall health.
Why strength training: Health benefits
Considering that muscle mass, strength and power start nosediving past the age of 30, the only solution to retaining them at their very best is through strength and power training. The various health benefits of strength and power training are:
- Your muscle mass will ensure that you do not gain excess weight. You burn calories even after the workout is over. This is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.
- Muscles help to increase your metabolic rate.
- You can better control your sugar levels
- The loss of bone density can be appreciably slowed. It prevents osteoporosis.
- You can slow down the loss of memory
- Strong muscles help to build balance and keep you from falling
- Muscles help to boost your immunity against cardiovascular diseases and other chronic conditions.
How do muscles work?
A human body is unique with 650 named skeletal muscles that enable you to walk, twist, swing your arms, turn your head, flex your feet and more. For any activity that you do, a set of muscles work together broadly in three types of motions to keep you safe from any form of injuries.
Concentric action
This action involves the shortening of a muscle leading to a force that moves your joints. This is the movement you see when you flex your biceps to lift a bag to put it on a table.
Eccentric action
The opposite of concentric action is eccentric movement, which triggers lengthening of any muscle. It gives a person a release force typically explained by the ability to carefully lower an object from a high position to a lower one. According to the American Academy of Sports Medicine, eccentric strength is especially important for maintaining balance, mobility, and everyday functions.
Static or isometric action
However, not all actions lead to a visible movement. At times, you may apply a force that only tenses the muscles without altering their natural position in an isometric or static action. For example when you try lifting something that is way too heavy for you to lift. Your muscles here would only tense and not lengthen.
As you go through your daily routines, these motions come to play on demand, without you even noticing their working mechanism
Physiology of a muscle
The wonder of the muscle lies within its complex composition. They come in various sizes and shapes. What they have in common, however, are the millions of muscle fibers that they are made of. A functional unit of these grouped muscle fiber is called fasciculi. These fasciculi store energy in the form of protein, glycogen(stored sugar) and fats.
The movements of the muscles are triggered by nerve impulses. A single nerve cell or motor neuron controls specific sets of muscles. A set of nerve cell and associated muscle fibers is called a motor unit. These motor units control all muscle movements.
What is strength training?
Simply, any form of exercise with an opposing force that creates resistance on a muscle is strength training. Think of it as activities that see you strain such as weight lifting, push-ups, planks among others. Irrespective of the form, the bottom line is that it creates resistance thereby strengthen the muscles. One of the reasons that strength is so potent, especially as you get older, is their ability to curb muscle loss and build new muscles.
What is power training?
As opposed to strength training, power training gives you a double package, strength, and speed. Therefore, it offers more to your muscles by increasing your reaction time, making you not only stronger but also quicker. Impressive, right? You can activate this by increasing your speed during strength training. Going for a higher pace through your pushups and plyometrics will also come in handy. In the end, you will be surprised how quick and powerfully you can react to a sudden situation.
Things you should take care before starting them
It is crucial for you to seek guidance from your doctor before starting with strength training. Often, this is because you may have conditions that require unique approaches to exercises. Unless you are a sports ace, start at the basic level and work your way up to the more intense exercise routine. Now you know why strength training is important at every age. In the next article, we would introduce you to a basic strength training exercise routine.
