Strength training is also known as resistance training or weight lifting. Statistically, you only need 30-60 minutes of challenging strength training each week for at least three months to improve performance and health benefits for almost all the systems in your body. 3 to 6 exercises completed for 1-3 sets with 6-12 difficult repetitions completed. As the repetitions become more manageable, the weight needs to increase so that progression (positive) is experienced. If you do not progress in strength but engage in the activities regularly, this is ‘participating.’
In some cases, participation alone can be sufficient for the benefits described. At Method Health, we support your activities and encourage progression as the best outcome. Outcomes for which progression of strength is known to be essential through direct research are underlined below. This is a living document, and as more becomes known, the underlining will change.
When the focus of training is just to become as strong as possible, like for a personal goal or to compete in the sports of powerlifting or weightlifting, training is different than the parameters described above and is a topic for another time. Plenty of strength can be gained by training with the outline parameters, but is not the most efficient way to get stronger if that is your only performance goal. This article is purely about participating in lifting weights regularly and outlines when becoming stronger is unique to the benefits listed.
Exercise or sport-related benefits.
Increase muscle size and strength. Bet you didn’t see that one coming.
Improve sports abilities such as sprinting, jumping, and agility. This does not transfer to performance directly but provides an opportunity to reach more excellent performance capacity.
Reduces sports-related injuries. More protective of injury than static stretching training. Plus, if you are injured, your sports performance cannot improve.
Strength training through the full range of motion improves flexibility equal to stretching and provides additional benefits as listed above and below, mostly not provided by stretching. Stretching is just static lightweight resistance training.
Strength training improves balance but is not as good as complex dynamic balance exercises.
Health Related
You have decreased all-cause mortality. Studies range from 20-35% lower risk if participating in strength training. If you participate in strength training, you will outlive people your age who do not lift. There is a relationship between grip strength and thigh muscle or quadricep strength and the risk of early death.
Reduced burden or risk of dying from cardiovascular disease. The primary reasons are that regular strength training reduces blood pressure and the blood lipid LDL cholesterol, which both have a linear relationship with increasing the risk of heart and brain blood vessel-related conditions such as strokes and myocardial infarctions.
Reduced risk of developing both types of diabetes and assisted management of these conditions. For Type 2 Diabetes, especially when combined with aerobic training, strength training is a potent medication to improve resting blood sugar scores and increase insulin sensitivity. For type 1 diabetes, strength training improves glycaemic control and, through improving the muscle's insulin sensitivity, reduces the amount of insulin needed each month, which is a massive cost saver.
Reduced risk of cancer. Up to 35% reduction when combining all types. Aerobic training alone does not have the same protective effect as strength training on cancer risk. Strength training also increases cancer treatment effectiveness, reduces side effects, including cancer-related fatigue or pain, and reduces recurrence after remission.
Increases independence and quality of life at all ages, especially in older adults, as measured by questionnaires.
It can assist in reducing body fat and systemic adipose-related inflammation related to aging and lifestyle. Strength training is the best option to maintain or increase muscle mass while losing weight, making weight loss much more effortless.
Improved joint pain of people with osteoarthritis without negatively increasing joint changes on imaging.
Helps prevent the development of osteoporosis or reduced bone density related to aging and lifestyle.
Reduced fall risk and fall-related fracture risk. Walking cannot protect against age and lifestyle-related bone fragility and balance reduction. Add some high-intensity balance training, and you will have covered yourself best to protect yourself from being at risk of falls.
Reduces the rate of age-related muscle loss called sarcopenia and hospital visit-related weakness and disability.
Increases age-related reductions in walking speed, endurance, and safety.
Improves tendon strength and reduces the risk of most areas of tendon pain independent of getting stronger.
Decreases the risk of muscle strains. Also, it might reduce the rate of muscle loss of the affected limb after local injury when the opposite limb completes strength training. This effect is called cross-education.
Assist in the prevention of ligament injuries across most joints, such as around the knees, ankles, elbows, and shoulders.
Improve self-efficacy, confidence, and daily mood.
Improved body image. This might be through increases in muscle mass assisting weight loss to achieve the toned or lean body you might be training for.
Reduced risk of depression and anxiety-related health changes.
Increase joint surgery tolerance and reduces the total hospital time and care needed after the procedures.
Increases immunity. A muscle is an endocrine organ that releases many helpful immune hormones during vigorous contraction. This is also related to strength training's protective effects on cancer risk. Muscle strength is an independent risk factor for COVID‐19 severity in adults 50 years of age or older.
Decreased risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease.
Improve sleep quality and help treat insomnia.
Improved fertility rates in both sexes.
Reduces onset of exercise-related cramping. Cramping during exercise is mainly caused by fatigue rather than hydration or electrolyte imbalance, as once thought. Emerging evidence suggests strength training reduces cramping risk by reducing a muscle's fatiguability.
Improved tolerance and quality of life of people with persistent pain conditions such as lower back pain and fibromyalgia. Improvements occur with or without changes in your body's tissue strength. Muscle contraction releases hormones that reduce pain levels. Reduces medication and healthcare visit costs related to persistent pain.
Useful in the prevention and treatment of liver disease, which is the 11th most common cause of death globally.
Used to effectively treat the effects of neurological disorders such as Parkinson’s, MS, and stroke, as well as reducing the risk of neurological disease development.
Improve the tolerance of daily activity for those affected by spinal cord injuries.
Strengthening the upper limb and our breathing muscles is critical to improving breathing function in lung conditions such as COPD. Reduces frequency of asthma “attacks”.
Improve physical and mental tolerance to stressful work, whether physical or sedentary (office work).
Reduces severity and frequency of headaches related to migraines, whiplash injury, or tension-related stress.
Improve tolerance of maintaining prolonged positions such as sitting or standing.
Improved lifespan for people with genetic conditions such as Down syndrome and Autism. Also, evidence suggests that regular supervised strength training improves this cohort's executive functioning, attention, and social behaviour.
Useful in the prevention and treatment of kidney disease, which affects over 5% of all Australians over the age of 75.
Improves gut health-related conditions such as irritable bowel syndrome and diverticulitis by reducing mental stress, improving digestive function, and reducing bloating. Also, strength training improves constipation.
Helpful for reducing the severity of menstrual cramps. Assist in the management of polycystic ovary syndrome.
Improves coordination in people with developmental coordination disorders.
Improves appetite due to aging or medical procedures to prevent unwanted muscle loss.
Reduces burn injury-related muscle loss.
Improved tolerance to heat stress and assisted yearly acclimatisation to our Aussie climate that has been affected by climate change.
Assist improvements in hyper-mobility-related injury or pain, such as in people with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome or other hereditary connective tissue conditions.
Whether you come to Method Health for health or performance benefits, participation in strength training is a must. Strength training expands your “health span” and slows down physiological aging. Sorry, strength training does not affect chronological age, but its many benefits help you live longer. Gyms are often great social environments to meet new people with a shared interest in getting stronger and healthier, so find a gym buddy if you need help staying accountable with weekly strength training. You can always speak to one of our staff or physiotherapy team if you wish to start evidence-based strength training, get past a plateau in strength, or need help getting past perceived barriers to lift weights like age, pain, perceived benefit, or knowledge. Invest in your health as, just like saving money, it’s never too late to start strength training. Let us know if we missed any, as we are sure this list is not exhaustive. Every
one you know should be strength training. Pass this blog on to those you feel will benefit from starting or knowing more. Let us know what benefit of strength training you want to hear more about in future posts.
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