by: Douglas Brooks, MS, Exercise Physiologist

Strength training not only develops muscular strength, muscular endurance and improved performance, it can also help the body recover from the daily physical stresses of life and change how you look. Strength training only twice per week can help you avoid a cascade of negative health consequences. If you don't strength train, turn each one of these benefits around 180 degrees and you'll see the consequence!

Fat Loss, Weight Control, Weight Maintenance
One advantage resistance training offers is a leaner body. Maintaining or increasing muscle mass preserves your ability to burn higher numbers of calories. Your body is operating at a higher metabolic rate and it's easier to maintain or lose weight.

Increased Metabolism
If you have a lot of muscle, your metabolism is higher and you "burn" more calories since muscle is metabolically active (think of PacMan® gobbling up calories)!

Increased Calorie Burning After Exercise
Vigorous strength training significantly elevates calorie burning (metabolic rate) anywhere from 30- to 60-minutes or longer after you've finished.

Reductions in Resting Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure or borderline high blood pressure, generally it's acceptable to use moderate resistance and perform 15-20 repetitions to fatigue. Diet and exercise can lower blood pressure. Check with a doctor to get a specific recommendation.

Decreased Risk for Diabetes
Diabetes ultimately results from an inability to control blood sugar levels. Insulin that is secreted from your pancreas normally controls blood sugar levels. As people get fatter, older and inactive, the muscle tissue they have left doesn't obey insulin command orders. Solution: Lift weights, build muscle and lose fat.

Positive Changes in Cholesterol Profiles
HDL cholesterol (the "good guy") is raised primarily by exercising and losing fat. Of course, diet (i.e., proper food choices) is important to lower harmful LDL (the "bad guy" cholesterol) and tryglycerides (fat).

Decreased Risk for Osteoporosis and Increased Bone Mineral Content
You can avoid weaker, less dense and more brittle bone by strength training and using weight bearing (i.e., walking and running) exercise. You'll be at less risk for fracture (osteoporosis) resulting from inactivity if you participate in weight-bearing aerobic exercise and strength train throughout your life.

A Stronger Body That is Less Prone to Injuries
Stronger muscles increase the thickness and strength of tendons (which connect muscles to bones) and ligaments (which provide integrity to joints by connecting bone-to-bone). Stronger muscles let you perform better, and with less chance of injury to the muscles, tendons, ligaments and joints.

Personal Physical Independence
Many people lose their "freedom" because they've lost the strength to be mobile. Enhanced Physical Activity Experiences. Strong individuals perform better and physical activity feels good to their bodies.

Improved Posture
Strength and flexibility are the keys to correct body alignment. You quite possibly will look and feel better!

Improved Physical Image
Strength training will change how you look. If you don't believe this, compare a runner who only trains the cardiovascular system with an athlete who strength trains as well as participates in aerobic activity.

Improved Self-Esteem
You'll feel strong, look strong and think that you're strong. In fact, you will be strong!

The Importance Of Resistance Training
Even in an every day sense, the rewards of resistance training are plentiful. Many young and older adults comment that they get a "kick" out of their new body. Their abdomens flatten, something walking never did for them. Their arms are firm. They stand straight up and they can lift heavy "things" and play vigorously.

The message is loud and clear. Resistance training can do more to reshape your body than any other type of training. Recent research suggests that the single most important step to retard the aging process, is strength training.