Keep your Brain and Body Young with Resistance Training

If you're one of those people who only hits the treadmill or takes a jog around the block when it comes to exercise, you might be missing out on some major health benefits. Sure, endurance exercise is great for cardiovascular health and mood-boosting, but have you considered adding resistance training to your routine?

Resistance training, also known as strength training, isn't just for bodybuilders. It has unique benefits crucial to everyone's health and longevity through the lifespan. Without strength training, after age 40 muscle size decreases by 1% per year, muscle strength decreases by 2% per year, and muscle power decreases by 8-10% per year. Yikes. These losses are not just an inevitable outcome of aging, but a result of not putting loads on your muscles. And that's where resistance training comes in.

Resistance training prevents neuromuscular aging, which means that using the neurological circuits to move muscles preserves their function. This can help prevent the loss of muscle mass, strength, and function known as sarcopenia. Nobody wants to lose their physical abilities as they get older. Interestingly, the loss of muscle function with aging stems more from the breakdown of motor neuron activity and less from wasting of the muscle fiber itself. Resistance training works your muscles and activates those neurons, keeping your brain young.

Plus, the results from resistance exercise can be seen quickly and even in older adults. Muscular strength can be achieved with or without increased muscle size. If you're worried about looking like a bodybuilder, don't be. Your training doesn't have to focus on muscle size, strength can be enough to make you feel confident and capable in your daily activities and the sports you enjoy.

There are many ways to incorporate resistance exercise into your routine. Free weights, kettlebells, resistance bands, weight machines in gyms, and using your body weight like push-ups and squats are some of the options. And the best part? Being able to use progressively heavier loads is exciting as you see your strength and abilities grow.

So don't be afraid to switch up your exercise routine and try something new. Resistance training is a great way to give your muscles the training they need, preserve your body’s abilities, and boost your overall health and well-being. Who knows, you might just become a strength training enthusiast.

Podcast on strength training protocols

Scientific review on resistance training for combating neuromuscular aging