Things you need to know about Resistance Training
Resistance training is any exercise where you are working against some sort of resistance. The resistance could be as simple as your own body weight or as sophisticated as the latest training equipment or free weights.
The benefits of Resistance Training
| Improves muscular strength and endurance |
| Strengthens bones |
| Helps control blood pressure |
| Helps lower LDL[bad] and raise HDL[good] Cholesterol |
| Improves body composition and helps maintain a healthy body weight |
| Enhances heart-lung function |
| Contributes to a positive self image |
Facts and fallaces about Resistance Training
Fallacy: “Strength training results in undesirable muscle development in women.”
Fact: Many highly competitive female athletes do become more muscular with training. It should be remembered, however, that they are usually more athletic and muscular to begin with [which is why they excel in sport in the first place] and they train intensively for long periods each week.
Women have less muscular mass and smaller quantities of testosterone [a male sex hormone which affects muscle growth] than men, so they can expect less muscle development than men for any given amount of resistance training.
While improving muscle tone by resistance training, some women find they actually lose weight and look better. This is especially if the training is complemented by cardiovascular training.
Fallacy: “ If you do certain exercises, you can lose weight in specific parts of the body.”
Fact: Not so. “Spot reduction” isn’t possible. Certain exercises can increase muscle tone in specific areas, but they will not necessarily reduce fat in those areas. [Remember muscle and fat are different tissues.]
Aerobic exercise and circuit training help “burn” fat, but the reduction will be in overall body fat, not reduced body fat in a particular area.
Fallacy: “If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not doing any good! [i.e. “No pain, no gain!”]
Fact: Those of the PTA [pain, torture, and agony] school of exercise raise their weary heads occasionally and expound such misconceptions as the one above. Luckily, fewer and fewer people are listening.
When you begin a resistance training program you’ll likely experience some minor stiffness and soreness. This is to be expected since your body is adapting to a new activity and your muscles will be working in ways they may not be used to. This start-up stiffness is OK if it’s in the belly [middle] of the muscle, but not if the tendons at the ends of the muscles or joints are sore.
Fallacy: “Training makes you strong, but you also get slow and inflexible.”
Fact: Stronger, yes, but slower, no. In fact, studies show that there is a direct, positive relationship between strength and speed. Follow an appropriate resistance training routine and you get faster not slower. That’s why top-class sprinters and other athletes include it as part of their overall conditioning program.
Now about the inflexible part. Go to a bodybuilding or weighlifting competition and watch the competitors warm-up. They’re considerably more flexible than average.
Anyone who loses flexibility while training with weights loses it not because of the weights, but because they devote insufficient time to stretching exercises.
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