Tag Archive for: Strength Training Or Cardio

The Benefits of an Effective Strength Program For Older Adults

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If you know me then you are know my stance on strength training, fitness training, and exercise. I am going to completely reinforce my opinion on the importance of training and exercise in this article. I will never stop pushing, not now, not ever. If you are an elderly person then it is even more important for you to read my advice and what I am about to say in this article.

To start off, age is a number. I completely understand the physiological details of “getting older” are not something any of us can avoid. There are all types of diseases, illnesses, disorders and ailments that stem from the aging process. Fortunately these things can be slowed and sometimes even reversed with proper exercise.

strength training

If you are an older adult and beginning to feel the effects of aging start to advance then you need to begin strength training. Strength training for elderly people is very UNDER-RATED! As you get older your mission should be to put medical professionals out of business because you are so healthy and fit.

Men and woman alike can benefit tremendously from strength training. This type of exercise has been known to lower cholesterol and blood pressure, increase bone density, muscle mass and flexibility, and create better balance and stability in your body. Of course these are only a few examples of the benefit you will derive from a proper and effective exercise program.

Are you ready for a wheel chair, becoming bedridden or feel pain all the time? I am not sure about you but I want to live to 75 years of age feeling like I am 25, rather than live to be 100 but feel 200 years old. I know we only get one body and one chance at life so we should live it to its fullest.

There are so many issues with today’s healthcare system. And with the constant worry over rising cost of medicines and care, I believe the best solution is to eliminate the need for a healthcare system. Effective strength training and a person program design specifically to make you sweat is the answer.

Why You Should Do Strength Training for Optimal Health

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Strength training, also known as old-school barbell training, is a very effective way for you to get in to shape. This type of training is very widespread and there are thousands of people around the world doing it to improve their health and get stronger.

What is Strength Training?

Strength training

Strength training is training the body for strength. Basically, if you train this way, you will get stronger. This type of training focuses on barbell training and movements. A barbell is a piece of iron rod that you can put weight on each side.

The basic barbell exercises or movements are:

  • Squat
  • Bench Press
  • Military Press
  • Barbell Row
  • Deadlift

These are the main lifts that are in most strength training programs.

Before exercise machines were developed most strong men, trained this way in the old school gyms. Modern fitness gyms have tons of different machines for different muscles. You do not want to train on these machines until you have muscles. These machines are great for body builders who already have muscles and want to chisel down their figure.

These machines are also great for the gyms because it’s easy to install and use by members of the public. Less qualified staff is needed in the gym. Which means the gyms save money, and make more of it. Machines limit your range of motion, and can cause injury if you’re not strong enough. Because of the limited range of motion, even if you get strong doing an exercise on the machine, it wouldn’t be very useful in an everyday situation.

On the other hand, strength training utilizes the entire body’s muscles working together to do an exercise. It’s only you and the barbell, it takes concentration, strength and determination to do. Most strength training programs are also progressive, so you can actually measure how strong you get over time.

For example, if you are a beginner, than most strength training programs recommend that you start with the empty bar and add 2.5 lbs on each side, each workout. The typical workout schedule is Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. This allows you to have rest periods. And trust me, you need them.

If you follow a simple program like 5×5 Stronglifts from stronglifts.com, then by week 4 you would be lifting about 30 lbs on each side, which would be about 105 lbs (including the bar, the bar itself is 45 lbs).

Most of the strength training barbell exercises require you to use your whole range of motion, which makes this type of training make your whole body stronger. Believe it or not Arnold Schwarzenegger training program was based on strength before he ever did any bodybuilding. At the height of his strength career, Arnold was able to Deadlift an impressive 680 lbs for his 240 lb frame body.

Some people say that lifting weights (meaning barbell exercises) are dangerous because you can get more injured. This is nothing but a myth. Actual statistics show that kids and adults are more prone to get injured by sports, such as soccer, football, and basketball, than weight lifting. Weight lifting or strength training in a correct and control way is much safer than many sports.

Another myth that is propagated by some people is that weight lifting is bad for your back. This is false. There is no science behind this myth, and in fact strength training has been proven to improve back muscles and overall posture.

Strength training is a great way for anybody to get into shape, because it is easy, doesn’t require a lot of time and is proven to work.

Visit my page here to learn more about strength training.