Monday, January 4, 2010

Why Strength Train?

Sorry about the late post today- I was literally out of my house from 6:30am until now (8:30pm) at work, meetings, tutoring and then the gym. I guess it's back in the grind right?

The last couple of days I have been blogging a LOT about fitness. I mentioned that I have been consistent about my workout for 3 ½ years. Last month I took on a spinning challenge and this month I am working on the elliptical machine. However, there is one area I have NOT been consistent in and that is strength training. Sure, I’ll lift a few weights every once in awhile, and I went through a Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred phase, but I rarely have a plan and I never keep it up for very long.

I have decided now is the time to change that. It’s no secret that in July I will be wearing a wedding dress. And even if I wasn’t, strength training has so many benefits that I truly have been crazy not to incorporate it more!

Strength training…

…can help you lose weight. The more muscle you have, the better your body is at burning calories. So basically, people with more muscle can eat more and still burn off the same amount of calories. Sign me up!

…helps to prevent injury. During all my knee drama last year I had to work very hard to building the muscles in my quad area. Turns out, if you run and you don’t have great quad strength, you are basically setting yourself up for injury. If you incorporate strength training now, you are less likely to become injured from other activities.

…prevents muscle loss. Did you know adults lose between 5 to 7 pounds of muscle every decade of their life? Ah! Cardio alone will not prevent this, but strength training will.

…reduce your risk of several diseases. For example, strength training will improve your glucose metabolism. People with poor glucose metabolism are more likely to get diabetes. Also, strength training improves your digestion, putting you at lower risk for colon cancer.

…can lower your blood pressure. I always thought blood pressure was lowered with cardio activity, but new research has shown that strength training can actually lower your resting blood pressure.

…help you get a better night sleep. According to Mayo Clinic, people who commit to a regular strength training workout have less instances of insomnia. Personally, any possibility of better sleep is reason enough for me!

Did I convince you yet? Well I’m convinced! I decided last week to sign up for a weight class at my gym. It’s called Women on Weights and it’s going to meet on Monday and Wednesday nights. I went to my first class tonight. My friend from work who has taken the class before assured me that I wouldn't do a lot tonight because it was the first class (she was clearly just trying to get me to go to spin with her before). Guess what? I did go to spin AND I was the only new person at the class SO we did stuff. Oh we did stuff.

Let's just say you will be lucky if I post tomorrow because I may not be able to type. Ok, exaggeration! It wasn't that bad. We focused mainly on hamstrings, quads (yeah cuz those didn't get enough of a workout in spinning), back, shoulders and abs. The teacher was great, she asked me a ton of questions and seemed really knowledgeable about modifications I should make for my knee.

Once I have a better idea of what my routine is going to look like, I'll post some more information so you can benefit from my newfound knowledge :) Today was sort of all over the place because I was learning about all the machines and dodging all the annoying New Years Resolution gym-goers. I hope everyone survived Monday :)

Where do you stand with strength training? What do you already do? What are your future goals in this area of fitness?


24 comments:

  1. One of my goals in 2010 is to get back into weight lifting. I've been lifting weights on and off since I was 14 and I've had three different personal trainers - I really like what it does to my body.

    I just bought a book tonight called "The New Rules of Lifting for Women" it looks really interesting and I'm sure I'll be doing a review on my blog soon :)

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  2. I was also going to recommend The New Rules of Lifting for Women.

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  3. I LOVE weight lifting! Haha, usually when I go into the free weight room at my gym, I'm the ONLY girl, but I find it kind of empowering...PLUS there is a LOT of eye candy, haha ;)
    YAY I'm excited to hear about your routine :)

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  4. I need to get back into the habit of strength training. I was good about doing it this summer but sort of stopped when I started my new job. I go to this class at the Y called "Body Pump" and love it. YOu work all of your major muscles groups & the class just flies by!

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  5. Oye, weight training. I love when I do it, because it feels so good and I can see results fast.. but I never have a schedule going and I always get sick of what I do. I really need to get some routine going on..

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  6. i am lacking in the strength training habit as well. i don't dislike it; i just really like doing my cardio and getting in 'the zone', just letting my mind drift. but you are SO RIGHT, it is so good for us!
    --liz

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  7. I love the way weight training shapes my body... so why has it been so hard to get back into it? Thanks for the reminders of why it is so important! I knew some of that but I didn't know about the blood pressure, digestion, and the sleep benefits.

    Your class sounds great! I never saw one like that at my old gym. Usually it was just me using free weights with all the sweaty, grunty men. :P

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  8. Yup I'm convinced :p I actually really love lifting, it's cardio that I have to force myself to do. That sounds like a great class though. The first couple weeks are always hardest with the whole body, can hardly walk soreness, but after that it's great. I love leaving the gym after a great lifting session feeling shaky because I pushed myself but so strong at the same time! Right now I'm working to put on 5lbs of muscle for my next show, so it's been lots of heavy lifting for short sets, my fave!

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  9. I love all of your reminders why strength training is important. I am really hoping to stick with 3 sessions of weight lifting a week, but I always feel conflicted since I am not sweating and panting like I do with cardio. I typically end up wanting to burn calories rather than lift, but I know that lifting has so many other advantages and will help to change my body. I did about 40 minutes yesterday then did some pilates at home.

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  10. Good for you for taking the class! I have been strength training 2-3 times a week since October, and all of those benefits ARE true, even the one about getting better sleep! I plan to stick with my routine and continue to try new strength moves. Right now, I use machines. I would like to try free weights as well.

    Don't worry, your body will get used to the workout in a few days! Then you'll miss the aches. They feel so good - it's your body telling you it's working hard!

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  11. I'm terrible with the strength training too! Aghh! I guess I just feel like I don't know what to do for it. I find the machines at the gym so boring. I used to be better about the Jillian Michael's DVDs, but then the DVD player broke. Now it's fixed...maybe I'll have to get back into that.

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  12. i love weight training! love love love it. i love to feel strong and to show my muscles off. :)

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  13. Whenever I feel like I'm in good shape, and then go do a random class, I feel like a fool from all the pain! I bet you are sore, I ca only imagine. You just work different muscles in those classes sometimes, right?! I do strength training, but Gina style, which may not be appropriate. I do 5 pound weights, crunches, lunges, and some of the weight machines at the gym. I never go too far, as I consider pilates and yoga my "weight training" because it's not endurance training. I do think it's important to work your muscle via resistance training, but maybe only 2-3 days per week.

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  14. Ah, I hate all those new years resolution gym-goers! My gym was PACKED last night, it was so ridiculous. Anyway...I need to start strength training but I don't really know where to start. I've got to look more into it.

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  15. I love strength training! Great reminders. I attend a body sculpt class (sounds similar to the one you went to last night) once a week. I love it! I also do lots of pushups. My goal for this year is to be able to do 30 pushups in a row. I hope you aren't too sore today!

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  16. You make so many good points about strength training. I tore my ACL twice and I really have to focus on straightening up all my leg muscles. Its hard to get myself to do it, but I know I must!

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  17. Thanks for posting all the reasons why I should strength train. I didn't know about it helping lowering blood pressure. I do strength train 2 x wk... but have been lazy lately.

    I love a good challenging sping class. I love it more if I feel it afterwards :)

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  18. Hi Kelly, i got the T-shirt in the mail yesterday! Thanks so much! it's really pretty, they run small tho but it stretches so its okay. good luck with weight training! i LOOOOVE lifting weights because it feels so good to be sore the next day, if you're in a rush you can get a good workout with even just 10 minutes, and i love when women have toned arms and legs! :-) thanks again and happy new year!

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  19. I LURVE strength training and am trying to find more ways to encorporate it into my regular routine! That is my goal this month. I hope to get to bodypump class at least once a week, if not twice, and then doing my core strengthening routine almost daily should help!

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  20. I'm a big advocate of strength training! I strength train 3-4 times a week depending on the split.

    I either do...

    Full body 3 times a week
    upper lower split---3 times a week...so, its Upper on Monday, Lower on Wednesday, Upper on friday, and then it switches the next week.
    or I do upper on Monday, lower on Tuesday, rest on Wednesday, upper on Thrusday, upper on Friday.

    I've found that if you build a nice base of muscle, that you will look good even if you gain. Ive gained 10 lbs over the past 4-5 months, but I still look solid and no flab b/c of strength training.

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  21. I suck at strength training. Mainly because I used to be awesome at it. Lifted 3 times a week in high school and sporadically in college but was still in decent condition. Then the great migraine/neck/back debacle came to a head. In physucal therapy I was pretty much put on a do not lift even the laundry for awhile. After some therapy (which I don't think helped any) and some injections (that I think did) I slowly started doing some stuff and realized I was weaker than crap. However, when I strength train is when the neck/back gets worked up. So basically I need a trainer and all that jazz but am too lazy and/or not motivated to go through with it. Especially because my insurance is different and this time won't cover some stuff it did before. But yeah, I have to go REALLY easy at lifting/strength training because basically if I even slightly over do it.. I feel it for days in my neck and back and sometimes I get a migraine to top it off.. yay.

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  22. I love the way I look and feel when I'm consistently strength training.

    But for some reason I have a hard time motivating myself to lift weights. It's easier to be mindless on the treadmill.

    No one could guess my weight in college cuz I was little but had SO much muscle. My goal now is to regain some muscle I've lost and tone a little. I'd like to take Body Pump classes more often!

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  23. I am bad at strength training on my own but love to do Jillian's DVDs to help me. I push myself so much more with her DVDs. I am a weak person in the gym.

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  24. Strength training is great for your muscles and for the whole body. To provide enough nutrients for active workouts I am taking Navy Seal Formula manufactured by MGNutritionals. I was always opposed to all kinds of chemicals, but this supplement contains natural compounds, like siberian ginseng extract and caffeine. Never expected that supplement would provide such a tangible result, but for me it works perfect.

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