strength training

We are discussing the benefits of strength training, but it is important to keep in mind that incorrect use of weights and equipment can lead to injury. If you are not a member at Fade Fitness, we want to stress the importance of finding a well qualified trainer to assist with your strength training journey!

It’s no surprise that all stages of life can benefit from exercise! Those childhood yard games and team sports have made a lasting impact on your health. As we get older, we tend to become less active, but the scientific evidence suggests that we should continue to be active throughout our lives. The more active we are in our younger years, the easier aging will become. Trust me, your older self will thank you! However, it is NEVER too late to get active! Studies have shown that all physical activity (yoga, pilates, strength training, running, walking, etc.) are so beneficial to our lives. So, why focus on strength training?

God’s perfect design of our bodies includes a variety of muscles. Our muscles are essential for every day life, including during those weekly Netflix binge sessions - somethings gotta keep those glutes on the couch! Keeping our muscles strong through regular exercise is a non-negotiable for our health. Strong muscles are important for keeping our hearts healthy, allowing us the ability to move throughout our lives, protecting our bodies from harm, slowing down the aging of our brains, and helping women as we enter into menopause…just to name a few. In fact studies have shown that having adequate muscle mass can provide the nutrients needed to maintain life even when fasting!

It is no question that strength training is important! In this blog post, we will discuss what strength training is and what a good gym session should include.

The technical definition of strength training is any exercise that forces our muscles to work against a weighted force. It falls under the category of resistance training, which is a broad term referring to exercise that makes muscles work against any force, such as body weight, gym weights, or resistance bands.

A great strength training routine will target the muscles in the back, legs, chest, shoulders, and core! These are known as primary muscle groups. Some workout routines are designed to hit all of the primary muscles, while some focus on each primary muscle group on different days of the week. Primary muscle groups are surrounded by lots of smaller muscles that help provide support and balance during exercise and daily life. Those smaller muscles are often neglected, but really make a difference in the day to day. We also have secondary muscle groups found throughout our arms, legs, back, and chest that contribute to our ability to carry out daily activities. A good workout will target ALL of those muscles, primary and secondary, big and small! You may not feel the difference at first, but when you are all of a sudden able to balance those grocery bags you will know those muscles are strong and active!

At Fade Fitness we do FUNCTIONAL strength training. What’s the difference you may ask? Functional strength training is designed to better your bodies for the every day life. While the sole purpose of general strength training is to increase muscle strength, our focus at Fade Fitness is to increase strength, stability, elasticity, and range of motion. Each workout is designed to target all of the major muscle groups, with each class focusing on one a little more than the others. Each exercise allows us to target both the big and small muscles by incorporating the use of gym weights, body weight, and resistance bands.

We also recognize the importance of getting our hearts active. While our hearts are active during a strength training workout, it does not hit the high levels of cardio activities (like running and walking) which is also imporant. So, we finish each training session with a “heart booster” intended to get those hearts active and strong! In a 45 minute workout, we are able to train all those muscles for every day life, including those heart muscles!

Conclusion: Strength training provides lasting benefits to our health and should be incorporated into our weekly routines. Proper strength training targets all muscles, either in one session or throughout the week, including those small support muscles. It is important to work with a trainer to learn proper strength training techniques to prevent injuries.

Stay tuned for our next blog post where we get into the science of how strength training helps our brains!

Written By: Victoria Kurtz

References:

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Engeroff, T., Ingmann, T., & Banzer, W. (2018). Physical Activity Throughout the Adult Life Span and Domain-Specific Cognitive Function in Old Age: A Systematic Review of Cross-Sectional and Longitudinal Data. In Sports Medicine (Vol. 48, Issue 6). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40279-018-0920-6

Falck, R. S., Davis, J. C., Best, J. R., Crockett, R. A., & Liu-Ambrose, T. (2019). Impact of exercise training on physical and cognitive function among older adults: a systematic review and meta-analysis. In Neurobiology of Aging (Vol. 79). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neurobiolaging.2019.03.007

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Poitras, V. J., Gray, C. E., Borghese, M. M., Carson, V., Chaput, J. P., Janssen, I., Katzmarzyk, P. T., Pate, R. R., Connor Gorber, S., Kho, M. E., Sampson, M., & Tremblay, M. S. (2016). Systematic review of the relationships between objectively measured physical activity and health indicators in school-aged children and youth. In Applied Physiology, Nutrition and Metabolism (Vol. 41, Issue 6). https://doi.org/10.1139/apnm-2015-0663

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