The Importance of Strength Training for Long-Term Health
Strength training is often overlooked, but it plays a crucial role in promoting long-term health. Dr. Tommy Lundberg, an exercise researcher, sheds light on the significance of strength training in a Q&A with CNN. This article explores the importance of strength training, its impact on health, and the recommendations for incorporating it into daily life.
The Significance of Strength Training
Strength training, whether performed with weights, bands, machines, or body weight, is essential for long-term health. Also known as resistance training, it increases muscular strength, endurance, and bone density. These exercises also decrease the risk of falls and fractures as individuals age, promoting independent living. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults engage in muscle-strengthening activities two or more days per week, working all major muscle groups at a moderate or greater intensity.
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According to a 2017 data analysis published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, only 30.2% of Americans meet these guidelines, and nearly 60% of participants reported no strength training at all. Additionally, a 2020 analysis of National Health Interview Survey data revealed regional disparities in resistance training compliance, with larger metropolitan areas and the Western US Census Bureau region showing higher adherence to physical activity guidelines.
The US Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommends adults do muscle-strengthening activities two or more days a week, working all major muscle groups.
Impact of Strength Training on Health
Dr. Tommy Lundberg emphasizes the numerous health benefits of strength training, including improved blood glucose control, reduced stress levels, better sleep, and enhanced functional abilities with age. Moreover, strength training plays a crucial role in reducing the risk of falls and maintaining balance, particularly for individuals over 65 years of age. Lundberg highlights the relevance of strength training in preventing chronic diseases and promoting short-term health effects, such as improved physical function and reduced falls.
Exercise researcher Dr. Tommy Lundberg, author of âThe Physiology of Resistance Training,â says strength training is most important for people older than age 65.
He also emphasizes the importance of building physical activity and exercise into the environment to encourage a more active lifestyle, stating the need for green areas, outdoor gyms, and increased physical activity in schools. Lundberg's insights shed light on the broader societal impact of strength training and the need for environmental support to promote public health.
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Recommendations for Strength Training
Lundberg recommends both aerobic and resistance training for all ages but underscores the significance of strength training for individuals over 65. He highlights the link between strength training and improved physical function, reduced falls, and enhanced balance, particularly in the context of sarcopenia, the loss of muscle strength and function associated with aging. Moreover, he emphasizes the need to incorporate strength training into daily routines and addresses the optimal frequency, intensity, and types of equipment for effective strength training.
No one type of equipment is necessarily better than another when it comes to strength training, says Lundberg, adding it depends on the goals and person.
For the average person, Lundberg suggests a strength-training regimen that includes muscle-strengthening activities two times per week, covering all major muscle groups. He emphasizes the importance of effort level during exercise and advocates for short, high-intensity sessions to achieve good health effects. Additionally, he stresses the need to integrate physical activity and exercise into the environment to facilitate a more active lifestyle and improve public health.
