Strength Training
The Benefits of Strength Training for Longevity, According to Research
While cardio is great for your health and longevity, so is strength training.
“That same research presented a moment ago by the British Journal of Sports Medicine, which looked at exercise surveys of 100,000 men and women, reported that“weight lifting alone was linked to a 9% to 22% lower risk of dying.8”
While many people think that strength training only helps you get stronger and build more muscle, that’s not its only superpower.
Strength training also offers the following health benefits2,10:
Boosts your overall fitness
Decreases fat and increases lean body mass
Increases and protects muscle mass, metabolism & prevents, weight gain as you age
Increases your calorie burn
Strengthens bones
Improves bone density
Increases insulin sensitivity
Decreases cholesterol and blood pressure
Boosts your mental health
Improves depression symptoms
According to research in Harvard Health, “The average 30-year-old will lose about a quarter of his or her muscle strength by age 70 and half of it by age 9011.”
Dr. Schreiber said, “Just doing aerobic exercise is not adequate11,” and, “Unless you’re doing strength training, you will become weaker and less functional11.”
Research from the Mayo Clinic echoes Dr. Schreiber’s thoughts.
As you age, there’s a natural decline in lean muscle mass, and if you don’t actively work to counteract this, your body fat will naturally increase over time, according to the Mayo Clinic12.
Fortunately, as that article points out, strength training is one of the best ways to do just that since it preserves muscle mass and helps to strengthen and grow it12.
The even better news is that you can get started with strength training in as little as 20 minutes11 two or three times per week10, according to Harvard Health and Johns Hopkins research.
