Resistance exercise is any type of exercise that causes the muscles to contract. Also referred to as strength training, these types of exercises aim to improve muscle tone and make them stronger. Examples include lifting weights, using resistance bands, pushups, lunges and squats. Resistance exercise can improve your physical appearance and contribute to your overall health.
Weight-Loss Benefits
While you might link weight loss with intense, quick-moving aerobic exercise, resistance exercise will also offer benefits by increasing the amount of calories burned during exercise and at rest. Your body uses calories all day long to maintain itself and support its various functions such as digestion or breathing. The amount it uses for this purpose is referred to as your resting metabolic rate and accounts for up to 75 percent of the calories you utilize daily. Highly active tissue like muscle requires more calories to maintain, which means the more muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate.
Bone Health
Resistance training will help you maximize bone mass, important for reducing your risk of osteoporosis later in life. If you already have osteoporosis, resistance training cannot reverse your condition, but it can help regenerate bone and slow loss, which can reduce your risk of fracture. The contraction of your muscles during strength training exerts pressure on the bone that causes it to become denser and stronger.
Heart Health
Resistance training can help contribute to heart health by improving functioning, lowering blood pressure and reducing levels of cholesterol, triglycerides and blood sugar. During actual strength-training sessions, however, your blood pressure can rise, making it potentially dangerous if you already have high blood pressure. You should use lighter weights for more repetitions rather than heavier weights for fewer. You might consider consulting with a personal trainer or other qualified professional for guidance on a safe strength-training routine.
Recommendations
The American College of Sports Medicine, which has set physical activity guidelines for Americans, includes recommendations for strength training due to its demonstrated benefits. It suggests two weekly sessions consisting of eight to 10 exercises performed for eight to 12 repetitions each.
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