The muscular system is one of the most precise and functional systems of our anatomy. This system is consistently adapting to the demands that are being put on it by our daily routines and exercise. Without it, we would not be able to perform normal functions of daily living from walking to chewing. Because of the necessity of this system for everyday living, we need to commit to consistent exercise to keep it strong.
Muscle Hypertrophy
Resistance training causes your muscles to become larger, or to hypertrophy. According to the Oct. 19, 2006, "Journal of Applied Physiology," muscle hypertrophy begins after only three weeks of training. The journal also reports that the first changes to occur are an increase in neural activity. Furthermore, toned muscles not only make you subjectively more attractive, but also make you objectively stronger. Additional strength allows you to perform daily activities easier. Muscle hypertrophy directly correlates with your level of physical activity. To maintain strength over the long term, you must consistently exercise.
Better Endurance
According to a March 2009 article in "Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise," muscular endurance has been shown to increase with strength training. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine (NLM) in an abstract on "Exercise Training, Energy Metabolism, and Heart Failure, muscular endurance is beneficial because it improves cardiovascular function and increases your metabolism. With an increase in your basal metabolic rate, you burn more calories throughout the day.
Healthy Body Composition
A healthy body composition is essential for longevity. Increased abdominal fat is correlated with multiple chronic diseases, including heart disease, diabetes and high cholesterol. Long-term resistance training can help control excessive abdominal fat. A 2007 abstract in NLM called "Subcutaneous Fat Alterations Resulting from an Upper-Body Resistance Training Program," reported on a study showing that there is a correlation between muscular strength and abdominal fat. A 2009 NLM abstract titled "Muscular Strength Is Inversely Related to Prevalence and Incidence of Obesity in Adult Men" showed that long-term increases in muscular strength correlate to lower levels of abdominal body fat with consistent resistance training. Therefore, keeping your muscular system healthy can result in preferable secondary gains in weight management as well.
References
- Journal of Applied Physiology: Early Skeletal Muscle Hypertrophy and Architectural Changes in Response to High-Intensity Resistance Training
- Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise: Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults
- U.S. National Library of Medicine: Exercise Training, Energy Metabolism, and Heart Failure
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