All adults in the United States are encouraged to get at least 150 minutes of aerobic activity each week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least part of the 150 minutes should include weightbearing exercises like jumping, climbing stairs, running, jogging or strength training with free weights. Weightbearing exercises are any activities that place weight stress on your bones. Several benefits to your musculoskeletal system are experienced.
Muscle Stress
Weightbearing activities place stress on your muscles. The stress from these exercises occurs as the muscle tissue strives to hold up the bodyweight while performing the exercise. This stress creates tiny areas of damage to your muscle tissue, resulting in the soreness felt after a particularly intense exercise session or when just starting an exercise routine.
Muscle Hypertrophy
The damage to your muscle tissue activates the activity of satellite cells. These cells rush to the affected area to both heal the damaged tissue as well as strengthen the muscle fibers so that damage does not occur as easily the next time you exercise. The result is both an increase in strength and an increase in visual muscle size over time.
Bone Mineral Density
Just as weightbearing exercise places stress on your muscles, it also places stress on the bone. As stress builds up on the bones carrying the weight of the exercise, cells called osteoblasts are activated. Osteoblasts migrate to the area experiencing the stress and build up the mineral density of the affected bone. With regular exercise, this increases the overall strength of the bone.
Other Benefits
The strength and endurance gained from weightbearing exercise on your bones and muscle tissue provide a range of benefits that reach far beyond just strength. For example, the increased size of your muscles increases how efficiently your body burns calories. More efficient calorie-burning increases the chances of successful weight loss and helps you better maintain a healthy weight. Increased muscle strength also helps protect your joints from injury, increases your core support and balance, as well as helps you manage chronic problems like back pain and arthritis. The benefits to your bones help decrease your risk for brittle or broken bones as you age and reduce your risk for bone-related diseases like osteoporosis.
References
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Physical Activity for Everyone; March 2011
- BodyBuilding.com; What Makes Muscles Grow?; Robert Libertine Starr
- University of New Mexico; Exercise and Bone Strength; Mariana Shedden, Len Kravitz
- MayoClinic.com; Aerobic Exercise: Top 10 Reasons to Get Physical; February 2011
- MayoClinic.com; Strength Training: Get Stronger, Leaner, Healthier; June 2010
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