Strengthening the muscular system is an important part of any fitness plan. Muscles play a key role in the ability to move the body, lift and transport objects and influence metabolism for successful weight loss. Incorporating a fitness plan for the muscular system that fits your exercise preferences has the potential to improve your overall health and quality of life as you age.
Benefits
According to John Hopkins Medicine, a person's metabolism slows by 2 percent each decade after the age of 30, and that is largely because of the natural reduction of muscular tissue. Incorporating a fitness plan specific to training the muscular system will help the body maintain and build lean muscle mass. Muscle is an efficient calorie burner and more muscle tissue can improve metabolism reducing the occurrence of excess weight gain. In addition, exercise for the muscular system builds overall strength to perform activities of daily living, enhances flexibility and can serve as weight bearing exercise to improve bone density and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.
Types
A variety of fitness plans challenge and build the muscular system. Weight training with machines or free weights is one of the most popular methods. In addition, activities that are cardiovascular in nature can also strengthen the muscles through repetitive use. Activities such as hill and stair climbing strengthens the legs, sports such as tennis and golf can improve upper body strength and activities such as rock climbing strengthen and tone the whole body. Some training that is classified as mind/body exercise can also benefit the muscular system. Holding difficult poses in yoga and core training in Pilates strengthen the muscles.
Features
According to Physical Activity & Public Health Guidelines from the American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) and the American Heart Association, fitness plans using free weights or machines should include at least eight to 10 exercises working all major muscle groups with at least eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise. As recommended by the ACSM's Position Stand on Progression Models in Resistance Training for Healthy Adults, the amount of weight used for training should be equivalent to about 60 percent to 70 percent of the amount of maximum weight you could lift if only doing one repetition. Exercise order should progress from the largest muscle groups to the smallest. For example, do exercises for the chest, back and shoulders, and then biceps and triceps. Frequency for muscle training activities should be two to three days per week, with a rest day between working the same muscle groups. For those who wish to move from beginner to intermediate strength training, three to four days per week might be necessary.
Considerations
If you have a goal of lifting free weights as part of your fitness plan for the muscular system, it might be beneficial to begin your program using some machines. The machines can assist with proper alignment while you build stabilizing muscles, which will make it easier to maintain proper form for effective results when you move on to using free weights. Muscle strength and flexibility work hand-in-hand. Warm the muscles before a strength-training workout by performing activities such as walking or marching for five minutes. Stretch each major muscle group after a strength training session, hold each stretch for 15 to 20 seconds and repeat.
Misconceptions
Some women avoid fitness activities for the muscular system, such as weight lifting, for fear of gaining too much muscle mass. However, most women lack the hormones and physical makeup to add significant bulk to their frames through weight training. Lifting weights two to three days per week as recommended will improve muscle strength and tone, and serve as a weight-bearing exercise to benefit the skeletal system. On a similar note, men or women who do wish to gain significant muscle mass will need to use a fitness plan that focuses strongly on the muscular system, such as lifting heavy weights and performing training sessions four to six days per week. In addition, special attention will need to be paid to food intake, especially protein and carbohydrates.
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