Did you know that living longer may simply come down to picking up a set of weights a few times a week and actually USING them for about 20 minutes?
More and more research is coming out that conclusively agrees on this fact: Strength training increases life span.
Resistance training – with dumbbells, bands, body weight or machines – reduces risk of premature death from all causes, including cancer (and when it comes to cancer, strength work may be even more beneficial to health than aerobic training).
A study I read today analyzed over 80,000 people over 14 years. To summarize, the researchers’ findings showed that those who did strength exercise reduced their risk of premature death by 23% and their risk of cancer-related death by 31%. Yep, the exercisers live longer.
What counted as strength training? Body-weight exercise (think push-ups and lunges) were just as effective as gym-based training. What this means for you: Workouts at home can be just as effective as what you can do at the gym…you’ll reap the same health benefits.
SO many other benefits come with strength training – improved bone mass (especially important for women over 50), lower blood pressure, improved metabolism – but we’ll get into all of those details in another article!
Just starting out? Believe it or not, you can get in an effective resistance training program in as little as 20 minutes, and you can do this in the comfort of your living or family room (or basement) with no equipment. Want to know how? Get in touch with me today! I will set you up with an effective strength training routine that will suit YOUR needs and schedule. Invest that small amount of time each week for more years down the road!