Strength Training, is it good for us? - 1st Sep 2010

 We all know that a challenging, progressive strength-training 

programme can build muscles and increase strength in men 

and women of all ages.  But recent studies prove that the  

benefits go even further.  Besides the great gains in 

strength, here’s what strength training actually does: 

 

 

 

 Halts Bone Loss – And Even Restores 

Bone 

Each year after menopause, a woman typically loses 1 

percent of her bone mass – even more during the first five 

postmenopausal years.  This may well lead to osteoporosis.  

Strength training can stop the clock on this.  Women in a 

study who didn’t exercise lost about 2 percent of their bone 

density over the year of the study.  But the women who 

strength trained not only didn’t lose bone, they gained 1 

percent. 

 

 Improves Balance 

Our ability to stay in balance also declines with passing 

years.  Women who don’t exercise showed an 8.5 percent 

decline in balance while those women exercising and tested 

in the same way scored higher by 14 percent! 

 

 Helps Prevent Bone Fractures 

The improvements in strength, bone density, and 

balance have special significance for women because they 

dramatically reduce the risk of fractures from osteoporosis.  

This is a serious problem for older women: A woman of 70 

faces 30% odds that she will break her hip if she lives 

another 20 years. 

 

Hormones, calcium supplements and medications offer 

a degree of protection from bone loss.  However, strength 

training not only builds bone, it cuts the risk of fractures by 

improving strength and balance to help prevent falls.  What’s 

more these benefits come without worrisome side effects. 

 

 A Health Tonic? 

The more we look at strength training, the more 

benefits we find.  Recent studies suggest that strength 

training can improve mood, reduce the risk of heart disease 

and adult-onset diabetes, help people with arthritis, and 

maybe even prolong the lives of AIDS sufferers.  It’s too 

early to know whether all these promising findings will be 

confirmed, but you’ll be confident that you’ll be hearing more 

about strength training in the future!