LONDON: When it comes to staying fit, most people focus on cardio — counting steps, tracking runs and cycling at weekends. But experts say adding strength training to your routine can ensure a better quality of life as you age.
“Strength is the neglected sibling at the health dinner table,” said Stuart Phillips, a researcher in muscle physiology at McMaster University in Canada.
The biggest health gains come when you are just starting out compared to doing nothing at all, said Jess Gorzelitz, an epidemiologist at the University of Iowa. “The riskiest group are those who do nothing,” she said.
Initially, experts recommend two sessions per week, lasting between 20 to 30 minutes each. Exercises can include sit-to-stands, squats, step-ups, lunges, wall push-ups, planks and loaded carries.
You do not necessarily need to set foot in a gym or use special equipment. Household items like cans of food or bottles of water can be used for bicep curls. A chair can help with bodyweight squats.
For those who do visit the gym, Gorzelitz recommends focusing on the “big three” movements that target the entire body: barbell back squats, bench presses and deadlifts.
If your workout feels too easy, simply add more resistance, repetitions or additional sets. “Small increments repeated over months are where the magic lives,” Phillips said. “You do not need to crawl out of the gym like a wounded animal. Progress gradually.”
Regular muscle strengthening exercise can lower the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer, diabetes and premature death. One large review found that just 30 to 60 minutes per week of muscle strengthening activities was linked to a 10 to 17 per cent reduction in all-cause mortality.
“We benefit whatever age we are,” Gorzelitz said, noting that adults over 70 who took part in regular weight training had a lower risk of dying compared to those who did none.
“I think of resistance training as a pension contribution for your future self,” Phillips said.
