Maximize Your Strength - How a Strength Training Routine Can Improve Your Health

Posted on January 2, 2019 at 11:13 AM by Sarah Bancroft, DO

Sarah Bancroft, DO
Family Medicine
Sports Medicine

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The first thing that comes to many people’s minds when they think of strength training might be professional bodybuilders, but many of the health benefits that come along with strength training are actually available to everybody.

Strength training offers benefits for your heart, can improve your balance, strengthen your muscles and bones, help you lose weight and overall make you look and feel better.

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends strength training a minimum of two non-consecutive days every week. The ACSM stresses the importance of progressing to meet specific goals. This can be achieved on your own or with the help of a personal trainer. Increasing strength, power, and local muscular endurance will come naturally with almost any strength training program.

People who are physically active tend to live longer and healthier lives. Strength training helps maintain or increase muscle mass that would tend to be lost due to aging. Just 30 minutes of physical activity each day can especially benefit people with high blood pressure, diabetes or even a smoking habit.