Why You Should Be Pumping Iron

[innermusic]

Don't think that lifting weights is not for you. In fact, weight training - done correctly - is like no other form of exercise in terms of its myriad of benefits. Here are a few that may interest you:

1. Helps with weight loss.
2. Improves cholesterol.
3. Lowers risk of diabetes and improves insulin sensitivity.
4. Lowers risk of heart disease.
5. Lowers blood pressure.
6. Lowers risk of osteoporosis.
7. Lowers risk of breast cancer.
8. Improves immune system and function.
9. Increases energy.
10. Improves sleep.
11. Decreases effects of aging.
12. Reduces or eliminates lower back pain.
13. Reduces risk of colon cancer.
14. Improves mood and reduces or eliminates depression.
15. Improves circulation and skin.

[Tori~CL]

Great tips. Someday I will be able to do it again. :)

Question, because I've been so curious about this just from my own experience...Can you tell me the difference(health,weightloss,and body fat) compared to running verses lifting weights? I hear tons of conflicting info about it. I just want to say that when I was a runner(or varities of cardio) I seem to have all these good qualities that you listed. I mean the goals I was looking for and did some small weight training, but cardio was my focus. Would there be better results to flip it around?

TIA

[jAded]

I much prefer strength training over cardio, ha.

Cardio alone will give you most of those benefits but resistance training is very important for bone density and posture and core strength.

[jAded]

Great tips. Someday I will be able to do it again. :)

Question, because I've been so curious about this just from my own experience...Can you tell me the difference(health,weightloss,and body fat) compared to running verses lifting weights? I hear tons of conflicting info about it. I just want to say that when I was a runner(or varities of cardio) I seem to have all these good qualities that you listed. I mean the goals I was looking for and did some small weight training, but cardio was my focus. Would there be better results to flip it around?

TIA

Conventional wisdom at the moment dictates that

diet
weight-training
cardio

are the most effective for weight-loss, in that order.

[Tori~CL]

Conventional wisdom at the moment dictates that

diet
weight-training
cardio

are the most effective for weight-loss, in that order.

I know diet alway goes first, but cardio seemed to be the one that got the results I needed. Just saying...

[innermusic]

Conventional wisdom at the moment dictates that
diet
weight-training
cardio

are the most effective for weight-loss, in that order.

Here's the truth: 1. The most effective way to lose weight is a COMBINATION of proper diet AND weight training. 2. Cardio is OPTIONAL.

Details: You lose weight with a caloric deficit. That means you eat fewer calories (units of stored energy) than you use. The deficit can be increased with exercise, either weight training or cardio. (Exercise causes you to use more calories, thus increasing the deficit.) And weight training has two big advantages over cardio: 1. Weight training adds muscle mass while at the same time burning calories, while cardio only burns calories. 2. You continue to burn calories long after the weight training session ends, while with cardio the post-exercise calorie burning is very short-lived.

[innermusic]

Great tips. Someday I will be able to do it again. :)

Question, because I've been so curious about this just from my own experience...Can you tell me the difference(health,weightloss,and body fat) compared to running verses lifting weights? I hear tons of conflicting info about it. I just want to say that when I was a runner(or varities of cardio) I seem to have all these good qualities that you listed. I mean the goals I was looking for and did some small weight training, but cardio was my focus. Would there be better results to flip it around?

TIA

Many of these benefits can be had through areobic exercise, that is true. But it is a matter of degree in some cases, particularly with regard to items 1-7 and 12 on that list. In addition, there are benefits from weight training that do no occur from aerobic exercise: increased strength, improved BMD, bio-mechanics.

[Digger]

Here's the truth: 1. The most effective way to lose weight is a COMBINATION of proper diet AND weight training. 2. Cardio is OPTIONAL.
I agree completely but unfortunately it doesn't apply to everyone. I recently found out that I was born with a congenital heart defect that predisposes me to lethal arrhythmias and have been put on a 50-pound weight restriction for life. It sucks a LOT because I'm an endomorph and have always maintained a lean body through weightlifting. Without it I'm just a big blob of jello. Any advice for those of us who are unable to lift heavy weights?

[innermusic]

I agree completely but unfortunately it doesn't apply to everyone. I recently found out that I was born with a congenital heart defect that predisposes me to lethal arrhythmias and have been put on a 50-pound weight restriction for life. It sucks a LOT because I'm an endomorph and have always maintained a lean body through weightlifting. Without it I'm just a big blob of jello. Any advice for those of us who are unable to lift heavy weights?

Congenital arrhythmia is not simply a person who "cannot lift heavy weights". It is a very specific problem. Not being a doctor, I have no advice to give. What exactly does the doctor say you CAN do in terms of exercise? Out of curiosity, is your arrhythmia atrial, ventricular, junctional...?

[Digger]

What exactly does the doctor say you CAN do in terms of exercise?
I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, so generally I cannot engage in any sudden burst-type activities that engage a valsalva maneuver or results in a quick release of adrenaline. That leaves out competitive sports and heavy weightlifting. Ventricular arrhythmia is the biggest fear in my case. My specialist has told me that I can workout with (two) 25-pound dumbells or (one) 50-pound barbell. I would love to find an effective workout within these restrictions but obviously I won't get buff with 50 pounds. :)

[innermusic]

I have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, so generally I cannot engage in any sudden burst-type activities that engage a valsalva maneuver or results in a quick release of adrenaline. That leaves out competitive sports and heavy weightlifting. Ventricular arrhythmia is the biggest fear in my case. My specialist has told me that I can workout with (two) 25-pound dumbells or (one) 50-pound barbell. I would love to find an effective workout within these restrictions but obviously I won't get buff with 50 pounds. :)

But you can do a lot. Especially, you can increase the time under tension (TUT) which can emulate - to some degree - a heavier load. TUT is a factor in muscle exhaustion and depletion of ATP and glycogen. In other words, work the muscle by dramatically slowing down each repetition, as well as increasing the number of repetitions per set, and increasing the number of sets.

[jAded]

My trainer today told me that I can lift heavier than a lot of guys she knows. They're probably really unfit weak guys but it still made me happy.

[katierose]

I just started doing strength training a week or so ago. My trainer gave me a list of things to do and I've been at it all by myself for a bit. Usually two sets of 16 reps for everything. I have a move for every muscle in my arms and stomache. Got a couple for legs, but I do roller derby so they get plenty of attention there as well as in cardio. I was doing stricly cardio for a while because I didn't know better, but now I'm totally in love with pumping iron. Haha.

[Marie]

I agree completely but unfortunately it doesn't apply to everyone. I recently found out that I was born with a congenital heart defect that predisposes me to lethal arrhythmias and have been put on a 50-pound weight restriction for life. It sucks a LOT because I'm an endomorph and have always maintained a lean body through weightlifting. Without it I'm just a big blob of jello. Any advice for those of us who are unable to lift heavy weights?

I'm firm and I can make a noticable muscle. I only lift 5 pound weights. And I do lunges and squats without weights. I also do push-ups, though. You probably can't do those?

[xBree]

I started doing weight training about half a year ago and I completely agree, everyone should do it. I look so much more toned, but without that really muscly look girls are always afraid of getting (Impossible anyway without testosterone) and it increases your metabolism.
So much better than cardio... but maybe that's cos im lazy? :D

[innermusic]

I started doing weight training about half a year ago and I completely agree, everyone should do it. I look so much more toned, but without that really muscly look girls are always afraid of getting (Impossible anyway without testosterone) and it increases your metabolism.
So much better than cardio... but maybe that's cos im lazy? :D

What a refreshing post. Yes to all of the above. How many times I have a female tell me she's worried about looking muscular is she lifts weights. Not possible without chemicals or a much more extreme exercise regime.

[SheThrowsDown]

Haven't read all of the comments but I wanted to say I'm so happy to read this.

So many people, especially women, seem to be scared of weight training/lifting weights. I *LOVE* it (lifting, not women being afraid of it lol)

[ForestGlade34]

Goooo Chrilynhawk!!! :yes: :up:

(I'll get the hang of TYPING & SAYING your name before long too!.. hehehe) :hamster:

[Alex =)]

I used to run like 6-7 miles 3-4 times a week before I started uni, now I never can find the time to do a propear cardio workout, I now have trouble running for more than 10 minutes! It kills me!

I now only have time to do some squats, push ups, sit ups and crunches when I wake up... ...I have a fairly light weight to work with (5lbs I think) and I was basically wondering if there was any way to get my cadiovascular fitness back up to form with my current time restrictions etc.

Thank you!!

[jAded]

What a refreshing post. Yes to all of the above. How many times I have a female tell me she's worried about looking muscular is she lifts weights. Not possible without chemicals or a much more extreme exercise regime.

Gwenyth Paltrow's personal trainer doesn't really help with that myth. Acording to her, women shouldn't lift anything heavier than 3 lb weights.

[Terry B.]

Great tips. Someday I will be able to do it again. :)

Question, because I've been so curious about this just from my own experience...Can you tell me the difference(health,weightloss,and body fat) compared to running verses lifting weights? I hear tons of conflicting info about it.

If you are not active then anything you do is a step in the right direction. You will certainly find people who will argue with you until the end of time that one form of exercise (probably something they either do or sell) is superior to all others.

Perhaps it's an Internet thing but everybody seems to be concerned with finding the perfect workout though it doesn't matter if you don't do it on a regular basis.

[sybaritik]

Perhaps it's an Internet thing but everybody seems to be concerned with finding the perfect workout though it doesn't matter if you don't do it on a regular basis.


To get any long term benefits from working out you do need to do it regularly, but I do agree with what you say about people concerning themselves with perfection.

I've noticed, and it's not just the internet it seems, a lot of people who exercise seem to become quite obsessive about it and begin to treat their workouts as if they are a professional athlete and worry about every last little detail which really isn't that important.

.

[innermusic]

Perhaps it's an Internet thing but everybody seems to be concerned with finding the perfect workout though it doesn't matter if you don't do it on a regular basis.
Even if you do it on a regular basis, there is no perfect workout, for a couple of reasons:
1. There are different workouts for different goals (e.g. adding mass to a specific muscle group, cutting body fat, adding strength, adding different KINDS of muscle mass, etc.)
2. Even when you find the right workout for the right goal, your body ADAPTS and eventually the workout which used to be perfect is less perfect and eventually becomes completely useless - the VERY SAME WORKOUT THAT WAS GREAT IN THE PAST.

So the key is, altering the workout to suit your goals, and to respond to the body's adaptations.

[Marie]

The perfect workout is the workout you enjoy.

[SheThrowsDown]

Goooo Chrilynhawk!!! :yes: :up:

(I'll get the hang of TYPING & SAYING your name before long too!.. hehehe) :hamster:

:pibo: lol, if I was comfortable giving out my full name (which I'm of course not) it would actually make it pretty simple to remember my username because it's a mushup of pieces of my name :)