Fight Back Against Your Age with Exercise!
Attention: Ages 35+
Which form of Exercise; Cardio, Strength or Flexibility training is better at fighting against my age?
Is this a trick question? The spoiler alert…YES!
You must train all 3!
It is true that most of us will be lulled into cardio training only. It is in most cases the easiest form of exercise to jump right into. Most basic cardio activities like walking, jogging, running, and hiking requires little -- to no equipment.
Many runners, for example, are guilty of concentrating on running and minimal stretching while neglecting strength training altogether. The consequences of neglection of flexibility and resistance training can range from declining speed, performance, and lead to injury!
We are bombarded by messages on social media and from various news sources of how cardio burns calories and zaps fat. This is true and particularly important, but it is only part of the battle. As we age, hormones change and so does our bone density and muscle mass. These are two things that are vital to ensuring you perform at your best regardless of what you are doing. When you train all 3 areas you support a healthy dose of hormones in the body which can lead to stronger bones, more muscles, and less fat!
Why train all three forms of exercise?
There is a major downfall to only concentrating on one area of exercises.
Many people who want to lose weight concentrate solely on cardiovascular training, not realizing that adding in resistance/strength training can increase the rate at which their bodies burn calories as much as 30% post exercise!
In fact, did you know that your body burns calories much more effectively for 24 hours following resistance training routine compared to only 6-10 hour following a cardiovascular workout.
Everybody that is a little overweight could use cardiovascular training because it is the cornerstone of a weight management program and strengthens the heart and lungs. Who doesn’t want better lung compacity and a stronger heart muscle?
Cardio training increases energy levels and elevates our ability to concentrate for longer periods of time. It can also help you increase your endurance for everything from hiking to playing 18 holes of golf. There are not shortages of Cardio activities that are popular when this post was written.
Fitness Activities Popular to today that focuses heavily on cardio activities are:
· Peloton Bike
· The Hydrow (virtual rowing machine)
· The Echelon Bike and Rower
Why Strength Training is Crucial:
In recent years, resistance training has become more popular in main stream culture because of its many benefits including revving up your calorie burning capabilities, decreasing your risk of injury for any activity and ensuring that your bones continue to stay thick and strong. Resistance training can also play a pivotal role in enhancing recreational sports performance. In an article in Men’s Health article Dr. Tom Seabourne, an exercise physiologist explains that gaining one pound of muscle adds 50 calories of fat burning even at rest. Not only will the muscle shape your body and help you perform better but it will also help you to look better and fit better into clothes.
Fitness Activities Popular to today that focuses heavily on Strength activities are:
· Power Lifting
· Olympic Lifting
· Strong Man Competition
· Body Building
Flexibility makes up the final form of exercise and in many ways supports the other two.
Improving your flexibility helps prevent injuries that occur in any sport or recreational activity. It can help reduce muscular pain and tightness and even promotes relaxation. As we age, we also lose range of motion which can prevent us from taking part in activities we love. And let’s be honest, even intimacy can lose its allure as you lose your flexibility.