Training Tips

Benefits of Exercise

Main components of exercise

  1. Strength
  2. Cardiovascular

Strength

1. Increasing/maintaining lean muscle mass

  1. Strength training has been the only thing that has been proven to increase RMR.
  2. What is RMR? The number of daily calories your body needs to keep your body working at optimal levels
  3.  7-9% increases in RMR have been shown after a 24-week strength training session, 3 days/week. (That could be 100-300 additional calories/day, without increasing activity.)

In weight loss programs, it has been shown that those individuals who continued on a resistance-training program retained more muscle mass than the exercisers who were strictly doing cardiovascular exercise.

Resistance training has a caloric expenditure effect while performing the exercise, as well as continued effect due to increase thermal effect (it requires energy to fuel muscle whether you are actively using them or not)

2. Effect on bone density

  1. In women, about .3% of bone mineral content is lost each year between the achievement of peak bone mass and menopause. After menopause, the rate of loss increases to 2 ½ to 3% per year. In the spine and femur about 20 and 25% of BMD (bone and mineral density) is lost between age 40 and 70.
  2. Exercise in adults is most likely beneficial for its ability to decrease BMD loss; and it can increase BMD a small amount (1-3%).
  3. Exercise also decreases the likelihood of losing one’s balance and falling.

Cardiovascular, along with the given benefits of cardiovascular exercise (decrease risk of cardiovascular disease, improved lung capacity, lower cholesterol, lower blood pressure). Cardiovascular activity has a role in weight loss as well.

1. Increase the number of calories you burn each day.

  1. Running or walking 1 mile expends about 100 calories.
  2. With changes in intensity, the number of calories burned per minute also changes.
  3. Increase in post-exercise RMR

2. How much? How hard?

  1. Will depend on your fitness level and what your parents gave you.
  2. Why 220-Age is not the most accurate.
  3. Most accurate way to determine intensity is by participating in an Exercise Metabolic Assessment.

Two additional results of strength and cardiovascular exercise:

  1. Look and feel better
  2. Strength training and cardiovascular exercise will allow you to move better, if you move better, you are more likely to do more of it.
  3. Your appearance will change, posture will improve, and even if you aren’t losing weight, it will appear you are.