Benefits of Strength Training

Strength training refers to exercise that causes your muscles to contract against resistance. Examples of this type of training include bodyweight exercises (like squats, push ups or step ups), exercises that use resistance bands and movements where you are lifting weights (like bicep curls). Engaging in strength training twice a week is recommended by The Canadian Society for Exercise Physiology. The goal of strength training is to encourage muscles to contract to a point that challenges them. This challenge, if repeated over time, stimulates an adaptation in your muscles which causes them to become stronger as a result.

Many studies have demonstrated that after as little as two months, adults who took part in resistance training exercises twice per week demonstrated significant improvements in strength. These findings are important as we know that having stronger muscles has been proven to reduce the risk of falling, improve bone density (strength of bones) and improve functional ability (carrying out daily tasks) in older adults.

What does strength training look like? Great question! Strengthening exercises can easily be completed at home and are suitable for almost everyone. Usually it is recommended to target your major muscle groups, like your shoulders/arms and your legs. Exercises that target your legs could include squatting (sitting and standing from a chair), step ups (stepping up and down on your bottom step) and heel raises. Exercises that target your arms could include wall push-ups (hands on the wall and moving your chest towards them), shoulder press (holding two water bottles, raising them above your head) and bicep curls (bending and straightening your elbow holding two water bottles).

How much and how often should I do strengthening exercises? The research in this area suggests that you should complete strength exercises 2-3 times per week. During these sessions you should be aiming for about 8-12 repetitions of each exercise and repeating this 2-3 times each session. Increasing or decreasing this depending on difficulty.