Strength train to lower body fat, increase bone density, improve power and movement performance, improve joint function and improve insulin sensitivity.
There are many myths and stereotypes about strength training and nutrition. Most of the commonly accepted “truths” are in fact not true:
“Weight training will make me too big;”
“If I stop training muscle will turn to fat;”
“My heart will have to work too hard if I have most muscle:”
“My joints will wear out if I use them a lot with heavy loads.”
“Cardio is better than weight training for weight loss.”
The truth is that strength training is one of the greatest things that you could do for your body!
Here’s why:
Historically all advanced cultures have had a system of physical development together with a nutritional and spiritual philosophy. Yoga has some quite advanced gymnastics style movements and incorporates amazing body control including amazing feats like being buried under ground for hours without suffocating! Kung Fu masters also accomplish mind-boggling degrees of performance as do samurai’s, indigenous Australian tribesmen and women.
Indigenous Australian’s – Wide dental arches are a strong sign of healthy parents and good nutrition.
Ancient Greece, from which many aspects of european culture have developed also valued physical development along side academic endeavours. Bull carrying legend Milo was also a musician, poet and student of Pythagoras as well as eater of 8kg of meat per day!
In modern times many people have come to treat their body as a physical machine to carry the brain around. Only when the body revolts in pain do we reconsider the way we are treating ourselves. When the body is treated like a trash can and allowed to lie dormant for hours / weeks / months / years on end, ill-health and mental imbalance is an obvious result.
If you’ve been swayed by the myths and negative press about strength training then consider 5 benefits of strength training:
1. Maintain low body fat and a healthy hormonal environment.
Some of these benefits come through improved cell membrane sensitivity to circulating hormones, up-regulation of hormone release, greater lean muscle mass increases the resting metabolic rate making it easier to stay lean on a given energy intake, decreased estrogen secreting fat mass.
Biosignature coach Adam Parr in hormonal balance. He went from 14% body fat to this in a few months! Check him out on Facebook.
2. Increased bone density
This comes through an adaptation to the mechanical stress of loading the bones, together with a high protein diet and adequate magnesium and vitamin D levels (calcium is often in oversupply for people with diets high in dairy foods creating chalk brittle bones in the absence of adequate magnesium).
Vitamin D – try living without it!
3. Improved balance and joint integrity
The cost of broken hips and falls in the elderly is greatly reduced when strength training is performed on a regular basis. (interestingly olympic lifters who perform heavy full squats on a daily basis have to have very thick articular cartilage (on the ends of the bones) as have chinese field workers who stay in the full squat position for long periods of time) If you don’t move a joint through its full range on a regular basis or if you train through partial range of motion then uneven joint cartilage and joint degeneration are more likely to develop, especially when nutritional deficiencies are present.
4. Strength, agility, mobility and power are the fountain of youth!
Being stronger allows you to be better at sports, playing with children, moving furniture and many other daily events. Taking power, strength, mobility and muscle mass into middle age and old age increase life expectancy and quality of life!
5. Improved insulin sensitivity
Diabetes, polycystic ovarian syndrome and many other conditions are related to poor blood sugar control. Weight training combined with healthy living increase insulin sensitivity.
Do you know of anyone who couldn’t do with some of these benefits?
You might be thinking. Ok I know I should exercise. Maybe I’ll go for a run. Consider that the 2 biggest studies done on running showed that it did not help with fat loss. While it can be fun but jogging doesn’t offer the same health benefits as intelligent weight training or sprinting. For more of this consider reading Gary Taubes book Why we get fat and what to do about it.
If you want to take control of your health and fitness consider weight training. I would recommend looking for a Poliquin Certified personal trainer and biosignature practitioner to get you started on the right track or someone who has both good health and a long list of clients who are in good shape. A small investment to get you on the right path will save you thousands in health costs and paying under-educated health professionals.
With Charles Poliquin at the Biosignature Seminar
The majority is always wrong, walk your own path.
If you’re looking for how to complement weight training with an effective diet and lifestyle plan check out the Paleo Diet.
Keegan Smith is the Catalan Dragons Strength, Speed, Nutrition guy, Paleo food lover and occasional mystic. He’s PICP 2 and Biosignature qualified.KeeganSH.com is his website or you can find him on twitter @KeeganSH or Facebook.
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