Strength Training
“Physical strength is the most important thing in life. This is true whether we want it to be or not.” - Mark Rippetoe, Starting Strength
Key Benefits
1. Increases muscle strength and muscle size
Strength training is the most efficient way to increase how much force your muscles can produce and to grow or preserve muscle size across the lifespan¹.
2. Prevents and slow age-related muscle loss and strength, as well as slows sarcopenia
Regular strength training is central to preventing age-related loss of muscle mass and power, helping older adults stay independent².
3. Resistance exercise can help you increase muscle and bones strength
Resistance exercise can help increase muscle strength and maintain or improve bone mineral density (BMD), particularly at the spine and hip. It is effective in reducing the risk of fractures and managing osteoporosis, especially in postmenopausal women³.
4. Improves body composition (lean mass, fat)
A systematic review and meta-analysis on people during weight loss who were overweight or obese found strength training helps increase lean mass, decrease fat mass (especially when combined with diet), and improve overall body composition⁴.
5. Improves blood sugar control & insulin sensitivity (T2DM)
A systematic review and meta-analysis found strength training improves glycaemic control measured in HbA1c (average blood glucose levels over a long period of time) and insulin sensitivity. Here gym-based training to be more effective than home-based exercise and training programs for people with type 2 diabetes mellitus⁵, with strength training now strongly recommended for people with or at risk of type 2 diabetes⁶.
6. Lowers blood pressure and supports cardiovascular health
A large-scale pairwise and network meta-analysis found certain forms of strength training, especially isometric resistance exercises can lower both systolic and diastolic blood pressure and contribute to overall cardiovascular risk reduction⁷, with a meta-analysis finding those with hypertension experienced positive affects on blood pressure reductions from resistance training programs similar to those antihypertensive affects from aerobic training⁸.
Key Benefits
7. Improves functional capacity, mobility & independence (especially in older adults)
A systematic review and meta-analysis found strength training improves everyday function and strength through various resistance training methods, such as free-weights, bands, etc; however more stable methods such as resistance machines have shown can be effective also. These can help older adults stay independent and reduce fall risk⁹.
8. Reduces all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality (general population)
Doing strength training regularly is associated with a lower risk of dying from any cause, and particularly from cardiovascular causes and some cancers¹⁰, ¹¹.
9. Supports brain health & cognitive function
A network meta-analysis found in mid-life and older adults without signs of cognitive impairments, strength training improves global cognition¹². And improvements in global cognitive function in elderly adults with MCI (Mild Cognitive Impairment) using a hybrid offline-online resistance training approach¹³. A range of cognitive benefits from strength training have also been observed in adolescents¹⁴.
10. Improves survival and prognosis in people with cancer
Higher muscle strength (in practice often achieved via strength training) are associated significantly reduced risk of all-cause mortality with better survival after a cancer diagnosis¹¹.
11. Reduces inflammation & improves cardiometabolic markers
Strength training can reduce systemic inflammation, and improve lipids and metabolic markers, contributing to lower cardiometabolic disease risk in middle-aged and older adults¹⁵.
12. Reduces symptoms of depression and anxiety
A systematic review and network meta-analysis found strength training can be an effective treatment for depression being well tolerated compared to many other forms of exercise¹⁶ and can be effective in helping treat anxiety and depression in young people¹⁷, ¹⁸.