I used to go to Jazzercise classes. They shut down during Covid and I never went back. But I signed up for Jazzercise on Demand, so I continue my exercise regimen that way. Several times a week I do 20 minutes of aerobic/cardio exercises and 10 minutes of weight training, using five-pound weights. (Ten minutes doesn’t sound like a lot, but it’s about all I can stand, as are five-pound weights.) The primary benefit of muscle-strengthening activity comes from the way it taxes the muscles: it generates microscopic tears in muscle tissue that prompt the muscle to repair itself and build more fibers to become stronger.
In addition to increasing muscle strength, various studies
and analysis of muscle-strengthening exercises have shown—
- A 10 to 17 percent lower risk of all-cause mortality. Data on 100,000 older Americans showed that those who did both aerobic and resistance training had the lowest mortality of the entire group.
- Less loss of muscle mass as we age.
- Stronger bones. Muscles pull on bones and in response bones add new cells and get stronger.
- For cancer survivors, less fatigue and improved quality of life; for diabetics, improved glucose storage and circulation.
Experts recommend two or more sessions a week of
muscle-strengthening. They say any kind of resistance training will do, such as
pulling on elastic bands, push-ups (not me!), free weights or weight machines.
The important thing is to put strain on your muscles. But you also need to
allow sufficient rest between workouts to allow the muscles to repair
themselves.
Experts also say to increase weight and intensity over time.
I’m not doing that. Somehow, my five-pound weights get heavier each time
I use them.
For an introduction to this blog, see I Just Say No; for a list of blog topics, click the Topics tab.
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