- Tiffany Ayuda<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n
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<\/p>\n\n\n\nPhoto by Mike Harrington\/Getty Images<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We hate to sound like a broken record, but it really is crucial to incorporate lifting weights into your workout regimen. In fact, when it comes to exercise for older adults, strength training<\/a> actually trumps cardio<\/a> because preserving muscle is more important than losing fat as you age.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cEvery decade, starting in your mid 30s, you lose a percentage of muscle, which affects your metabolism<\/a>, balance, and ability to brace yourself in the event of an injury,\u201d explains Larysa DiDio, a certified personal trainer and Prevention’s<\/em> contributing fitness editor. \u201cBy weight training, you build more muscle<\/a> to protect your body against injury.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
So, how often should you lift weights?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Ideally, twice a week\u2014whether you lift free weights, use machines, or do bodyweight exercises<\/a>, says Rachelle Reed, PhD, CPT, Pure Barre\u2019s manager of training development and barre kinesiologist.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
That said, as you get stronger and fitter, both Reed and DiDio agree that you should bump up your sessions to more than two times a week. \u201cYou can totally lift every day\u2014just make sure to work on different body parts or train your body differently each day,\u201d DiDio says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Wondering which muscle groups to focus on? Reed says that depends on your goals. For a full body workout, \u201cmany trainers will tell clients to focus on the upper body one day and the lower body a couple days later,\u201d she says. To help you get the most bang for your buck, consider folding in compound exercises<\/a> and supersets into your routine, a form of strength training in which you move from one exercise to the next with no rest in between.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In addition to building strength, lifting weights has a host of benefits. Keep reading to learn all the reasons you should pick up a pair of dumbbells (or kettlebells, or dare we say, a barbell) today.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll lose weight and burn more calories<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
While cardio can help you get rid of belly fat<\/a>, lifting weights helps you build more muscle, which can also help you burn more calories. That\u2019s because muscles are metabolically active, meaning they burn calories even when you’re not exercising. \u201cIn fact, muscle tissue burns seven to 10 calories per pound daily, while fat burns only two to three calories per pound daily,\u201d DiDio explains.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What\u2019s more, a 2017 study<\/a> in Obesity<\/em> suggests that weight training combined with a healthy, low-calorie diet, can help preserve lean muscle mass that’s lost through aerobic workouts. \u201cWhen weight loss occurs in the absence of strength training, all facets of body composition are lost,\u201d Reed says. \u201cYou lose some weight in fat, some in muscle, and some in bone\u2014and it’s unfavorable to lose weight that’s coming from both muscle and bone.\u201d That’s why strength training is so important. When people exercise to lose weight, the majority of the weight loss is fat loss.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll protect your bones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
As you age, your bones become more brittle and weaker, especially if you’re post-menopausal<\/a>, which is due to lower estrogen levels\u2014the hormone responsible for maintaining bone mass. But lifting weights can help you build bone mineral density through Wolff’s Law, which states that bones can grow in response to forces that are placed upon it. In other words, creating pressure on your joints through weight-bearing exercises can actually help you build stronger, healthier bones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cStrength training involves muscles contracting against the bones they\u2019re surrounding,\u201d Reed explains. \u201cThis force applied to the bones helps improve bone density overtime.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In fact, an October 2017<\/a> study from the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research<\/em> shows that high-intensity resistance training exercises, like deadlifts, overhead presses, and back squats, can help improve bone mineral density in women with osteopenia and osteoporosis<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll manage stress and boost your mood<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Had a hard day at work and need to release some tension? Time to pick up those weights. Just like any form of exercise, strength training can enhance your mood by releasing feel-good hormones called endorphins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Recent research<\/a> also suggests that exercise, including weight training, may help protect against Alzheimer\u2019s<\/a> and dementia. Researchers from Columbia University Irving Medical Center discovered that the hormone irisin, which is released during exercise, may help promote neuronal growth in the hippocampus\u2014the area of the brain dedicated to learning and memory.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cAny type of exercise is a mood booster, but weight training makes you feel stronger and it builds the back and neck muscles that are most directly associated with stress,\u201d DiDio says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll improve your posture<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
If you have a desk job, chances are you\u2019re dealing with a case of rounded shoulders<\/a> and a hunched back<\/a>, which place additional pressure on your low back. This can lead to bad posture<\/a> and limited range of motion in the shoulders, which are the most flexible joint in the body.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
But lifting weights can help reverse this by opening up the chest, strengthening the back muscles, and improving freedom of movement. \u201cIt also strengthens your core, which keeps the back in alignment and upright,\u201d DiDio says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Go for multi-joint compound exercises (think a squat to overhead press or a lateral lunge to twist), which can help you work in different planes of motion and muscle groups, saving you time and effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll reduce back pain<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s no one reason for back pain<\/a>, but muscular imbalances, like weak knees and an unstable core, can contribute, among other things. Most people think aches and pain are due to strains, but sometimes, it\u2019s a result of bad biomechanics. Your muscles work in a kinetic chain<\/a>, so if there\u2019s a weak link, it can often manifest into a bigger problem in different areas of the body. But by building total-body strength, you can bypass most injuries.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
For example, if you have weak hip flexors, it also means you have weak glutes\u2014their opposing muscles. And, \u201ctypically they [muscles] don’t weaken evenly, so this can also throw your pelvis out of whack, which could affect your gait,” DiDio says. “As weak and tight muscles tug and pull, they can cause imbalances and pain, which is your body telling you that something is wrong.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\n\n\n\nYou\u2019ll improve memory and brain health<\/h3>\n\n\n\n