Why Resistance Training Is So Effective
It's all over social media. Resistance training (AKA strength training/weight training) is THE most effective form of exercise. The rhetoric has gotten a little out of control, because yes, it's an incredibly effective way of training, but the reality is that the best exercise is the one you're going to do.
I've managed to convince my (very nearly) 70 year old mother to take up Pilates. Not just Pilates, but reformer Pilates, which honestly, I won't do because those machines are terrifying. I tried to get her to join a weight training class, but she didn't want to, and though I'm still trying to convince her, I'm honestly just really pleased she's making the time to do an activity that she enjoys and that makes her feel good in her body.
And do you know what? She's doing really well. She's getting stronger, she proudly boasts that she can do a full ATG* squat, she can hold a plank for two minutes, and she's actually started training on the machines in front of the mirrors because she's even not self-conscious about it anymore.
All this to say, that yes, resistance training is one of THE most effective ways to condition your body, burn fat, and prime your muscles for longevity and success as you age, BUT if it's just not something you're going to do, then find something you will. I could talk about how we've made it our mission to lower the barriers for people to get into strength and resistance training by creating a well-rounded programme, running only coached sessions, and building a genuinely delightful community of supportive and enthusiastic people, but I won't, because you're here to here why WE think resistance training is so effective. So here we go. No more dillying or dallying. Straight to the point...
Your body evolved for burden
We're a carrying species. We carry our young, we carry tools, and we carry the weight of the world on our shoulders. We evolved hunting our food by out enduring them. Tracking them slowly, walking incredible distances and carrying things with us. The most pivotal muscle in human evolution is our glutes, because they allow us to walk upright while carrying tools. Primates can carry things, they can use tools, and they can walk on two legs. But they don't have our glutes, they don't have the leverage to carry those tools over significant distances.
Most of us aren't walking and carrying on a daily basis. We work office jobs, sitting down and hunched over a computer. We push our children in buggies, and we hop in the car for a 9-minute drive to the shops and back. It's not our fault, life is hard, and there's just not the time in the day to do everything that needs to be done, so we make sacrifices.
Resistance training gives your body the opportunity to do what it does best. Strain, fight, push, pull, carry, and endure. The physical strain makes your bones denser, your joints more stable, and your muscles stronger.
Sure, there's loads of evidence to show that the resistance training is the most effective way to control body composition (bigger muscles burn more energy at rest), to bring down blood pressure (controlled periods of increased blood pressure improve elasticity of blood vessels), and calm the mind (perceived stress resolution releases hormones that give the brain and body 'permission' to relax), but that's HOW it's effective, not WHY.
The why is simply that it's what your body is built for.
I wish it was something more complicated or groundbreaking, something that would make me seem so much smarter than I am. Unfortunately, it really is that simple.
*ATG = Ass to Grass: a full depth squat that goes as low as your body mechanics will allow
