Weight lifting It can build strength, add muscle, and put you in a good mood. Now, a new study has found that this practice may have an even greater benefit: a longer life.
that Observational study Nearly 100,000 people over almost ten years, published on September 27 in British Journal of Sports MedicineIt found that people who reported lifting weights once or twice a week — without doing any other exercise — had a 9% lower risk of dying from any cause except cancer. People who combined 1 to 2 days of weekly weight lifting with aerobic exercise performed better; Their risk of death was 41% lower than those who did not exercise.
Jessica Goerzeltz, associate professor of health promotion at the University of Iowa and co-author of the study, says the findings fit with Federal Activity Guidelineswhich recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of aerobic exercise per week, In addition to muscle strengthening exercises Two or more days a week. “If you want the most bang for your buck, the lowest risks were observed in those groups that were doing aerobics and weightlifting,” Goerzeltz says.
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While other studies have found that Muscle strengthening exercises improve healthGoerzeltz, a powerlifter, says she couldn’t find any research on weightlifting and mortality, which is why she decided to study this question. She says the findings are particularly important for women, because they seem to get a greater benefit from lifting weights than the men in the study. When Gorzelitz worked as a personal trainer, women often told her that they feared strength training would make them “too bulky” — a common misconception about weightlifting, Gorzelitz says. “In addition to our study, we see that it is associated with improved muscle mass, healthier muscles… and stronger bones,” she says. “It’s really important not only to live long, but to live well.”
The study has many limitations. The researchers were unable to analyze intensity and other details about weight-lifting exercises. The people in the study also tended to be older than the general population, with a mean age of 71, which means the results may not be generalizable to younger adults.
It also raises more questions to explore. Although the study did not find a link between weight lifting and reduced cancer deaths, it may require long-term follow-up studies, says Alba Patel, MD, vice president of the American Cancer Society. For example, “We know from various other studies that strength training is beneficial for survival after a cancer diagnosis,” she says. Another interesting finding was that people who exercised aerobic and lifted weights three to seven times a week – which exceeds federal guidelines – had a lower risk of death, although Goerzeltz noted that this is the result of one study, and that the guidelines come from total evidence. So far, it is unclear whether the benefits have an upper bound.
Other research offers plausible reasons why weightlifting reduces the risk of death. Exercise improves body composition, reduces fat, and builds muscle that Research It is associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, especially cardiovascular mortality.
Despite the obvious benefits, less than a quarter of Americans meet the US Physical Activity Guidelines. “People don’t have to get carried away and start training for bodybuilding,” Goerzeltz says. “do something Better than nothing.” Start slow and look for help online or from a personal trainer, she says. Start with small steps to improve your health.”
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