written by Dr. Michael Brady |  

Why is it that the cardiovascular training machines at the gym are always packed while the weight room seems empty? Does this mean cardiovascular training is more important than strength training? Actually, it means just the opposite.

Sure, cardiovascular training has an endless number of benefits, but you are cutting yourself short if you don’t include adequate strength training. Weight training has been shown to not only raise your basal metabolism rate (BMR), but actually reverse the natural decline in your metabolism that begins around age 30. Your basal metabolic rate refers to the energy used by your body at rest to maintain normal body functions. You might be active, but more than ly your BMR is slowing down at a steady rate of one-half percent annually. So, at 55 years young you may have already lost about 13 pounds of muscle without knowing it. How can this be?

The body has more than 650 muscles all that have high-energy requirements. A pound of muscle burns a lot more calories than a pound of fat, so when you properly strength train you increase the amount of lean muscle in your body and in turn you get a boost to your metabolism (even when you are asleep)!

General guidelines for strength training suggest you train twice a week, doing 8-10 exercises each session. With a moderate weight load, try for 2-3 sets all including 8-12 repetitions. See a qualified professional to help get you started!

So, next time you ar...