CREATING A SUCCESSFUL STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM
When the muscles are stressed by a greater load than they are used to, they adapt and improve their function. The type of adaptation that occurs depends on the type of stress applied.
Static versus Dynamic Strength Training Exercises
Strength training exercises are generally classified as static or dynamic. Each involves a different way of using and strengthening muscles.
THE EVIDENCE FOR EXERCISE
Benefits of Muscular Strength and Endurance
Enhanced muscular strength and endurance can lead to improvements in the areas of performance, injury prevention, body composition, self-image, lifetime muscle and bone health, and metabolic health. Most important, greater muscular strength and endurance reduce the risk of premature death. Stronger people particularly men have a lower death rate due to all causes, including cardiovascular disease and cancer. The link between strength and death rate is independent of age, physical activity, smoking, alcohol intake, body composition, and family history of cardiovascular disease.
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAM Photo Gallery
Improved Performance of Physical Activities
A person with a moderate to high level of muscular strength and endurance can perform everyday tasks such as climbing stairs and carrying groceries with ease. Increased strength can enhance enjoyment of recreational sports by making it possible to achieve high levels of performance and to handle advanced techniques. Strength training also results in modest improvements in maximal oxygen consumption. People with poor muscle strength tire more easily and are less effective in both everyday and recreational activities.
Injury Prevention
Increased muscular strength and endurance help protect you from injury in two key ways:
• By enabling you to maintain good posture. Good muscle strength and endurance help stabilize the spine, which protects against back and neck injuries.
• By encouraging proper body mechanics during everyday activities such as walking and lifting.
Good muscle strength and, particularly, endurance in the abdomen, hips, lower back, and legs maintain the spine in proper alignment and help prevent low-back pain, which afflicts more than 85% of Americans at some time in their lives. (Prevention of low-back pain is discussed in Chapter 5.)
Training for muscular strength and endurance also makes the tendons, ligaments, and cartilage cells stronger and less susceptible to injury. Resistance exercise prevents injuries best when the training program is gradual and progressive and builds all the major muscle groups.
