Strength training can provide the benefit of after burn, enabling the body to burn fat at a faster pace
Highlights
- Strength training even once a week can have an array of benefits
- It is important for strengthening bones and building muscles
- Strength training can keep your blood pressure under control
When was the last time you did strength training at the gym? We bet many of you are under the belief that for weight loss and good health, cardio exercises are more than enough. However, you will be surprised to know that strength training is an important part of fitness and overall health, and must be done at least once a week. Highlighting the importance of strength training is celeb nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar. She took to social media to talk about strength training and how it is important for weight loss as well. In her post, Rujuta writes that along with weight loss, it important to get lean body weight - which is the weight of bones and muscles. This is where strength training comes to play its role.
Strength training: why it is important and how to include it in your routine
"Most of us lose between 2- 4 kgs of muscles every 10 years. In women, especially after 30, we lose muscle from our thighs and gain intramuscular fat at a fast pace. This continuous and progressive loss of muscle and bone density can be reversed with exercise. Not just exercise, but structured exercise," informs Rujuta in her post while referring to the importance of including strength training in your routine.
Also read: Shilpa Shetty Shows You How To Strengthen Your Core, Legs And Improve Balance With Her Workout Video: Watch Now
1. She says that doing strength training for even once a week can play an important role in preventing diabetes. What's more is that regular practice of strength training can even help you be on lower doses of medicines, if not completely off them.
Strength training can help in controlling diabetes
Photo Credit: iStock
2. Strength training can be an important tool for regulating period cycle and even pain-free periods. If you are planning to get pregnant, doing strength training can make it easy for you to conceive, says Rujuta.
3. Strength training can be helpful for people with arthritis pain.
4. High blood pressure and resting heart rate can be regulated with the help of this fitness regime.
5. If you are a slow walker, then do strength training as it can help in increasing your gait.
6. A person is likely to experience fewer depressive thoughts and better sleep by doing regular strength training.
Also read: From Weight Loss To Muscle Strength, Here's Why You Need To Include This Whey Protein In Your Diet Right Now
Tips for doing strength training
1. If you are a beginner, make sure you train with an expert. If you have insulin resistance, obesity or diabetes, you must begin with strength training as soon as possible.
2. If you are already doing but not regular, try to do strength training at least twice a week. This is especially important for women who have PCOD, are menopausal or have thyroid. Follow the progressive overload principle which involves progressing in your training gradually. If you are able to do 10 reps of an exercise with 15 kg weight comfortably, then it's time you increase the weight to 20 kgs or lesser. Or, you can try to increase the reps if you find it difficult to increase weights. Following progressive overload principle is important to continue making progress through your workout.
Also read: Watch: Virat Kohli Tells Why Learning The Right Technique Is Important Before Increasing Weights In Strength Training
3. You should keep a gap of at least 2 days between two weight training sessions. You can schedule your cardio on the day after weight training.
4. Make sure you include rest days in between. It will help you get the best of you on your exercise days.
5. Practice yoga for both exercise and recovery. It will calm you down and will provide you with numerous other benefits you can bank on.
Practice yoga in between days of strength training for rest and recovery
Photo Credit: iStock
Regular strength training provides the benefit of "after burn" - a process which follows every session of strength training and burns fat at rate of 36 to 48 hours, informs Rujuta. Make sure that the total workout time in a week is at least 150 minutes.
Disclaimer: This content including advice provides generic information only. It is in no way a substitute for qualified medical opinion. Always consult a specialist or your own doctor for more information. NDTV does not claim responsibility for this information.