Why you should be training with weight

Weights and resistance machines are not just for bodybuilders and powerlifters, they are tools to be used by everyone, regardless of your goal. The benefits of resistance training are great, both in number and in substance, and you should be making the most of them. Of course, certain individuals do need to be more careful when performing resistance training (i.e. young people, older adults, pre and postnatal women, people with disabilities and people with injuries) but in many cases such individuals can train safely (under appropriate direction) and should not rule out resistance training altogether.

When I talk about resistance training I’m talking about the use of body weight exercises, free weights (e.g. barbells, dumbbells or kettlebells) and fixed resistance machines. It doesn’t have to be in a gym, or even using a machine at all; there’s no reason why you cannot have an effective workout with your bodyweight alone. In fact, when I spent some time travelling around Australia, I relied on bodyweight exercises alone for over 6 months.  However, the more equipment that you have available, the more varied you can make the routine, the more resistance you can add and the quicker you can progress.

Here are some of the benefits of resistance training:

• Stronger muscles, tendons and ligaments
• Stronger bones
• Improved joint stability
• Improved muscle tone, size, shape and physical appearance.
• Improved muscle to fat ratio.
• Improved posture.

The benefits of resistance training to fat loss

And if these pretty convincing reasons aren’t enough, the benefits of resistance training don’t end there. If your goal is fat loss then I’ve got some news for you: it might be time to step off the treadmill and into the weights room.  

Your time is precious and, as such, it’s important that you get the most from your training sessions. Pounding away at the treadmill for an hour three times a week will no doubt burn some calories and improve your fitness levels, but let’s get something clear: it’s not the optimal way of shedding body fat; it doesn’t give you anywhere near the same number of benefits as resistance training, and it’s not very exciting either.

So, how does resistance training contribute to fat loss? Well, the bulk of calories burned by our bodies throughout the day are determined by our resting metabolic rate (the number of calories that you burn at rest.) In fact, exercise and the thermic effect of food are actually comparatively small contributors to overall calories burned. This resting metabolic rate is affected in two ways by high intensity resistance training.

Firstly, research suggests that high intensity resistance training raises your metabolic rate and that it remains raised for a prolonged period after finishing your workout – this means that you continue to burn calories at an increased rate for up to 38 hours post-workout. This is further supported by a study that compared resistance training to aerobics.

Fat loss was shown to be significantly greater in participants that undertook resistance training three times a week and their metabolism was shown to increase significantly. On the other hand, the group that did four hours of aerobics per week did lose weight but not nearly as much and their resting metabolism actually decreased.

Secondly, your resting metabolic rate is influenced by how much muscle mass you have on your body. This is because muscle creates a higher demand for energy than fat; it is more active and more energy is needed to maintain muscle tissue both during rest and exercise. Therefore we want to prioritise an exercise programme that promotes muscle mass. Our muscles grow and work harder, and as a result cause an overall increase in our resting metabolic rate. In other words, the more muscle mass that we build, the more calories that we burn when resting.

What it all boils down to is that If your priority is fat loss, you really should start to think about getting to grips with some resistance training. Whole body resistance workouts are an excellent starting point, ideally hitting every muscle group at least twice a week with a high intensity regime. By engaging in a training programme that promotes muscle mass, elevates the metabolism, and hammers away at calories, you will be getting the most “bang for your buck.”

To learn more about resistance training, weight loss or creating your own personalised fitness plan, just get in touch below/via the contact form.

References

• Bryner RW, Ullrich IH et al. ‘Effects of Resistance vs. Aerobic Training Combined with an 800 Calorie Liquid Diet on Lean Body Mass and Resting Metabolic Rate.’ J Am Coll Nutr. (1999) Apr; 18(2):115-21.  (The calories were restricted in this study to remove the effects of dietary variables on the results)
• Cosgrove, A ‘The Hierarchy of Fat Loss’ (2007)
• Donnelly, J.E et al. ‘Is Resistance Training Effective for Weight Management?’ Evidence-Based Preventive Medicine (2003) 1(1): 21-29
• Kramer, Volek et al. ‘Influence of Exercise Training on Physiological and Performance Changes with Weight Loss in Men. Med. Sci. Sports Exerc., (1999) Vol. 31, No. 9, pp. 1320-1329, (Compared with dieting alone, this form of training combined with a reduced calorie diet has been shown to result in burning 44% more fat.)
• Schuenke MD, Mikat RP, McBride JM. ‘Effect of an Acute Period of Resistance Exercise on Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption: Implications for Body Mass Management. Eur J Appl Physiol. (2002) Mar;86(5):411-7.