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It’s amazing to walk into gyms and fitness centers these days. There are so many new types of machines and gadgets that people can use to stay healthy. The really amazing thing about these places, however, is not the machines and technology – it’s the people who are using them. People from every age group and walk of life are enjoying the benefits that can be derived from resistance workouts. Strength exercise programs aren’t just for the huge bodybuilder or football player any more. People young and old, fat and thin, are learning how to lift weights in an effort to live healthier, more enjoyable lives.
The demographics of an average gym member today are a lot different than they were 20 or 30 years ago. Gyms used to be the dwelling place of the physically elite. Only huge, strong, full time athletes roamed the weight rooms back in those days. It was a good bet that people who were on a strength exercise program back then were hardcore about their strength training exercise and took their training very seriously. Over time, though, word got out that strength training exercise wasn’t just for bodybuilders. In fact, if you go to the average weight room today, you will see just as many beginners as you will seasoned athletes. We simply know more about the overall health benefits of exercise now than we did a generation ago.
Strength Training Exercise Routines for the Rest of Us
One of the great things that you see in gyms today is the number of women who are adopting strength exercise into their fitness plans. There have always been women who lifted weights, but there was a myth that women who got on strength training exercise programs would become ‘masculine’ and ‘muscle-bound’. For many years this myth continued to circulate and some women avoided touching weights for fear of becoming manly or getting too big. Fortunately, it has been proven that doing a strength training exercise routine alone will not result in women becoming huge and muscular. Even professional women bodybuilders are not likely to get very big or overly muscular without hardcore strength exercise programs, the right genetics and other variables being present. Simply put, women now know that they can, and should include resistance training in their exercise programs.
Women can enjoy some fantastic benefits by incorporating strength training exercise into their fitness routines. The first benefit is increased lean body mass, which results in increased fat loss. Women can also fight off degenerative bone loss later in life by becoming stronger and more fit. Strength exercise is a true health benefit for women of every age.
Strength Training Exercise Routines for the Elderly
One thing that might surprise you, if you haven’t been to a gym in a while, is the number of older people who are pumping iron. Doctors are recommending that elderly people take up strength training exercise routines as a way to combat the effects of aging. One of the first things that happens as we get older is that we naturally begin to lose muscle mass. As lean body mass decreases our bodies become weaker. Over time this weakness contributes to many other health risks that can be easily avoided by simply maintaining muscle mass. Doctors have seen the plethora of benefits that people get from doing strength exercise and are prescribing it to more and more of their patients every year.
Strength training exercise acts as a preventative health measure for older people. Many middle aged and elderly people aren’t all that concerned about getting huge, ripped or buff, they simply want to stay strong and active well into their golden years. Adding muscle mass, by way of strength training exercise, is one of the most potent ways for these people to stay strong, healthy and vibrant for years to come. It’s likely that even more elderly people will begin to adopt strength training exercise regimens, as doctors continue to see the massive health improvements that these types of exercise programs provide.
Strength Training Exercise and Nutrition
Even the best strength exercise routine in the world won’t increase lean muscle mass without the right nutrition. People who are trying to add muscle mass – whether they are professional athletes, work at home mothers or older folks – need increased levels of protein intake in order to sustain and increase lean body mass. The only nutrient the body can use to build muscle tissue is protein. It’s important for people to pay close attention to their diets when they adopt a strength training exercise program. Failure to take in enough protein will result in no gains, and perhaps increased chances of injury, when lifting weights. For your body to get the most from a strength training routine, you need to give it the raw materials it needs to increase muscle mass. Protein is that raw ingredient that your body needs, so make sure that you are getting enough protein to sustain muscle growth.
Nutritional supplements are available that can help people get optimum levels of protein to fuel their workouts. Profect is one of the more popular protein drinks. It provides a whopping 25 grams of top quality protein to help your muscles recover from any strength training exercise session. Adding a protein supplement, like Profect to your diet can help you to make sure that you are getting adequate levels of protein to get all the healthy benefits possible from your diet and exercise program. Resistance exercise is for everyone and it goes hand-in-hand with good nutritional practices. Make sure that you are getting the right amount of protein to get the most from your workouts.