Written by Carrick Dalton & Margarita Gurevich exercise physiologist & senior physiotherapist
Some of the benefits of resistance training were discussed in The Benefits of Resistance Training Part 1, showing how it can help to reduce abdominal fat and improve the body’s appearance. In this article Part 2, several other important features are discussed.
1. Reduces the risk of falls.
Falling over is something that many people might not often think about, but as we become older this is of the biggest risks of injury. Most people believe that balance is associated with the risk of having a fall however, strength plays a huge role in our ability to reduce the chance of that happening. If we have greater strength in our muscles throughout our body, especially our core muscles, then we are able to support our body, particularly during dynamic (moving) positions. As we age, we start to become more aware of our body’s limitations and potential frailness, and the risk of injury. By improving our strength we are able to decrease the likelihood of injuries occurring as a result of tripping and falling, while participating in various activities, or other activities in our day to day lives.
2. Increases spine & joint mobility.
Resistance training not only improves our muscle strength but also can help increase the mobility and the range of motion of our spine and joints. Muscular imbalances are common in most of us, even if we are unaware of it. We generally have a dominant side (i.e. left or right) and because of this it is important to maintain consistency and equilibrium between both sides of our body. Not only that, but our joints are better supported when surrounded by stronger muscular tissue which can help prevent injuries even in something as common as rolling our ankle.
