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Written by Nik Friel
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· Improved Posture
Muscular balance is very important in maintaining a healthy body. If one muscle is too tight, it’s likely the opposing muscle will be too weak. This will throw your body out of alignment, placing stress on the joints. A classic example of this is sitting at a desk all day, slumped forward, staring at a computer screen. The chest muscles will become overly tight, and the back muscles will become overly weak. This imbalance will lead to neck and spinal problems over time. By utilizing the correct weight training exercises, we can help reduce and eventually correct this imbalance.
· Increased Bone Density and Balance
New studies suggest we peak in bone density at around 30 years of age. After 30, we start to lose bone density unless we do something about it. Moderate to intense weight training – and a balanced diet rich in calcium and magnesium – will rectify this problem. Older people tend to fall over more than younger people due to lack of balance, and if their bones are brittle they will likely break something. 9 out of 10 hip fractures are due to falls, and this can lead to a drastic reduction in mobility and independence. 50% of those who suffer a hip fracture will require long term nursing care. Regular weight training will help reduce the chance of Osteoporosis. Osteoporotic conditions are nearly as common as high blood pressure, and more common than high cholesterol, allergies and the common cold.
It is estimated that nearly 2 million Australians currently have an osteoporosis related condition, of which three quarters are women.
Starting weight training now will keep your bones strong and help improve balance and co-ordination, reducing the chance of a fall and a break down the track. It is never too late to begin weight training (Mary Ann Duncan for example), but obviously the younger we start the better. We don’t wait until we’re 65 to start saving money for retirement, do we?!
· Increased Strength, Muscle and Metabolic Rate
Weight training increases lean body mass – muscle. Muscle is metabolically active – this means it actually takes energy to maintain and hold onto it. This in turn increases your metabolic rate – the amount of calories you need for everyday activities. So the more muscle you have, the more you can eat without putting on extra weight! And as we start to lose about 1% of muscle annually after the age of about 25, the sooner we start pumping iron the better!
Weight training also makes you stronger. This makes every day activities easier, thus leaving you with more energy to do all the things you love doing – kicking a footy with the kids, taking a stroll along the beach with your partner or doing more weight training!
Why is Personal Training so Effective?· Accountability
It is much easier to get into the gym after a hard day at the office when you know there is someone there waiting for you. When you have a Personal Trainer you are accountable to someone else other than yourself. Your exercise sessions become appointments, thus making them harder to break. You are now also not the only person who wants you to achieve the results and goals you have clearly set out.
· Motivation
As we all know too well, motivation is fleeting! Many of us start a new project with a hiss and a roar, only to fall away from it when the excitement of the honeymoon period ends. Weight training and exercise is not just a fad – it is a life long commitment to your health and fitness. Personal Training will keep the motivation levels high by keeping the sessions fresh and fun!
· Education, Know-How and Safety
If you want to achieve great, ongoing results from the gym, you need to be coached by someone with experience and know-how. If your car breaks down, you take it to the mechanic, right? So if you want to lose 10kg of fat and tone your muscles up, you go to a body mechanic! A great Personal Trainer will have all the knowledge to design you a program specific to your needs, goals, body type and experience. Without correct exercise technique and program prescription it is possible to end up worse off than when you started. The last thing you want to do is overwork an over developed muscle, neglect a weak body part, or drop a dumbbell on your head! A great Personal Trainer will ensure you are doing exactly what you need to be doing to achieve all the results you desire.
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