“The good news is that, while you can’t turn back the clock, you can do something to affect your biological age – the toll the years take on your body and your health…Strength training is really the key...”
Tufts University Health Nutrition Letter (May 2006)
Tufts University Health Nutrition Letter (May 2006)
For many years, the heart and therefore aerobic exercise were thought to be practically synonymous with a long and healthy life. In stark contrast, weight training was considered to be purely cosmetic, but following research on ageing, strength training has replaced aerobics on its pedestal, becoming the senior partner in combating the ageing process, in combination with cardiac and flexibility training. (Note: The term “cardiac” as opposed to “aerobic” training).
Biomarkers and the Positive Influence of Strength Training
If a person did not know how old they were in calendar years, biomarkers would be the things that would indicate their age. Over the years an overall weakening of the body occurs, which is caused by a change in body composition in favour of fat but at the expense of muscle. (What is a biomarker?)
Muscle mass (the 1st biomarker) is responsible for the vitality of all the body’s systems. Once muscle mass is lost, the 2nd biomarker physical strength follows. This weakening of the body reduces the activity levels with a corresponding loss of balance, reduction in mobility and the frailty so often seen in the elderly today – like ‘toppling dominoes’ the remaining biomarkers soon follow.
However, when muscle and strength are maintained; the other biomarkers are likewise maintained, thus weight training was found to be the key controllable physiological factor associated with rejuvenating the 10 biomarkers of the ageing process:
- Muscle Mass
- Strength
- Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR)
- Body Fat Percentage (BF%)
- Aerobic Capacity
- Blood-sugar Tolerance
- Cholesterol/High-Density-Lipoprotein Ratio
- Blood Pressure
- Bone Density
- Ability to Regulate Body Temperature
In addition to strength training, cardiac and flexibility training ‘rounded off’ the bold concept of regular exercise being the key to a healthy and rewarding old age. The latter are important, but strength is the crux to staying young longer and it also increases the effectiveness of cardiac exercise.
As their body-fat increases the average middle-aged person attempts to lose the additional weight through diet and aerobic type exercise. This is not good enough – because it also reduces their muscle mass. The aim must be to improve body composition – the ratio of ‘biologically active’ muscle to ‘biologically inactive’ fat. Increasing the active muscle mass raises the basal metabolic rate (the 3rd biomarker), because more muscle burns more calories. Consistent and progressive strength training will increase strength and regain muscle mass, even past the age of 45 – regardless of the present condition of the body.
In terms of losing body-fat, the key is the burning up of the body’s carbohydrate stores, which can be done both ‘easy and slow’, or ‘hard and fast’. After exercise the body revs up the body’s fat burning engines in order to save what precious carbohydrate stores remain. However, in addition to this ‘revving up-fat burning’ effect, ‘hard and fast’ exercise produces Lactic Acid, which in turn stimulates the release of Growth Hormones. These hormones increase both the fat-burning and muscle building processes, especially combined with the Testosterone boost derived from pure strength training!
In addition to traditionally held ‘fat-burning’ myth, aerobic exercise is often performed for heart health. Yet another all-to-common mistake, as the heart has all the endurance it will ever need and the biological (muscular) adaptations to long, slow distance type ‘exercise’ of improved Oxygen transport and processing also produce an associated down-sizing of the muscles, including the heart. The heart need ‘strengthening’ and this is achieved using bursts of high intensity efforts, which make it beat both harder and faster – to near maximal rates. Obviously, such training needs to be built up to gradually and ‘The Kettlebell Bible’ contains the ‘Heart Health Interval Training Programme’.
The Three Keys
Strength, cardiac and flexibility training are the 3 keys to health and fitness. So, do you need an expensive gym membership in order to conduct a programme consisting of separate weight based exercises, aerobic work on machines and a yoga class – NO!
All you need is a kettlebell. During the workouts, your strength, then stamina and finally flexibility are developed within a 45 to 60 minute all-in-one session performed with a single kettlebell, in the convenience and privacy of the home.
A Health Span That Matches Your Life Span – The Fountain of Youth
Making the right lifestyle changes early on can greatly improve your odds of approaching the ideal: a health span that almost matches your life span. Lifestyle changes include a holistic exercise programme incorporating strength, cardiac and flexibility training and sound, sensible nutrition – but to be effective any changes must be gradual, progressive, time-efficient, consistent and convenient – the kettlebell could be your fountain of youth!
Source: Somerset Sambo
Author : Rob Beauchamp
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