Why do you Exercise?
It’s a nice feeling to see those unwanted inches disappear off your waistline and to have those who know you comment on how great you look. External re-enforcers are effective for weight loss; they keep you eating small meals and exercising every day.
Studies show, however, that you will receive the most motivation from understanding the more pressing reasons to keep your body in its top condition, giving rise to the following question: How does exercise affect your blood pressure, cholesterol, heart health, bone tissue, body composition and glucose metabolism?
In addition to a leaner body and the ability to “go the extra mile” without heavier breathing, you are positively impacting each of the conditions above through your exercise routine. Take a look at the descriptions below at concerning how exercise, particularly resistance exercise, can benefit each of these areas:
Blood pressure
Studies show high repetitions of moderate resistance reduce blood pressure, which wards off risk of heart failure, kidney disease and strokes.
Cholesterol
Studies show decreases of LDL cholesterol and increases in HDL cholesterol in resistance-trained individuals.
Heart Health
Although researchers do not completely understand the effects, resistance-trained individuals show an increase in left ventricular wall thickness and mass. This could improve cardiac output, stroke volume and overall heart efficiency.
Bone Tissue
Progressively loading the body’s skeleton in resistance training encourages bone modeling, which allows the bone to be re-enforced with more strength and more rigidity after each exercise session.
Body Composition
In addition to the energy expenditure of the resistance activity, itself, recovery from training also changes body composition through the addition of more lean muscle tissue and less body fat mass.
Glucose Metabolism
Resistance training has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and reduced insulin response, conditions which, if left uncontrolled, can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Today, when you’re performing those squats, think about all the benefits you’re providing your body in these important health areas!
updated on January 08, 2009
by Jeff Howerton ACSM-CPT
back to list of articles
It’s a nice feeling to see those unwanted inches disappear off your waistline and to have those who know you comment on how great you look. External re-enforcers are effective for weight loss; they keep you eating small meals and exercising every day.
Studies show, however, that you will receive the most motivation from understanding the more pressing reasons to keep your body in its top condition, giving rise to the following question: How does exercise affect your blood pressure, cholesterol, heart health, bone tissue, body composition and glucose metabolism?
In addition to a leaner body and the ability to “go the extra mile” without heavier breathing, you are positively impacting each of the conditions above through your exercise routine. Take a look at the descriptions below at concerning how exercise, particularly resistance exercise, can benefit each of these areas:
Blood pressure
Studies show high repetitions of moderate resistance reduce blood pressure, which wards off risk of heart failure, kidney disease and strokes.
Cholesterol
Studies show decreases of LDL cholesterol and increases in HDL cholesterol in resistance-trained individuals.
Heart Health
Although researchers do not completely understand the effects, resistance-trained individuals show an increase in left ventricular wall thickness and mass. This could improve cardiac output, stroke volume and overall heart efficiency.
Bone Tissue
Progressively loading the body’s skeleton in resistance training encourages bone modeling, which allows the bone to be re-enforced with more strength and more rigidity after each exercise session.
Body Composition
In addition to the energy expenditure of the resistance activity, itself, recovery from training also changes body composition through the addition of more lean muscle tissue and less body fat mass.
Glucose Metabolism
Resistance training has been shown to improve glucose tolerance and reduced insulin response, conditions which, if left uncontrolled, can lead to cardiovascular disease and diabetes.
Today, when you’re performing those squats, think about all the benefits you’re providing your body in these important health areas!
updated on January 08, 2009
by Jeff Howerton ACSM-CPT
back to list of articles
