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In February 2000 the American Heart Association (AHA)
issued a scientific advisory declaring that strength training
does in fact improve cardiovascular health and is “strongly
recommended for cardiovascular disease prevention programs.”
The AHA also suggests strength training for people who have
had heart attacks –as long as they have not suffered
major heart damage.
In the AHA report, strength training was cited as providing
the following benefits to heart health:
Reduced Blood Pressure
Reduced LDL Cholesterol (the “bad” cholesterol)
Increased HDL Cholesterol (the “good” cholesterol)
Enhanced Insulin Sensitivity (reduced risk of diabetes)
Increased Lean Body Mass (reduced stress on heart during physical
activity and aids in weight management)
We also know as a scientific fact that strength training is
the ONLY form of exercise capable of halting and reversing the
degenerative changes associated with the aging process such
as: loss of muscle and other lean tissues, loss of bone density,
decreased metabolic rate, decreased physical capacity and decreased
functional ability.
With this latest report by the AHA, strength training has now
been medically and scientifically acknowledged as providing
a wider range of health and fitness benefits than any other
single activity or type of exercise.
For Example, though steady-state aerobic activity has been shown
to improve certain cardiovascular risk factors, aerobics will
do virtually NOTHING to increase muscular strength, nor can
it halt or reverse the loss of strength and most of the other
degenerative effects of aging. However, strength training can
contribute to both cardiovascular and muscular health, and in
addition, offset the effects of aging.
Contrary to previous beliefs and recommendations by medical
and exercise professionals, we now know that strength training,
NOT aerobic activity, should form the cornerstone of an individual’s
exercise program.
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