2009 Studies & Research Blog

It’s no secret that resistance training has a number of benefits. However, despite the advantages associated with it, this method of exercise still seems to be suffering from the effects of a stereotype that supposes any amount of weight training will result in a big, bulky figure. Contrary to popular belief, this is not true. Although many women resist weight training because they feel the activity will result in a more manly physique, those fears are unfounded. Men and women have physiological differences that prevent women from adopting the same build as men.

In addition, many men will avoid resistance training because they are just trying to "slim down" or "tone up." What they fail to realize is that resistance training isn’t just for bodybuilders. In fact, an individual is not going to acquire a big and buff physique unless a consistent caloric surplus is maintained. But if one simply consumes their maintenance level of calories or just below, there will be positive changes in body composition (ie, less fat mass and more lean mass), but not a dramatic increase in muscle size.

Of course, there is also the misconception that resistance training isn’t a good idea for weight-management because it doesn’t burn very many calories. This could not be farther from the truth. In fact, an hour of vigorous weight lifting will burn about twice as many calories as an hour of treadmill walking at two miles per hour. In addition, resistance training raises one’s metabolism for many hours after the session is over, burning additional calories. Also, muscle mass itself requires quite a few calories to maintain, so the more muscle one has, the faster his metabolism will be. And last but certainly not least is the fact that research has shown that low muscle mass is associated with "clustered metabolic risk" - a condition that puts one at a higher susceptibility for cardiovascular disease and obesity-related disorders (1).

Perhaps the biggest obstacle to adopting a resistance training program, though, is the fear that it will take a very considerable commitment to achieve any results. But just like all of the aforementioned ideas about fitness, this belief is mistaken as well. In fact, a study published recently in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise found that positive benefits of resistance training can come in a surprisingly short amount of time. The six-month study found that just 11 minutes of resistance training resulted in a "chronic increase in energy expenditure." In other words, metabolic rate didn’t just increase during the sessions; resting metabolic rate increased by more than seven percent, and the data also indicated increased fat oxidation (fat burning) (2).

Given this new data, there’s really no reason not to begin resistance training. In less than the time it takes to watch half of a television show, you can significantly increase you resting metabolic rate and increase your likelihood of burning fat for energy.

SOURCES:

1. Steene-Johannessen, Jostein, et al. Low Muscle Fitness Is Associated with Metabolic Risk in Youth. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009; 41(7): 1361-1367

2. Kirk, Erik P., et al. Minimal Resistance Training Improves Daily Energy Expenditure and Fat Oxidation. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009; 41(5): 1122-1129