Weight Training is Good for Your Heart

The standard prescription for improving cardiovascular fitness is submaximal aerobic exercise. The concept that long duration cardio is best for your heart continues despite research indicating shorter, more intense exercise sessions may be more effective. Weight training, which is a high intensity activity, is the new kid on the heart healthy block.

Weight training can favorably modify several risk factors for heart disease including lipids and cholesterol, blood pressure, glucose metabolism and body fat.
It does so by decreasing blood pressure and heart rate while lifting.

Even though the reductions in blood pressure are small they can still reduce your chance for heart disease and stroke. Individuals who regularly participate in a moderate resistance training program usually experience about a 2% decrease in resting systolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart is beating) and a 4% decrease in diastolic blood pressure (the pressure when the heart is resting between beats).

You don't have to lift like a super hero to improve your heart health. The American Heart Association Advisory calls for a single set of 8-15 repetitions, using 8-10 exercises, 2-3 times per week. The blood pressure decreases are similar whether doing conventional lifting or circuit training.

Weight training leads to reductions in body fat and increases in lean muscle mass. Excess body fat is a strong risk factor for heart disease. An increase in muscle mass leads to an increase in metabolic rate which aids in fat loss.

Resistance training also creates a force on the muscle which pulls on the bone. This stimulus increases bone density, reducing the chance of developing osteoporosis.

Weight training is safe for healthy adults and low risk cardiac patients. Individuals with high blood pressure, angina, valvular disease, irregular heartbeats or other moderate to serious cardiovascular disease should not do traditional resistance training.

Now that you know you don't have to spend an hour on your favorite cardio machine every day add some variety. Newer exercise prescriptions recommend a combination of aerobic and resistance training to improve cardiovascular conditioning. Adding weight training to your exercise program creates strong bones, strong muscles and a healthy heart.