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CHAPTER IV: Strength Training
“Strength doesn’t come from what you can do. It comes from overcoming the things you once thought you couldn’t.”
LESSON 2
Strength Training: Its Benefits and Ailments
INTRODUCTION
Resistance training (also called strength training or weight training) is the use of
resistance to muscular contraction to build the strength, anaerobic endurance and size
of skeletal muscles.
Resistance training is based on the principle that muscles of the body will work to
overcome a resistance force when they are required to do so. When you do resistance
training repeatedly and consistently, your muscles become stronger.
A well-rounded fitness program includes strength training to improve joint
function, bone density, muscle, tendon and ligament strength, as well as aerobic
exercise to improve your heart and lung fitness, flexibility and balance exercises.
LEARNING OUTCOMES
Explain how Strength Training could prevent or reverse ailments.
Identify the benefits of Strength Training.
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Let’s Do It!
WORD SEARCH
DIRECTION: Find and circle the words listed below.
S A H D F T Y J C H D H S
T H O A E S G H A D L E I
R O L F L E X I B L E E S
O R T U E T T O L K N P O
K A N G N E H I E R E F R
E E L A I B E E G E R C O
L E R K A A F R R C G S P
M A R A R I H A A N Y F O
H E A R T D I S E A S E E
A R T H R I T I S C W D T
C A G H F G A T G E A W S
R A T A A F D C T T S S O
ARTHRITIS CANCER
STROKE HEART DISEASE
FLEXIBLE ENERGY
DIABETES OSTEOPOROSIS
Let’s Connect the Dots
1. Discuss the terms that you’ve found in the word search diagram above.
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Let’s Talk About It
Benefits of Strength Training
Research has shown that strength training can benefit your health and fitness in many
different ways. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength training may help:
build lean muscle mass
reduce body fat
burn calories more efficiently, even after you’ve exercised
boost metabolism and make weight loss easier
increase bone density and improve bone health
boost flexibility and improve range of motion
improve brain health and cognitive functions
reduce the symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back
pain, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease
improve posture, balance, and stability
raise energy levels
improve mood and overall sense of well-being
Ailments that could be prevented or reversed with Strength Training
If you have a chronic disease — such as heart disease, diabetes, asthma, or back or
joint pain — exercise can have important health benefits. However, it's important to talk
to your doctor before starting an exercise routine. He or she might have advice on what
exercises are safe and any precautions you might need to take while exercising.
Find out what you need to know about exercise and chronic disease.
How can exercise improve a chronic condition?
If you have a chronic condition, regular exercise can help you manage symptoms and
improve your health.
Aerobic exercise can help improve your heart health and endurance and aid in weight
loss. High-intensity interval training is generally safe and effective for most people and
can take less time. In high-intensity interval training, you alternate exercising at high
levels of intensity and exercising at a less intense level for short periods of time. Even
activities such as walking at higher intensities count.
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Strength training can improve muscle strength and endurance, make it easier to do daily
activities, slow disease-related declines in muscle strength, and provide stability to joints.
Flexibility exercises may help you to have optimal range of motion about your joints, so
they can function best, and stability exercises may help reduce the risk of falls.
For example:
Heart disease. Regular exercise can help improve your heart health. Recent studies
have shown that interval training is often tolerated well in people with heart disease,
and it can produce significant benefits.
For people with high blood pressure, exercise can lower your risk of dying of heart
disease and lower the risk of heart disease progressing.
Diabetes. Regular exercise can help insulin more effectively lower your blood sugar
level. Physical activity can also help you control your weight and boost your energy.
If you have type 2 diabetes, exercise can lower your risk of dying of heart disease.
Asthma. Often, exercise can help control the frequency and severity of asthma
attacks.
Back pain. Regular low-impact aerobics activities can increase strength and
endurance in your back and improve muscle function. Abdominal and back muscle
exercises (core-strengthening exercises) may help reduce symptoms by
strengthening the muscles around your spine.
Arthritis. Exercise can reduce pain help maintain muscle strength in affected joints
and reduce joint stiffness. It can also improve physical function and quality of life for
people who have arthritis.
Cancer. Exercise can improve the quality of life for people who've had cancer, and it
can also improve their fitness. Exercise can also lower the risk of dying from breast,
colorectal and prostate cancer.
Dementia. Exercise can improve cognition in people with dementia, and people who
are active on a regular basis are at less risk of dementia and cognitive impairment.
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Let’s See What‘s On Your
Mind
Direction: Identify the following. Write B if it is Benefits, and A if it is an Ailments. Write
your answer on the space provided.
____________ 1. Regular low-impact aerobics activities can increase strength and
endurance in your back and improve muscle function.
____________ 2. Reduce body fat.
____________ 3. Increase bone density and improve bone health.
____________ 4. Regular exercise can help insulin more effectively lower your blood
sugar level.
____________ 5. Exercise can improve cognition in people with dementia, and people
who are active on a regular basis are at less risk of cognitive impairment.
____________ 6. Regular exercise can help improve your heart health.
____________ 7. Boost metabolism and make weight loss easier.
____________ 8. Exercise can help control the frequency and severity of asthma
attacks.
____________ 9. Reduce the symptoms of many chronic conditions, including back
pain, diabetes, arthritis, and heart disease.
____________ 10. Build lean muscle mass.
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Let’s Dig Up More
Direction: Search for other Ailments that can be prevented by Strength Training. Paste
your output on the box below. You can add pictures and include references.
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