In this months blog I wanted to hit home some really key benefits of
of strength training and challenging our muscles to regularly contract for overall health
Before you start thinking do I need to get down to a gym to gain these effects the answer is a simple no but challenging the muscles stimulus to grow and build will supercharge the benefits below.
Doing regular muscle contraction movements throughout the day is recommended over single intense exercise blocks, so like I said we need to move away from the mindset that we need to get down the gym for gruelling workout to get these gains. So make it your priority to make movement and muscle contraction regular and this will provide you with multiple health benefits.
Physical benefits: muscle growth (hypertrophy), increases our metabolism, improves our bone density and enhances our joint stability. Now muscle growth does require the strength training and depending on your baseline, bodyweight exercises might suffice but at some point to continue the growth then eternal load like dumbbells and kettlebells are needed.
Let us delve into the metabolic effect and the powerful pathways that muscle contraction has on our physiology. To start with it increases basal metabolic rate (BMR) which simply means the healthier your muscles are the more calories you will burn at rest. Good healthy muscle just needs a lot of energy to function, so it is a sure way to help you lose weight.
Lean strong healthy muscle helps you improve glucose regulation and enhances insulin sensitivity. So this means that you reduce the stress on your pancreas to release insulin to deal with excess glucose in your blood stream. Your cells become more sensitive to glucose which is a good thing, as they can utilise that glucose really efficiently as your muscles need glucose to help fuel them. Muscles are like engines, the stronger they are the more fuel they will need. So if you are on the journey to type 2 diabetes or if you are indeed a type 2 diabetic then another resounding thumbs up to get your muscles stronger.
Yes and muscles are truly medicine for our bodies. It all comes back to our cells and the cellular benefits it has. As soon as we stimulate our muscles with a stressor (bodyweight and weighted exercises) that get them contracting, a powerful protein called AMPK gets activated and this protein is a catalyst for another typer of protein called, PGC1A . These 2 proteins ultimately have an anti-inflammatory effects on our cells and therefore a reduction in chronic inflammation systemically to our bodies.
So put these steps in place moving forward:
Avoid prolonged sitting (more than 1 hour periods)
Incorporate regular muscle activity throughout the day
Consider post-meal walking to reduce glucose spikes (30% reduction noted)
Take home points that I would like you to keep in mind!
Our muscle are an organ and they have key cellular and metabolic processes if we stimulate them through strength work and movement.
Those 2 powerful proteins AMPK and PGC1A promote mitochondrial health (the energy part of the cell). This Increases energy processes within our cells and help clear them from:
The toxic effects of free radicals that can in the long term damage our cells and the DNA they house. Free radicals build up from being sedentary, eating highly processed foods and prolonged stress etc.
Muscle contractions enhance cellular cleanup.
Strength training increases antioxidant defence processes
Muscles can regulate glucose without insulin dependence.
Regular muscle activity reduces chronic inflammation and oxidative stress
So muscle contractions are truly medicine!
Till next time.
Mario
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