Hippocrates, who is considered the father of medicine, affirmed almost 2,500 years ago that good health depended mainly on regular physical activity and a healthy diet. However, it was not until more than 2,300 years later, in 1953, that a study proved for the first time the preventive effect of physical activity on the mortality rate linked to heart disease. It was an English researcher who demonstrated, at that time, that the ticket inspectors of London's double deck double-decker buses, which had to travel, had a lower mortality rate of cardiovascular origin than the drivers of these buses.
The health benefits of regular practice of one or more physical activities are now widely recognized. It is even possible to get a prescription in certain sports countries from your doctor. It has become common practice today that practicing sports, mainly endurance sports (some speak of cardiovascular activities) is excellent for staying in good health. Conversely, for active people as well as older people, indoor training (bodybuilding, fitness, crossfit) does not enjoy as recognized a reputation as aerobic training. Could there be a scientific reason for this under-representation of this type of sport among people seeking to maintain good cardio? Are the health effects of strength training underestimated?
Cardio or weight training for the heart?
Cardiovascular diseases are the second most common cause of death in Western countries, just behind cancer. Adopting healthy lifestyle habits such as a balanced diet, good stress management and not smoking or consuming alcohol obviously reduces the risk of heart disease. To these healthy habits, we must now add physical activity. When practiced regularly, practicing sport reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease by half.
Thus, and not just running or walking, regular weight training can cause a reduction in blood pressure at rest and during exercise, a reduction in the quantity of lipids (fats) in the blood, as well as an increase in energy expenditure during exercise and in the hours following it. These effects may reduce the risk of heart disease. In addition to a possible reduction in fat levels, regular weight training can increase the body's ability to maintain its sugar level at an ideal level. These changes may help reduce the risk and symptoms of type 2 diabetes, another important risk factor for cardiovascular disease.
Despite these many positive effects on the health of the heart and blood vessels, indoor training in strength sports, such as bodybuilding, remains less beneficial than aerobic training for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases and subsequent rehabilitation. of one of these diseases. Additionally, aerobic training reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and obesity more than strength training. This does not mean that sports requiring muscle fibers should be banned, quite the contrary. But to choose, for the prevention of cardiovascular diseases, endurance sports will be a little more effective. However, if you have been doing weight training at home or in your gym for years, don't change your habits, they are "excellent", and you are probably in very good health! If you feel a little difficulty in the cardio part, do not hesitate to take over 30 days Stimium GABA and/or Stimium OMG with its 1000 mg of Omega 3 per capsule, highly dosed in EPA and DHA which can help you progress on This aspect couldn't be more important!
Cardio or weight training for bones?
Osteoporosis is characterized by a decrease in bone mass. One of the risk factors for osteoporosis is physical inactivity. In bodybuilding, mechanical stress caused by loads on the skeleton can stimulate bone reconstruction and thus ensure the maintenance or increase of bone density. Furthermore, aerobic endurance exercises which are carried out while supporting the weight of the body and which ideally involve impacts, such as running and tennis, are also beneficial in countering osteoporosis. Conversely, when the body weight is supported, as in swimming, the effects are lessened.
Strength training can also improve balance, coordination, and muscular strength and endurance. Improving these qualities reduces the risk of falls. Although these physical skills can also be strengthened by cardiovascular exercises, specific bodybuilding exercise choices will be more effective. Furthermore, muscular exercises have the advantage of exposing the athlete less to falls than certain aerobic exercises such as cycling, for example. Falls are one of the main fears of older people who practice physical activity. And for good reason ! They are the main cause of fractures among the elderly. Approximately 1% of falls among older adults result in a fracture of the neck of the femur, commonly called a hip fracture. This type of fracture causes a loss of functional autonomy which leads to a reduction in longevity.
A draw here between strength exercises (bodybuilding, fitness, crossfit) and endurance sports. What you need to remember is that playing a sport can stimulate bone rebuilding. For prevention, supplementing with Stimium® Joint Flex as a treatment to relieve joint problems can also be a relevant solution, particularly to prevent any joint or cartilage problems. Some will prefer the consumption of Kolafex , highly bioavailable marine collagen, in combination with a very specific magnesium salt and a natural vitamin C, this product having the rather unique ability to regenerate cartilage, and therefore possibly repair all or part of the cartilage. uses of certain joint tissues (hip, knee, ankle, shoulder, etc.).
Cardio or weight training for mental health?
Just like aerobic training, training muscular strength and endurance has a favorable influence on stress management, reduces the risk of depression and increases well-being and self-esteem. More studies have assessed the level of apprehension in men aged 65 and over: the strongest were more socially engaged, had a greater sense of well-being and a better perception of their health. Canadian researchers have also demonstrated that strength training could slow the decline in intellectual abilities in women over 60. They even observed an improvement in attention and cognition skills in those who had trained in strength training only 1 to 2 times a week for a year. These results join others that support that regular aerobic activity can prevent other mental illnesses, such as Alzheimer's disease, but these are observational studies here. In all cases, practicing active sports, whether indoors on machines or outdoors, will necessarily help preserve certain cognitive functions. Here again, regular consumption of Omega 3 will be relevant, but also of GABA to maintain good neuronal connections, as well as BACOPA , to train your memory, as you train your muscles.
Cardio or weight training to maintain autonomy?
Strength and endurance are essential to carry out several actions of daily life, such as shopping, gardening, holding a child, cleaning your home, washing, etc. Regular muscle exercise can slow down loss. of strength and endurance caused mainly by the decrease in muscle mass linked to aging. We must remember that from the age of 30, our muscle mass naturally reduces even if it is possible to combat this muscle loss, through training, physical activity and taking food supplements such as Stimium® [C] Whey , Stimium® Iso Hwy or Stimium® VegPro to maintain a good protein intake in order to nourish your muscles. Regarding products to be consumed mainly in a shaker, some will prefer to consume proteins in the form of bars, such as ProBar which includes 11 grams of protein, without fat or sugar, a very interesting product for limiting muscle loss. Many doctors and specialists make the assessment of maximum muscular strength in the elderly a good factor in predicting functional autonomy.
Cardio or weight training to live longer?
According to various studies, regular practice of aerobic physical activities reduces the risk of premature death and extends life by approximately 2 to 6 years. Few studies have attempted to measure the effects of strength training on these two factors. However, an American study published in 2002, which spanned a period of 25 years, suggested that low levels of muscle strength may be associated with an increased risk of death. Another American study, published in 2004, and carried out on more than 9,000 men and women, indicates that the death rate is higher in people who have a low level of muscular strength and endurance.
Cardiovascular training is backed by scientific evidence regarding its health benefits and its ability to reduce the risk of heart disease, type 2 diabetes, obesity, osteoporosis, certain cancers as well as Alzheimer's disease. Nevertheless, the scientific community increasingly recognizes the beneficial contribution of bodybuilding to health. Moreover, some of these effects stand out from those of aerobic training, such as the reduction in the risk of falls as we age or the maintenance of upper body strength, which helps preserve autonomy. To date, it is possible to affirm that a varied choice of physical activities requiring cardiovascular endurance as well as muscular qualities such as strength, endurance, flexibility and balance make it possible to develop maximum potential. health as we age.
Bodybuilding or endurance sports, why choose? Both are very useful for maintaining good health when the weight of age becomes greater. The equation, young, adult or older remains the same – eat well, sleep well, and maintain regular physical activity, to maintain good health, both physical and physiological. This is exactly the goal of Stimium , to take care of your health, every day.
