Why Is Strength Important For Your Health?

Simply speaking, strength is the ability to exert force to move an object. It is essential for performing everyday activities and is crucial for maintaining independence, especially as individuals age.¹

While having big muscles might be appealing, apart from the vanity aspect, great muscle mass doesn’t do much to improve your physical performance, particularly your functional movement. Muscle strength, on the other hand, plays a vital role in everyday activities like walking, lifting heavy items, and even playing with your kids.

The importance of strength lies not only in its association with muscle mass but also in its relationship with overall health and longevity. Dr. Peter Attia emphasises that while muscle mass and strength are not equivalent, strength is a better predictor of lifespan than muscle mass.^2,3

To implement strength training for health benefits, follow these recommendations:

1) Begin with exercises that incorporate multi-joint movements, such as squats, deadlifts, and presses, to engage multiple muscle groups and build whole-body strength.

2) Include both concentric and eccentric exercises in your routine to comprehensively develop your strength.⁴

3) Aim for a combination of heavier weights with fewer repetitions and lighter weights with more repetitions to train different aspects of muscle strength and endurance.

4) Consistently progress by gradually increasing the weight or resistance as your strength improves.

Precautions when undertaking strength training include starting slowly to avoid injury, especially if you are new to exercise or have existing health conditions. Always warm up before lifting weights and cool down afterward.

It’s important to maintain proper form and seek professional guidance if uncertain about exercise techniques.

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