Why Consistency is Key
The American College of Sports Medicine has recently published the first major update in strength training guidelines in almost two decades and their message is simple: consistency is key. According to their research, finding any form of resistance training that you actually enjoy- band exercises, body weight training, dumbbells, barbells- and being consistent about completing two sessions a week is shown to increase your muscle strength, size, power, and function.
In response to this update, McMaster University published an article by Andrea Lawson in which Stuart Phillips, a distinguished Kinesiology Professor at McMaster University was interviewed. According to Phillips, “the best resistance training program is the one you’ll actually stick with.” Phillips goes on to say, “training all major muscle groups at least twice a week matters far more than chasing the idea of a ‘perfect’ or complex training plan.”
For anyone familiar with our ethos here at Physipod, this message is not new. Our entire goal is to help our clients understand the importance of building and maintaining muscle as they age, ensure that they are engaging in some form of resistance training at least twice a week and, perhaps most importantly, making it fun enough that they keep doing it.
This latest resistance training update is not anecdotal evidence; it is based on research spanning over 137 studies including 30,000 participants. What it means for older adults is really significant: resistance training is for everyone at every age. Consistently doing resistance training (any form of it!) is more important than sweating the specific parameters if we’re not training for a specific sport or athletic endeavour.
If you are keen to get going with resistance training, but unsure where to start, please get in touch with us for a free 20-minute consultation to sort out how we can best support you in your journey or come try one of our classes for free!
