Have you been lifting those weights? Well, maybe you should consider doing a few reps! A new study found that resistance exercise (such as weight training) affects blood vessels in different ways than aerobic exercise and offers benefits to heart health. In this study, researchers compared people who did 30 minutes of aerobic exercise (such as running) to another group of people who did 3 sets of 8 different weight training exercises. They found that resistance exercise increased blood flow to the limbs and aerobic exercise decreased artery stiffness. Artery stiffness happens when fat deposits build up in blood vessels leading to the heart; this can lead to heart disease. Since high blood pressure is a serious risk for heart disease and stroke, it was interesting to find that resistance exercise lead to a longer-lasting decrease in blood pressure after exercise. The findings of the study suggest that resistance exercise shows many cardiovascular (heart) benefits and should be considered as part of a daily exercise program.
So, if you already run a few miles on the treadmill or glide along on the elliptical, you may want to consider
adding resistance exercise training to your routine because it may help keep blood pressure in control and help prevent osteoporosis by strengthening bones. It is also important to know that daily physical activity and maintaining a healthy weight helps decrease the risk of developing chronic diseases such as diabetes, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cardiovascular (heart) disease, and stroke!
Information Source:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_105679.html
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