Frequently Asked Questions
I have found that I often get asked the same questions during my course of training clients. I have included some of the more common questions below. If you would like your questions answered, please submit your questions to yourtrainer@victoriawellness.com along with your name and email address and I will be happy to answer them. Also please indicate if I may put the question and answer on this web site so it may be available to others.
Thank you, Narina.
1. What is resistance training and what are the benefits for me?
The goal of any exercise program should be the reduction of body fat and the increase of lean muscle tissue. Resistance training is a form of exercise that involves moving your muscles through their range of motion with added resistance. This provides the muscle with stimulation in which to grow stronger. In order to stimulate the muscle fibers, some form of resistance needs to be used.
The benefits of resistance training are increased strength and flexibility. This transfers well to activities of daily living. Whatever your occupation; whether you play golf, swim, garden, perform office work or physical work you will notice an improvement in your daily life. Another bonus of an increase in lean muscle tissue is that it requires more calories to maintain. Muscles are hungry! What this means is that you are able to maintain a healthy body weight much easier when you are leaner.
2. Is spot reducing possible?
Unfortunately there is no such thing as spot reduction. If there is weight to lose, an exercise program combined with aerobic exercise will result in weight loss from all over the body.
3. What is osteoporosis and what can I do to prevent it?
Osteoporosis is a bone disease that results in fractures, crippling pain and hunched posture. It affects 1 in 4 women over age 50 and 1 in 8 men over age 50. Osteoporosis turns the sturdy latticework of bone into a fragile lace that breaks easily during simple activity. Factors that increase risk for osteoporosis are: family history, smoking, poor diet and lack of exercise.
The best forms of exercise are those that improve muscular strength, balance and coordination. The skeleton responds better to weight bearing activities (walking, lifting weights) than aerobic activity without weight bearing (swimming, bicycling). Resistance exercise is of great benefit to the bones. Muscular strengthening exercises increase co-ordination and balance, reducing risk of falls. Bones respond to increased load by increasing mass to spread the load over a larger amount of bone. For an exercise program to help maintain healthy bones, it needs to be continued.