When it comes to building muscle, many people first think of bodybuilders who go to the gym to lift weights.
In fact, it is necessary for everyone to train muscles.
Yesterday, a review study published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, a top journal in sports science, found that 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week , can significantly reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease, cancer and death by 10 to 20%.
How is time calculated? What are muscle strengthening activities? What did the research find? Today’s hot discussion, today let’s talk about this latest research.
Image source: British Journal of Sports Medicine
This study was a systematic review and meta-analysis of 16 prospective cohort studies published between 2012 and 2020. Twelve studies included both men and women, and the participants were adults, ranging in age from 18 to 97, with no serious health problems.
For the definition of muscle-strengthening activities, all studies looked at “muscle-strengthening exercises” such as resistance training (or strength, weight training, such as barbell lifting) and cosmetic gymnastics (Calisthenics, such as push-ups), rather than heavy lifting.
Researchers found that in adults, muscle-strengthening activity was inversely associated with cardiovascular disease, total cancer, diabetes, and all-cause mortality, excluding the effect of aerobic exercise.
That said, muscle training alone is good enough for your health. Of course, adding cardio is even better!
Additionally, they analyzed the dose relationship between each additional 10 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity and health effects:
40 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week was associated with the lowest all-cause mortality;
60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week is associated with the lowest rates of cardiovascular disease;
30 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week was associated with the lowest overall cancer rate.
Diabetes risk decreased most rapidly at 60 minutes of exercise, and gradually decreased with each additional 10 minutes thereafter.
In summary, about 30 to 60 minutes of muscle-strengthening activity per week was associated with significant reductions in all-cause mortality, cardiovascular disease, total cancer, and diabetes risk. When combined with aerobic exercise, the risk is reduced even more.
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Whether it is the World Health Organization’s “Guidelines for Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior” or the “Guidelines for Physical Activity for the Chinese Population (2021)” released by my country at the end of last year, both advocates that adults have at least weekly Do muscle strength exercises for 2 days.
This latest study gives us clearer guidance: A half hour to one hour of strength training per week is enough to have a significant positive impact on health.
There are many ways to exercise. If you are in the gym, you can use equipment to train, but for safety reasons, you must be guided by a coach; some small equipment, such as dumbbells, barbells, and kettlebells, It can also be used at home, but also pay attention to safety, it is best to have someone nearby to assist.
There are really no conditions, we can also directly use the weight of our body to train! Such as push-ups, sit-ups, squats, burpees, pull-ups, handstands, etc. In short, choose the way you like and suitable for you.
So, what are you waiting for, build your muscles!
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References
[1] Momma H, Kawakami R, Honda T, et al. Muscle-strengthening activities are associated with lower risk and mortality in major non-communicable diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis of cohort studies[J]. British Journal of Sports Medicine Published Online First, 2022. doi: 10.1136/bjsports-2021-105061.
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