Weight training builds lean body mass or lean muscle mass.  The lean body mass consumes an estimated 35 to 50 calories per pound of lean body mass per day.  Building muscle mass helps you lose weight!

How can you and I build more muscle mass?
Lift more weight to increase the muscle mass. When I am talking lifting more weight, I am talking squats, deadlifts, bench presses and leg presses which use and develop the larger muscles within the body.



These lifts use the body’s large muscle mass.  When these muscles are pushed and used, your testosterone levels increase, muscle mass increase in size, and calories are consumed just to maintain that mass, etc.  Protein synthesis and testosterone along with other amino acids are what the body uses to create muscle tissue.

We hear this comment so often from women: “I do not want those huge muscles and veins I see on men bodybuilders.”  Well ladies with a normal level of training you won’t.  Testosterone is the limiting factor, and Testosterone must be produced by the body to synthesize with protein to produce muscle mass.

There are a few factors involved with heavy muscle growth that are different in men and women's muscle development:

• Women have approximately one seventh or less the testosterone levels of men.
• As we age our testosterone levels decrease
• If an ovary was removed by surgery you will produce less testosterone
• If you are on estrogen you will produce less testosterone
• Most likely you will not push heavy weight for 5 or 6 days a week doing 3 – 5 sets with 8 – 15 reps and become a monster of the squat rack
• And finally you must have the genetic component for large muscles to develop.

In a normal weight training program you will become toned, your muscles will increase in size – but not become large or huge. You will (normally) decrease in waist size and dress size. Your legs or thighs and buttocks will maintain or change to more appealing size.  Your dress size will decrease and your body will become shapelier, and you may surprisingly gain weight.

Men and women have the same muscles and bone structure except in the pelvic regions. The primary difference between the sexes are the larger muscle mass of men due to greater amounts of testosterone. Most often women have less developed arms and backs due to lack of heavy use. Many women will have stronger abdomens muscles as they tend to do more abdominal exercise.

During training with women I concentrate on bicep movements, various tricep exercises, back, and shoulder exercises to strengthen these areas.

During training women are expected and encouraged to do full pushups. After a few weeks they are normally capable of 10 to 30 full pushups.

There are no separate training lifting exercises for seniors - men or women.  As we age it becomes more important to use resistance training to maintain our body's muscular structure.  Consideration must be given to any joint problem areas during an exercise period, but to maintain your physical health, lifting is the most important exercise a senior can undertake.
Are there different lifting movements for men and women or younger and older seniors) people?

Men and women have the exact same muscles and structures.  The only difference between the sexes are the larger muscle mass of men due to greater amounts of testosterone.  Most often women have weaker arms and backs due to lack of use.  On the counter side women will have stronger abdomens muscles as they tend to do more abdominal exercise.
 
During training with women I concentrate on bicep movements,  various tricep exercises, back, and shoulder exercises to strengthen these areas.

During training women are expected and encouraged to do full push ups.  After a few weeks they are normally capable of 10 to 30 full push ups.

There are no separate training lifting exercises for seniors - men or women.  As we age it becomes more important to use resistance training to maintain our body's muscular structure. Consideration must be given to any joint problem areas during an exercise period, but to maintain your physical health, lifting is the most important exercise a senior can undertake.

What are some of the apparent health benefits?

Preventing osteoporosis...The more we age, both women and men have a greater the risk of Osteoporosis.  Most people will start to experience bone loss after the 5th decade of their life. Women are at greater risk for developing osteoporosis than men with a ratio of 4 to 1.  Caucasian and Asian women are more likely to develop osteoporosis.  Small and thin women have a greater risk than most woman of experiencing Osteoporosis.

How does weight training and lifting helps bone density?

When weight is lifted, the bone structure in that area is stressed.  The body responds by increasing the bone density to safely handle the weight being lifted (over time).  This is the same principle as muscle growth is based upon, stress the muscle and the bone, and size and density will increase to handle the overload.  It is important to realize the entire body must be stressed.  The positive aspect of weight lifting is the bone density will increase and provide extra density for our older years.

Adult-onset diabetes:

Diabetes is a growing concern in our society. Many of the foods we consume are of poor nutritional value.  Corn syrup and sweeteners are used in many foods and drinks.  These sweeteners are deposited as fat tissue.  These fat deposits increase the chance of diabetes.  Weight training produces the lean muscle mass that consumes calories, and those calories our body use are fat calories.  Another benefit is greater glucose utilization as the muscles use glycogen as energy for lifting.

Heart Disease:

Heart Disease:
In a short period of time with weight training your cholesterol level should decrease along with your blood pressure and resting pulse rate.  Most people are now well aware of heart disease and the contributing factors of high cholesterol and high blood pressure.  I can truthfully say, after 3 or 4 months of consistent weight training you will be surprised how much your resisting pulse rate will drop.

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