Whether you are training aerobic capacity, mobility or alignment, don't forget your muscles!
Does your workout regimen include muscle building activities? |
It’s hard to overstate the importance of maintaining and building muscle mass. While strength, power and muscular endurance are all very important for optimal aging, your overall wellbeing is disproportionately related to your muscle mass. There are several factors that are influenced by muscle mass. Among them are:
Muscle mass supports your joints. More muscle mass is generally associated with healthier joints.
Your sense of balance is highly dependent on sensations that arise from your muscles. As you lose muscle mass, your balance tends to become shakier
Bone density is influenced by muscle mass. When muscles pull harder on the bones, the osteoblasts in the bones respond by increasing bone density. More muscle = more force = greater bone density.
Muscles are integrally involved in glucose metabolism; building muscle is a powerful way to both treat and prevent insulin resistance.
The academic article, linked below, describes the importance of skeletal muscle in managing blood sugar
Merz, K. E., & Thurmond, D. C. (2011). Role of skeletal muscle in insulin resistance and glucose uptake. Comprehensive Physiology, 10(3), 785-809.
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