Physiological adaptations of resistance training with 4 exercises you should try

By Sam Cortes, Communications Coordinator

Resistance training has numerous advantages to the human body that go beyond gaining muscle mass.

This type of training increases basal metabolic rate, decreases the chance of osteoporosis and sarcopenia, and increases motor performance.

This blog will give you great insight about the benefits of incorporating resistance training exercises into your workout.

What is Resistance Training?

Resistance training is any form of physical activity that requires the muscles to contract against an external resistance with the aim to increase muscle power, strength, hypertrophy, and endurance.

There is a wide variety of equipment you can utilize to perform resistance training exercises, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, medicine balls, slam balls, vipers, and your own body weight.

5 Physiological Adaptations of Resistance Training

Resistance training has numerous physiological adaptations, which help the human body, such as:

1. Increasing basal metabolic rate (BMR)
BMR is the number of calories your body uses to perform the basic (basal) life sustaining function. The BMR serves as a platform for monitoring your weight and can help determine the number of calories you should gain or lose in order to maintain a healthy body weight according to each individual’s needs.

2. Increasing lean tissue mass
Increasing lean tissue mass is highly beneficial for the body in order to maintain and increase overall strength. This will also help with boosting metabolism and maintaining a healthy body weight.

3. Increasing insulin sensitivity
Resistance training helps you manage insulin sensitivity by burning glucose during exercise. Regulating glucose usage in the body reduces the likelihood of developing type 1 and type 2 diabetes.

4. Decreasing percentage of body fat
Resistance training decreases percentage of body fat by increasing the after-burn effect (adaptations the body experiences after resistance training). Furthermore, this type of exercise increases the number of calories we burn at rest.

5. Decreasing the chance of sarcopenia and osteoporosis
Sarcopenia is a medical condition associated with loss of skeletal muscle mass with relative increase in body fat. Osteoporosis, on the other hand, is characterized by loss of bone mass and deterioration of bone tissue. Resistance training decreases the chance of osteoporosis by building strong bones, which minimizes the risk of fracture. Resistance training can also prevent sarcopenia as it helps to regrow diminishing muscles fibres in individuals.

4 Resistance Training Exercises You Should Try

1. Pull-Across Plank

This plank variation is a great core exercise that you can incorporate into your workout. Be mindful of performing the movement slowly and controlled.

2. Goblet Squats
This exercise will help you increase lower body strength by primarily targeting your glutes, hamstrings and quadriceps.

3. Barbell Forward Lunges
The barbell forward lunge is a unilateral exercise, which will help you increase lower body strength. Be mindful of keeping the forward knee aligned with your toe as you perform the lunge.

4. Russian Twists with Medicine Ball
This core exercise will primarily strengthen your obliques. Concentrate on slow rotations as you bring the medicine ball from one side to the other.