Strength training and muscle pliability are cornerstones of fitness and health that offer
numerous benefits beyond just bulging muscles. While the idea of lifting weights might conjure images of bodybuilders, it's essential to recognize that strength training is for everyone, regardless of age, gender, or fitness level.
In this article, we will explore a few key elements that can maximize the benefits of strength training and pliability, including:
Intensity Matters
When it comes to strength training, intensity is king. It refers to the level of effort you put into each exercise. In traditional strength training, the focus is on progressively increasing the weight you lift. This is crucial because it challenges your muscles to adapt and grow stronger.
The benefits of high-intensity strength training include:
Increased Muscle Mass: Training to muscular failure increases muscular adaptations and body compositional changes.
Improved Metabolism: Muscle burns more calories at rest than fat, so increasing muscle mass can boost your metabolism.
Enhanced Bone Density: Intense resistance training can improve bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis.
Boosted Endurance: Intensity helps improve muscle endurance, making daily activities easier.
Individualized Programs
One size does not fit all in strength training. The effectiveness of a strength training program depends on tailoring it to an individual's goals, abilities, and limitations.
Benefits of individualized programs include:
Efficiency: Customized workouts target specific goals, ensuring that time spent at the gym is maximally productive.
Injury Prevention: Individualized programs take into account your body's unique strengths and weaknesses, reducing the risk of injury.
Sustainable Progress: Customization allows for gradual progression, preventing plateaus and burnout.
Variable Resistance
Variable resistance involves using equipment or techniques that provide resistance in different ways throughout an exercise's range of motion. This approach challenges muscles more effectively than traditional methods.
The advantages of variable resistance include:
Full Muscle Engagement: Variable resistance ensures muscles work harder at all points in an exercise, promoting balanced muscle development.
Reduced Joint Stress: By accommodating the body's natural strength curve, variable resistance exercises can be gentler on the joints.
Enhanced Muscle Activation: Muscles are kept under tension for longer periods, which can lead to greater muscle activation and growth.
Eccentric Training
Eccentric training focuses on the lengthening phase of an exercise, where the muscle is under tension as it lengthens. It's often overlooked but offers unique benefits.
The perks of eccentric training include:
Muscle Fiber Activation: Eccentric training engages more muscle fibers than concentric (lifting) training alone, contributing to muscle growth and strength gains.
Injury Prevention: It can help improve control and stability during movements, reducing the risk of injuries both in the gym and during daily activities.
Rehabilitation: Eccentric training is often used in physical therapy to aid in the recovery of injured muscles and joints.
Removing Adhesions
Removing adhesions requires the restoration of pliability within the muscle tissue. Muscle
pliability is a critical component of muscle health, distinct from flexibility and mobility - think of it as the sponginess of the tissues.
When we are young, our muscles are very spongy, can conform to any position without restrictions, and can perform on demand. As we age, pain and stiffness creep in, restrictions become apparent and we need an endless warm-up just to get going.
Some important ideas around muscle pliability include:
Muscle pliability is not achieved through conventional stretching, foam rolling, or classical massage techniques
Oscillating, three-dimensional pressure, and shear directly into the adhesions are needed. This is unique to Delos Therapy.
What you gain from pliable muscles:
More freedom of movement without restrictions
Greatly improved muscle recruitment leading to enhanced performance and adaptations.
Pain and stiffness are a thing of the past
Muscles feel vibrant and younger
Safety
While the benefits of strength training are undeniable, safety should always be a priority. It is imperative when training at higher intensities to use the proper equipment and form to safely challenge your muscles without risk of increased injury.
Strength training and muscle pliability are powerful tools for improving overall health and fitness.
By incorporating these elements into your muscle health regimen, you can expect to see improvements in:
Lean muscle mass and bone density
Metabolism and endurance
Body composition and movement
Injury prevention
Remember, the key to success in achieving superior muscle health is consistency and a commitment to continually challenging yourself while also being mindful of your body's unique needs and capabilities.
At Delos Strength and Delos Therapy, we are able to combine all of these variables into a
unique 30-minute workout and efficient pliability treatment plan guaranteed to challenge you like never before. Our elite coaches and therapists use top-of-the-line equipment and technique, and a workout tracking app allows us to safely and effectively push you to your limits with a focus on the individual's goals and continued progress.
You don’t need to spend hours and hours in the gym every week and stretch endlessly without results. Come experience what a difference proper strength training and pliability can make for you at Delos.
Written by Brandon Groth, MS Kinesiology and Managing Partner of Delos Strength with Eric Owens, MS Biomedical Science and Co-Founder of Delos Strength and Delos Therapy®
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