American Medical Association (AMA) Comes Out STRONG FOR STRENGTH TRAINING

Muscles Matter was a lead article in the September 15, 2008 American Medical News; it is published by the AMA.

The article enumerates Medical Doctors and PhDs who strongly endorse the benefits of strength training…in fact, 10 key potential benefits are listed in the article. I added an additional six benefits. What was fantastic about this endorsement is that the medical world is finally taking a strong, public stand for strength training. [Link to AMA article and Muscles Matter FAQ are at the end of this article.]

And speaking of ‘the public,’ if you are going to take on the mission of being able to strength train ‘the public’ (and this IS the mission of the SuperSlow Zone®), you better have a way to help the entire spectrum of ‘the public’ from kids, to the medically fragile, to high performing athletes, to seniors, to busy people 40 – 69 years old, and, of course,…all ages of people who pay attention NOW – regardless of how “in condition” they are or are not – to preserving the muscle they have now and for the future.

Historically, the majority of medical professionals have recommended ‘walking’ as a main form of exercise to their patients. However, walking will never, ever maintain the muscles you have now, nor build new muscles as you age. Three of my favorite ‘jaw-dropping examples’ from the article are:

1. How weak women ages 55 to 64 are;
2. The dreaded ‘ending up in a nursing home’ scenario, and,
3. Your brain – what does muscle have to do with it?

Regarding ‘weak women,’ the article sited Barbara Bushman, PhD, Professor of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, Missouri State University,

“…In one study, 40% of women ages 55 to 64 said they couldn’t lift 10 pounds. We suggest that people get a dog and walk the dog for exercise, but then they can’t even lift a 10 pound bag of dog food into their car. The numbers are even worse for women 75 and older – 65% said they couldn’t handle that amount of weight. To me, that’s pretty frightening. They couldn’t even lift a grand child or respond to an emergency situation.”

I love dogs…but walking Chopper, my buddy, will never enable me to easily lift 10 pounds or more. Strength training…and SuperSlow Zone® in particular… will enable me to left that type of weight, and more!, now and as I age.

As for the nursing home…I don’t know anyone who aspires to live in a nursing home! I know that today there are many forms of these, from high-end to low-end versions, BUT regardless of which one…you still want to be 100% functionally independent. Period! Tony Marsh, PhD, Associate Professor of Exercise Science, Wake Forest University School of Medicine, North Carolina, said it best:

“The one thing people are most fearful of losing is the ability to function independently. The strength of your muscles is fundamental in maintaining your independence.”

Jeff Williamson, MD, Clinical Director of the J. Paul Sticht Center on Aging and Rehabilitation Wake Forest University School on Medicine put it this way…and he should know…after all, the aging ARE who he works with…

“I’d like to say there are really only two reasons older people end up in a nursing home. One is that their brains stop working, and the other is that their muscles stop working. Especially their leg muscles.”

…And speaking about your brain, “Neurological loss is another factor that seems to be at work,” said John Faulkner, PhD, Research Professor of Molecular and Integrative Physiology University of Michigan Medical School (82 Years Old). Dr. Faulkner is referencing how our brain and body communicate when it comes to doing what we want to do. Faulkner’s research has focused more recently on the role played by motor units that send signals from the brain to the muscles.

And you got it, strength training is critical, once again.

Faulkner stated,
“The [neuron-muscular] loss begins to occur in the major weight-bearing muscles between ages 40 to 50. From there it’s a pretty linear decrease until the end of the road…Although muscle fibers can’t be preserved, the ones that remain can be made more effective. The size of the fibers can be increased by lifting weights.”

It is very clear from these four renowned university researchers, the overall impact to your physiological system from using strength training to minimally retaining, let alone stimulating the growth of your muscles, is critical whatever age you are NOW and even more essential as you age.

There is only one convenient, safe, efficient, and effective way to get the many benefits from muscles:

• …that has a distinguished 26 year history and is IACET-accredited,
• …that is in a beautiful, clinically controlled strength training environment,
• …that will serve the spectrum of people comprising ‘the public,’
• …and that will meet you at your level to help you feel and look good, do what you want to do…and increase your energy.

That way is through SuperSlow Zone® strength training.

Madeline Ross
CEO
SuperSlow Zone®

P.S. Click On Article To Read in PDF Format - AMNews Article and SSZ FAQ Muscles Matter