Women and Weight Lifting
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Resistance exercises involving weightlifting may prove as important as aerobic exercise for women in fighting fat. Health scientists at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore and Arizona State University in Tempe found that resistance exercises push the body to burn calories for up to two hours after the workout. |
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More findings: Aerobic exercises or jogging typically burn more calories during the workout than weightlifting but increase energy expenditure for less than an hour afterward. Resistance training could have a more lasting effect on metabolism than aerobic exercise. It burns fat and increases muscle mass. |
Researchers studied a dozen women ages 24 to 34. On one day, the women did weightlifting exercises such as chest presses, leg presses, and bicep curls, while on another day, they sat still and watched a movie. On average, the exercises burned more than three times as many calories that were burned while watching the movie.
"We studied regular women, not super fitness enthusiasts, so these results may apply to most moderately active women," researcher Binzen says.
For maximum workout, the researchers suggest a combination of both aerobic exercises and resistance training.
The researchers reported these findings in the Journal of Medicine, Science Sports and Exercise.
See also:
Exercise!
Strength and Muscular Endurance with Weights
Weight Resistance Exercise for Seniors
Why Lift Weights?
Lift Weight to Lose Weight
Printable (free) Weight Training Log
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