Data from 80,306 adults that was collected over a 14 year span from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey was analysed by researchers to investigate the associations between gym based and body weight strength training activities and all cause cardiovascular disease and cancer mortality.
Findings showed individuals who did strengthening exercises reduced risk of premature death from any cause by 23% and risk of cancer related death by 31%. Individuals who met the guidelines for physical activity in both cardiovascular and resistance training were shown to have greater risk reductions that those who participated in cardiovascular training only. Strength training on its own did not decrease mortality risk for cardiovascular disease.
This study shows that exercise which promotes muscular strength may be as important for health as aerobic activities, assuming findings reflect cause and effect relationships, strength training may be of more importance when it comes to decreasing the risk of death from cancer. Analysis highlights that in regards to risk deduction strength training body weight exercises were just as effective as gym based training. Many individuals can be intimidated by gyms, and the costs as well as culture they promote, making the awareness important that anyone can do classic exercises like situps, pushups, tricep dips, or lunges in their own time at home or even at a local park, free of charges that may potentially reap the same health benefits.
