Weekly Fitness Fact
Strength Training is Important for Everyone
Your metabolism starts moving in slow motion as you age, but about 70 to 80 percent of that slowdown is related to muscle loss, which is why strength training is so crucial, says Gary Hunter, Ph.D., professor human studies and nutrition sciences at the University of Alabama in Birmingham, Alabama. To get more from your workout, do circuit training. In a recent study, when participants did a 30-minute circuit routine with weights, lifting for about 30 seconds and then resting for one minute, they continued burning nine percent more calories up to 14 hours after exercising, torching an extra 88 calories. So fight the aging process and do your body a favor with regular strength training in addition to your regular cardio workouts.