Resistance Training and Cardiovascular Health

According to a recent scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA), resistance training is now considered at least as safe as aerobic exercise for individuals with heart disease and other health conditions. Additionally, for most people, it can offer similar or additional benefits in lowering risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

Abbi Lane, the senior author of the statement and an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Kinesiology, sheds light on the significance of this information and provides guidance on initiating resistance training.

The 2023 statement builds upon the 2007 statement due to the substantial increase in evidence linking resistance training to a lower risk of heart disease. It incorporates information about resistance training and novel heart disease risk factors, including sleep, mood, and blood vessel flexibility.

Benefits of Resistance Training:

• Risk Reduction: Resistance training is associated with a 15% lower risk of mortality and a 17% lower risk of heart disease compared to adults who don’t engage in resistance training.
• Improvements in Risk Factors: Beyond traditional risk factors, such as lipids and blood pressure, resistance training positively impacts nontraditional factors like sleep, mood, and blood vessel function.
• Blood Sugar Levels: In older individuals with diabetes, resistance training is linked to a 0.34% decline in average blood sugar levels.
• Blood Pressure: Healthy individuals over 40 can experience a reduction of -4/-2 units in blood pressure through resistance training.

Prescription for Resistance Training:

• Frequency: Engage in resistance training two days a week for optimal benefits.
• Sets and Repetitions: Perform 1-3 sets of 8-10 different exercises covering all muscle groups. Aim for 8-12 repetitions of each exercise.
• Start Light: Beginners can start with light weights, gradually progressing to heavier weights for increased intensity.
• Duration: A complete resistance training workout can take as little as 15 minutes.
• Rest Intervals: Allow 1-2 days of rest between resistance training sessions to facilitate nerve and muscle adaptations.

Comparison with Aerobic Training:

• Optimal Approach: Combination training (both aerobic and resistance) is deemed optimal for reducing heart disease risk, as benefits can be additive or synergistic.
• Blood Glucose Improvement: Combination training provides the most significant benefit for improving blood glucose, followed by aerobic training.
• Body Composition: Resistance training results in greater increases in lean body mass, while aerobic training leads to greater reductions in fat mass.

Considerations for Those Who Should Avoid Resistance Training:

• People with uncontrolled high blood pressure, unstable heart disease, arrhythmias, aortic dissection, and Marfan syndrome.
• Clearance from a doctor is advised for individuals with diabetes, controlled high blood pressure, pacemakers or defibrillators, past stroke, clinically low exercise capacity, musculoskeletal issues, and pregnant individuals.

Surprising Findings:

• The potency of resistance training, particularly when combined with aerobic exercise, was surprising, emphasizing its positive influence on multiple heart disease risk factors.
• Encouragement stems from the evidence suggesting that resistance training is devoid of barriers preventing many individuals from engaging in aerobic exercise.