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Speaking about simple ways to increase life expectancy, scientists note that lifting heavy objects for less than an hour a week effectively helps to achieve this goal.
Recent studies show that strength training has certain health benefits independent of aerobic activity. Specialists from the University of Iowa (USA) found that weight training, practiced by adults, is an independent method of prolonging life - thanks to them, the likelihood of cardiovascular pathologies is significantly reduced.
"Lifting weights for less than an hour a week can reduce the risk of heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70 percent," researchers said in a publication in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise.
They note that when it comes to reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, most people think of running or some other form of cardio activity. But lifting heavy objects is an equally effective way to keep the heart healthy into old age.
Scientists have also found that strength training effectively reduces the chances of getting diabetes or suffering from high cholesterol.
"Regardless of the degree of aerobic activity, less than an hour of weekly weight training reduces the risk of developing metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases the risk of heart disease, stroke and diabetes, by 29%. The risk of getting high cholesterol is reduced by 32 percent," the scientists state.
Experts recommend that adults aged 19 to 64 strive to perform strengthening exercises that work all the main muscles of the body (legs, hips, back, stomach, chest, shoulders, arms) at least twice a week. Strengthening muscles through strength training helps prevent obesity and ensures long-term improvement of various health indicators, doctors emphasize.
"You should reduce the time you spend sitting or lying down, and break up long periods of inactivity with some activity. You should strive to be physically active every day - any kind is better than nothing," the researchers summarized.
