"Strength training is having a moment."
Gym fads come and go. But the rise of pumping iron will be welcomed by doctors and public-health types, who have for years been trying to persuade the public that though it is good to be fit, it is even better to be fit and strong.
There is no doubt cardio is good for you—it lowers blood pressure, cuts the risk of heart disease, strokes and some kinds of cancer, and may even help treat depression. Fit people live up to seven years longer than couch potatoes. Being strong offers many of the same benefits.
BONES are "more than just scaffolding for the body" and "muscle does more than merely move limbs"!!
For longevity/wellness type, this bit seems the most relevant:
Much of the medical interest in strength exercise, however, comes from its ability to prevent, or treat, sarcopenia. This is the decline in strength and muscle size that accompanies ageing, and which doctors increasingly think should be classified as a disorder in its own right. The body’s muscles naturally begin to shrink in one’s 30s and that loss is disproportionately from the powerful, fast-acting “type 2” fibres which are responsible for explosive strength.
IF NOTHING ELSE (feel good, mental clarity, sleep, look good, sexy body etc, etc), at least work out for your longevity and wellbeing in old age:
"Lack of muscle increases the risk of falls, a big killer of the elderly. It makes it harder to recover from injuries and illness."
Shared this with @Shugard today... DUDE IS 70, AND DOES MORE/BETTER PULL-UPS THAN ME.
Both annoying af and inspirational.
LEEEEESfuckinggo.