Strength (resistance) training can be an important part of boosting your overall health. Many consider it a key to any adult fitness program.

Strength training can help maintain:

• Strength
• Balance
• Coordination
• Bone density
• Muscle mass

Aerobic activity has long been known to offer cardiovascular benefits. It lowers cardiac risk factors such as obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure. But within the past 10 years, resistance training has also been shown to have an important place in heart-healthy activity programs.

Resistance training was not always advised for people with heart problems. But the American Heart Association now says that when prescribed by a doctor and supervised, it can have significant benefits for many people with cardiovascular disease.

An added benefit is that it strengthens bone. People with bone loss are often told to do weight-bearing exercises at least three times per week. This can help preserve or increase bone mass and reduce the risk of falls.

Risk factors
Before you start any strength training program, speak with your doctor. Find out what the best level of activity and intensity is safe for you. Any of these conditions may require you to limit or modify your exercises:

• Cardiovascular disease
• Family history of heart disease before age 55
• High cholesterol
• Abnormal heart activity or irregular rhythms
• Smoking
• High blood pressure
• Obesity
• Prolonged inactivity
• Muscle or joint problems
• Pregnancy
• Recent surgery
• Arthritis
• Diabetes
• Asthma or chronic lung disease

Getting started
With a doctor's approval, beginners should commit to strength training for no more than two sessions each week. Before you start, be sure to warm up. Warming up helps nutrient-rich blood get to muscles that are about to exercise, plus it helps lubricate joints.

Activities geared toward increasing flexibility are also an important part of any exercise program.

A good starting point is one set of eight to 12 repetitions ("reps") for eight to 10 different exercises. Make sure your exercises are balanced between upper and lower body muscle groups.

Doing one set of each exercise is highly effective, doesn't take much time and helps keep you dedicated. Concentrate on technique and good body mechanics.

To increase your strength, start to raise the number of reps per set when you can do so comfortably. Then you can increase the number of sets or amount of weight. It may also become easier to decrease the amount of rest between sets or exercises. Talk to your doctor before you increase your activity level.

Basic routines
The American Council on Exercise advises a basic strength-training program that does not use any weights. This program may be a good starting point for healthy beginners and can help keep more experienced exercisers working out while away from home. The routine includes:

• Push-ups
• Crunches
• Pull-ups
• Squats and lunges
• Dips

This routine will benefit most major muscle groups, including:

• Chest and triceps (back of upper arm)
• Abdominals (stomach)
• Biceps (front part of the upper arm)
• Upper back
• Gluteal (buttock)
• Quadriceps (front of the thigh)
• Hamstring (back of the thigh)

As you advance and want to use weights, a group of exercises to consider may include:

• Bench press
• Lat pull down
• Overhead press
• Bicep curl
• Tricep pull down
• Squat
• Leg extension
• Leg curl
• Abdominal crunch

A personal fitness trainer, physical therapist or exercise physiologist can explain what these exercises are and how to do them correctly. This is important to help avoid injury and keep you safe. When doing strength training, be sure to listen to your body. Stop if you start to hurt or feel winded. Get familiar with the feeling of exertion throughout your muscles so you can avoid injuries.

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External Sources Department of Kinesiology and Health, Georgia State University. Getting started: safety.. Accessed March 13, 2009 Williams MA, Haskell WL, Ades PA, et al. AHA scientific statement: Resistance exercise in individuals with and without cardiovascular disease: 2007 update. Circulation. 2007;116:572-584.. Accessed March 13, 2009 American Heart Association. Physical activity and exercise.. Accessed March 13, 2009 Clarke BL, Khosla S. Osteoporosis. In: Rakel RE, Bope ET, eds. Rakel: Conn's Current Therapy 2008, 60th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Saunders-Elsevier; 2008.. Accessed March 13, 2009

This article was reviewed and updated 08-01-2009.