Source:  ACE FitnessMatters

A new study confirms what many discovered long ago - strength training plays an important role in ridding the body of extra weight.

Sure, aerobic exercise burns calories, but the body’s metabolism quickly returns to pre-exercise levels, usually within 30 minutes or so.

Resistance training, according to the researchers at Johns Hopkins University, leads to increased calorie burning for up to two hours after the workout is over.

Carol A. Binzen and colleagues recruited 10 moderately trained women to perform three sets of 10 exercises at 10-repetition maximum with a one-minute rest period between each set. Researchers found that fat oxidation was significantly higher after the strength-training session.

Unfortunately, because weight training often results in a corresponding increase in weight due to increased muscle mass, many women abandon their strength-training efforts, opting instead for strictly cardiovascular activities.

However, researchers suggest combining aerobic exercise with regular strength training for maximum benefit.

Source: Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2001; 33, 932-938

Article re-printed with permission of ACE - American Council on Exercise

For more information on how The Fit Effect can partner with you to change your life for the better, please contact us!