Here at StrengthLog, we write a lot about how to train for maximum strength or how to maximize muscle growth.
But what if neither of those is really your goal?
What if you think muscle and strength are nice, but they are more of a means to an end than the end goals themselves?
In today’s article, we’re going to talk about training for health.
Exercise and physical activity affect pretty much everything about you: your mood, your thinking and reasoning, your energy, and your risk of disease, to name a few things.
When you keep your body healthy, you radically improve your chances of living a happy, fulfilling life.
So how do you do it?
Be a Jack of All Trades, Rather Than a Master of One
When it comes to training for health, a little bit of everything goes a long way.
Gone is the need to maximize a particular performance or physical attribute.
You don’t need to squat 400 pounds to be healthy, nor must you have a single-digit digit body fat percentage.
Still, you can’t be a complete slouch, either.
Healthy exercise is about widening your palette and prioritizing doing different types of training in moderation rather than going all in on monotonous, hyper-specialized training for a single athletic feat.
As the full quote goes:
“A jack of all trades is a master of none, but often times better than a master of one.”
– Shakespeare
So, What Should You Do?
The World Health Organization’s guidelines for physical activity are great starting points.
“Adults aged 18–64 years:
- should do at least 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity;
- or at least 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity; or an equivalent combination of moderate- and vigorous-intensity activity throughout the week
- should also do muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week, as these provide additional health benefits.”
TL;DR?
- A bit of cardio, plus
- strength training two times per week.
Let’s begin by looking at the aerobic training, also know as cardio.
The Cardio
To reach 150–300 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic physical activity, 75–150 minutes of vigorous-intensity aerobic physical activity, or an equivalent combination of the two, you can choose if you want to do a little bit daily or longer sessions a few times per week.
You can also choose to do more intense cardio for a shorter amount of time or more moderate-intensity cardio for a longer time.
For instance, you could walk briskly for 30 minutes a day, five days a week, and meet the threshold of 150 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio.
Or you could jog or run for 75 minutes every week (3 x 25 minutes) for more vigorous cardio.
The WHO points out that you can go beyond the minimum threshold of 150 minutes a week of moderate-intensity activity, or 75 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity activity (or an equivalent combination) to gain even more health benefits.
Your choices when it comes to aerobic training are really only limited by your imagination. You can pick and choose activities based on what you enjoy or what fits your schedule.
Some examples:
- Walking or biking to work
- Going dancing
- Playing tennis with your friends
- Long walks while listening to audiobooks or podcasts
- Running to intercept the Uruk-hai that are taking the hobbits to Isengard
Seriously, you can find enjoyable activities.
And don’t underestimate the power of small daily habits.
When I was an engineering student, I lived a 10 or 15-minute bike ride downhill from the university. I had to pedal up that steep hill every day (sometimes several times per day), and that simple habit kept me in pretty good fitness.
The Lifting
The WHO recommends “muscle-strengthening activities at moderate or greater intensity that involve all major muscle groups on 2 or more days a week.”
This means strength training.
You can strengthen your muscles with other activites, but dedicated strength training is going to be the most effective method.
As they note, you should make sure to work through all your major muscle groups twice per week.
The key to doing this in a time-effective manner is to base your training around multi-joint, compound lifts, where you work many muscles simultaneously.
Lucky for you, we have tons of programs like that.
Here are two excellent free training programs that adhere to the WHO guidelines:
- Beginner Machine Program. 2x/week. Machine training offers a safe start in the gym and time-effective workouts. In this program, you’ll do two full-body workouts per week.
- Beginner Barbell Program. 2–3x/week. Curious about the barbell, and want to hit the free weights? This program offers two to three workouts per week, working all major muscle groups.
What if You’re on the Older Side?
The WHO recommends muscle-strengthening activity twice per week for people over 65 years as well. Contrary to popular belief, lifting heavy is not dangerous for older people. Quite the opposite: it is more important than ever and can dramatically improve your health and quality of life.
Here is our strength training program for seniors:
- StrengthLog’s Training Program for Seniors. 2x/week. This training program is designed for seniors looking to benefit from all the positive effects strength training offers. From greater muscle strength to stronger bones and improved quality of life – if you are 60 or above, this program is for you!
But really, as long as you ease into it (as anyone should), you can follow pretty much any of our programs.
Check out our guide on building muscle over 50 for more age considerations.
Won’t Somebody Think of the Children?
The WHO recommends that children and adolescents aged 5–17 years perform “vigorous-intensity aerobic activities, as well as those that strengthen muscle and bone, at least 3 days a week”.
Much like with older people, research has shown that strength training for children is not only safe but comes with a rich trove of health benefits.
Here is our strength training program for children:
- StrengthLog’s Training Program for Children. 2x/week. It’s never too late to start exercising, and neither is it ever too early. This training program is an excellent way for your child to develop a strong and healthy body for a strong and healthy life.
Strength training for children is still a bit controversial, even though it has proven health benefits and is safe, provided there is proper supervision.
This article not only answers the question in the title but also lists some of the many benefits strength training offers children: Does Strength Training Stunt Growth?
Conclusion
For a healthy body, you should incorporate both aerobic (cardio) and anaerobic (strength) training into your exercise routine.
While you certainly can aim for high levels of strength or muscle mass, you don’t have to.
Just staying active and using your body goes a long way for staying fit and healthy, improving your chances of saying “Yes!” to whatever life offers you.
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