Regular exercise has long been considered one of the best ways to strengthen physical fitness and improve overall well-being. However, recent studies have shown that physical activity and frequent exercise also significantly benefit our mental health by reducing depression, anxiety, and stress levels.

Super slow strength training, offered by Loyalty Fitness, is one such form of exercise that can have a significant impact on mental health. 

In the following article, we’ll highlight some of the many ways physical activity, particularly super slow strength training, can help improve brain function, fight depression, alleviate anxiety, and contribute to additional mental health benefits.

Physical Activity Improves Brain Function

Unlike some of the more trendy or traditional forms of exercise, super slow strength training focuses on the quality of the physical movements – rather than the quantity. 

During super slow strength training, participants perform each movement slowly and deliberately, typically taking around 20 seconds to complete each repetition. Many of the articles and materials written about these exercises focus on their effectiveness in building muscle mass and improving bone density.

However, the benefits of super slow strength training are not limited to physical health benefits alone. Research has shown that strength training exercises can significantly improve brain function, particularly in older adults. Another study found that those who engaged in super slow strength training (and other forms of physical activity) experienced improved executive function as well as increased cognitive flexibility.

Additionally strength training has also been shown to have a positive impact on memory. A recent study found that adults who engaged in strength training exercises saw improved memory recall compared to those who did not participate in any form of exercise.

Physical Activity Reduces Symptoms Of Depression and Anxiety 

Depression is a mental health condition that affects millions of people worldwide. While there are various medications available to help the symptoms of depression and anxiety, research has shown that physical activity can be an effective way to not only reduce symptoms but even help treat these mental health conditions.

Regular exercise, including super slow strength training, can have a positive impact on depression/anxiety by increasing the release of endorphins in the brain. 

Endorphins- also known as the “happy hormones”- are the body’s natural painkillers. This group of hormones both relieves pain and creates a general feeling of well-being. They act as natural mood elevators and regular exercise can significantly increase their production.

According to research conducted by the National Institute of Mental Health, adults who engaged in a strength training program for just 10 weeks saw a significant reduction in their depression score. 

Since regular exercise improves physical strength and can contribute to weight loss, participants often enjoy improved self-esteem as well as a sense of accomplishment. Both of these factors may help depression and anxiety. Plus, a regular exercise routine also provides individuals with a heightened sense of purpose and motivation which is particularly beneficial for those who struggle with mental illness. 

Physical Activity Decreases Stress Levels 

Stress is a common experience for many people. Not all stress is bad, but chronic/unmanaged stress can have a significant impact on mental health. Regular exercise, particularly super slow strength training, can help manage and decrease stress levels.

During super slow strength training sessions, the participant focuses on each movement, which requires increased concentration and mindfulness. This forces you to focus on the present moment- instead of worrying about the future or ruminating on the past- and acts as a form of meditation which leads to a positive impact on stress levels. 

Physical activity has also been shown to reduce high levels of cortisol in the body. Also known as the “stress hormone,” cortisol can contribute to an elevated heart rate and high blood pressure. Both of these conditions can have negative impacts on physical and therefore mental health. Performing regular exercise, particularly super slow strength training, helps regulate the production of cortisol and promote overall well-being.

Enjoy The Mental Health Benefits Of Super Slow Strength Training 

Physical and mental health go hand in hand. Not only is regular exercise crucial in maintaining and improving your physical health, but the same can be said for your mental health and wellness as well.

By exercising regularly, especially strength training, you can enjoy an array of mental wellness benefits, including increased cognition, reduced symptoms of depression, lower levels of stress and anxiety, better quality of sleep, and so much more. 

At Loyalty Fitness, our super-slow strength training method helps you enjoy the numerous physical and mental health benefits without high risk of injury. This is especially important if you’ve had previous injuries, suffer from chronic pain, or are returning to fitness after an extended absence. 

Contact our team today to schedule a personal training session to improve your body AND brain! 

“Can strength training improve my cholesterol?”

That’s one of the most common questions our team gets asked. 

The simple answer is “YES!”

However, cholesterol is not all bad! Below, we’ll take a closer look at the importance of cholesterol and the misconceptions around it. We will also explain how a strength training program can help improve your cholesterol levels. 

What Is Cholesterol? 

Cholesterol often gets a bad reputation for being harmful, but this is not always true. For a topic that’s always talked about in and out of doctor’s offices, most people can’t even explain what cholesterol is- they just think that it’s bad. 

Despite this common misconception, cholesterol actually serves several vital functions throughout the body. In simple terms, cholesterol is an essential building block for all body tissues! 23% of all the cholesterol in the body is stored in the brain. The brain, nervous system, and all body tissues use cholesterol as a building block for cell membranes. Cholesterol assists in the production of vitamin D and sex hormones which are responsible for energy, metabolism, immune function, fertility, libido, and our stress response. In addition, it is needed to produce bile in the liver, absorb fat-soluble vitamins, protect against free radicals, and enhance gut health!

Cholesterol is also a marker for longevity. In fact, elderly adults with the highest cholesterol levels had the best memory function as opposed to those with low cholesterol levels who had an increased risk for depression and even death!

There are many reasons why cholesterol may be high or low, but there are many lifestyle changes that can have a significant impact on improving cholesterol levels. One such contributing factor is exercise, especially strength training.

How Does Strength Training Improve Cholesterol? 

Some reasons why cholesterol may be high is because of chronic infections, mold toxicity, vitamin A deficiency, not enough sunlight, digestive problems, stress, thyroid dysfunction, and insulin resistance. 

Adversely, cholesterol may be too low for the following reasons: not enough fat in the diet, lack of exercise/movement, heavy metal exposure, mold toxicity, hyperthyroid, adrenal dress, and inflammation.

However, lifestyle changes such as exercise, early morning sunlight, avoiding blue light at night, turning off the Wi-Fi at night/when not in use, limiting alcohol intake, testing your home for mold, digestive and thyroid support, managing stress levels and consuming more pasture-raised meat and dairy. 

In this article, we will specifically look at the ways strength training has been shown to improve cholesterol levels. Here are a few of the key examples: 

Strength Training Increases HDL Proteins

Contrary to popular belief, HDL (also known as “good cholesterol”) and LDL (also known as “bad cholesterol”) are not actually cholesterol. They are lipoproteins used to transport cholesterol throughout your body.

One of the most effective ways strength training improves cholesterol is by increasing the body’s levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) which transports cholesterol toward the liver to be released from your body. HDL also helps remove excess cholesterol from the bloodstream. By performing this action, HDL helps reduce the risk of heart disease.

Recent studies have shown that incorporating an exercise program such as strength training into your lifestyle can significantly increase HDL levels in both men and women. 

Strength Training Reduces LDL Proteins

Another key benefit of strength training is that it can help reduce the body’s levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL) which transports excess cholesterol to your arteries. This can lead to a buildup of plaque which restricts blood flow and can lead to blood clots, stroke, and heart attacks. 

Since strength training helps muscles to burn fat, it helps reduce and maintain the levels of LDL transport proteins in the body. 

It’s also important to note that excess cholesterol buildup in the body is not mainly due to dietary cholesterol that we have been warned about (in foods such as eggs, meat, and dairy), but rather from excess sugar, processed foods, seed/vegetable oils, alcohol, and cigarettes.

Strength Training Improves Triglycerides

In addition to controlling cholesterol levels, strength training is also known to help maintain levels of other fats, such as triglycerides, that can contribute to poor health. Also found in the bloodstream, triglycerides can increase the risk of heart disease if they are too high. 

Fortunately, strength training helps reduce the levels of these potentially harmful fats. When you improve your muscle strength, you allow your muscles to burn more calories while you’re working out AND while you’re resting. Burning calories contributes to weight loss which in turn helps lower unhealthy triglyceride levels.

Strength Training Reduces Inflammation

Chronic inflammation often promotes the build-up of cholesterol in the arteries. If the build up is severe, it leads to plaque formation which increases the risk of blood clots. If a clot blocks blood flow to the heart or brain it can result in a heart attack or stroke.

By increasing metabolism and insulin sensitivity, strength training reduces inflammation markers such as C-reactive proteins (CRP). The reduction of chronic inflammation decreases the risk of cholesterol build-up and plaque formation.

However, it is important to remember that high/low cholesterol and inflammation is simply a SYMPTOM of dysfunction and dysregulation in the body so getting to the root cause of the dysfunction is key. This can be done by getting a lipid panel ordered by your doctor to assess your CBC and CMP levels. 

Simply treating the symptom with medications such as statins will only put a bandaid on the issue and potentially cause more dysfunction and ill effects in the body such as decreased energy, heart failure, muscle pain, diabetes, memory issues, and depleted vitamins and minerals.

Are You Ready To Experience The Benefits Of Super Slow Strength Training? 

It is clear that strength training has a plethora of benefits throughout the body.

From maintaining healthy cholesterol levels to building muscle to improving metabolism to burning fat to reducing inflammation, there’s a long list of benefits that a regular strength training program provides. 

And with Loyalty Fitness’s Super Slow Strength Training program, you can increase your strength and overall well-being – all without damaging your joints! 

Recently, a regular traditional gym goer turned to our team for help and guidance. Although he was an avid weightlifter for most of his adult life, his joints couldn’t take the intensity of his traditional workouts any longer. As a result, his LDL levels increased significantly because of the increased stress on his body!

Looking for a way to get back to being fit, he enrolled in Loyalty Fitness’s super slow strength training program. In less than 2 years, he saw a 15% improvement in his HDL levels and more than 20% reduction in his LDL levels. Not only did he improve his cholesterol levels by over 40 points, he lost weight and gained muscle too!

If you would like to experience the benefits of our super slow strength training program, contact us today and schedule a FREE one-on-one personal training session at one of our two locations! We also offer nutrition coaching to support you on your healthy living and strength training journey!