WEIGHTY MATTERS
Resistance training builds strength and general fitness and makes everyday life a whole lot easier, says the YMCA¹s HIV fitness expert Susan Warner 
Resistance training is any controlled movement that is weight-resisted. This could be body weights, free weights (dumbbells) or a resistance machine. We are often unaware that all kinds of everyday activities, like carrying shopping, use resistance.
Why you should resist
There are proven health benefits to resistance work:
- Easing everyday life: if your muscles are stronger, then everyday tasks, like opening a stiff jar, carrying shopping or lifting a baby without damaging your back, become easier.
- Helping to overcome lipodystrophy: if you have suffered fat loss from a specific area like your legs, arms or bottom, this can be replaced by lean muscle. In turn, this can help increase your own physical comfort and help you look better.
- Weight management: if there is more muscle in your body, you will burn more calories, even when you are doing nothing.
- Stronger bones: weight training can increase bone mineral density, This can help prevent or postpone osteoporosis (when bones become brittle).
- Reducing pain: training the right muscles may help reduce pain in certain areas such as chronic lower back pain
Where and how to resist
The gym is a good, controlled environment for performing weight-training exercises and, with effective instruction, participants can expect good results. Make sure you get an instructor to write an appropriate programme.
- Start with one set of 8-12 repetitions and gradually increase to three sets.
- Make sure you get to the point at the end of each set that you could not have performed more than five more of that weight.
- When you can perform more than five you need to increase the weight a little.
- If you go to the gym to manage your lipodystrophy, make sure the instructor gives you a programme that combines cardiovascular with resistance training as this will help you manage the condition.
Many exercises can be done outside the gym, at home or elsewhere.
Leg and bum strengthener
- All you need are some stairs and two bags of shopping
- Walk up stairs in a slow controlled fashion taking at least two steps at a time.
- You can rest in between if you wish. If you have long legs you may want to take three steps.
- If you find this easy and want to work harder, take a bag of shopping in either hand.
- Taking about ten or fifteen of these types of steps should start to tone your leg muscles.
Sit to stand
Another great resistance exercise that only requires a stable chair.
- Stand in front of the chair facing away, then edge back until you feel the chair in the back of your legs.
- Stick your bum out and slowly come down to a sitting position. This should take a minimum of six to eight seconds. If you can go slower, so much the better.
- To work harder, don't sit down, instead come to a stop just above the chair and then slowly come back up.
- Whichever version you opt for, try and complete the exercise about ten times.
- To make it harder, you can always hold something heavy to increase the workload.
"If your muscles are strong then everyday tasks like opening a stiff jar or carrying shopping become easier"
Progression is important because to keep the muscles working efficiently you will need to use heavier weights as you get used to the particular exercise.
And now the safety bit...
It is important that resistance work is carried out safely, so here are a few points:
- Keep breathing (some use a specific breathing pattern but do not hold your breath).
- Maintain good body alignment (generally involving length through the spine, hips at the same level, and toes, knees and hips forming a straight line).
- Take care getting into your starting position (if you start well the rest will follow)
- Incorporate rest or recovery days. It is only while resting that the muscles develop. In fact, with no rest, the muscles may get weaker or injured.
Many women worry they will get muscular if they do resistance training. This is unlikely, as women have very little of the hormone that assists major muscle growth.
Susan Warner is the YMCA's Positive Health Manager.
