Ladies Who Lift

On the first day of the year I walked into the gym, which was predictably empty (New Year's Day is one of my favorite days because of the quiet on the streets).  The next day I showed up to a full parking lot.  As I walked through the door, I saw all the "cardio" equipment being used to near full capacity.  But when I went downstairs to the weights, it was a different story.  There was not a soul to be found.

I am not one to put down any particular form of exercise.  I think a lot of the internet bashing of certain exercise modalities is completely unwarranted.  You love Crossfit?  Great!  Enjoy running?  Awesome!  Like to dance to break a sweat?  Keep shaking those hips.  Whatever gets you moving is okay in my book, as long as you're being smart and safe about it.  The best exercise is one that you enjoy enough to actually DO!

This post isn't about some "bad" exercise I'm seeing.  It's about a GREAT form of exercise that I'm afraid I'm not seeing performed enough by women.  And that exercise modality is strength training.

This morning I witnessed two women working out with their trainer.  They were performing a series of cable column exercises under his watchful eye, who was there to ensure proper form and to progress, coach and encourage them.  It was great to see.  I just wish the ratio of men and women was 50:50 in the weight room.

What's the biggest reason more women don't strength train?  Probably due to the unwarranted fear that they will get big and bulky like their male counterparts.  Sure, muscles will adapt to the stress of lifting heavy things repeatedly.  But women should not fear that they will turn into Schwarzenegger.  Their genetic makeups ensure that it will be much tougher to do so.

I would guess that the majority of people who exercise regularly do so at least in part for the aesthetic effect, as much as for the health benefits.  And that's okay.  If people want to look good in their clothes (or out of them), then good for them.  If they put the effort in to look good, then they will reap the numerous health effects as well, which is fantastic.  I personally don't care what your motivation is, because I know that regular exercise will benefit you in many ways.

I am not suggesting that women give up their ellipticals, treadmills, spinning, or Zumba classes.  They each add value in their own way.  I'm simply recommending that you consider adding some strength training.  The benefits are myriad, including but not limited to the following:

-Improved heart health
-Improved bone density
-Increased strength
-Increased metabolic rate (the ability to burn more calories at rest)
-Leaner body mass
-Increased insulin sensitivity
-Better fitting clothes

I added that last one because as I mentioned earlier, this is what really matters to many folks.  That's perfectly fine.  Don't rely on a scale to tell you the full picture.  Muscle is more dense than adipose (fat) tissue, so it's entirely possible to be heavier on the scale, but to have your clothes fit better and to be healthier.

Admittedly, exercising regularly runs the risk of becoming monotonous.  Combat that by trying different things.  You might find that you really enjoy something that you previously wrote off.  As for resistance training, it should hardly be reserved for men only.  Ladies, don't be afraid to venture into the weight room to complement your aerobic exercise. You will undoubtedly love the physical results.

***A WARNING ABOUT STARTING A NEW EXERCISE PROGRAM.  STRENGTH TRAINING DOESN'T COME WITHOUT RISKS, SO BE SMART ABOUT IT.  SEEK GUIDANCE TO ENSURE PROPER FORM AND TECHNIQUE.  AS A RULE OF THUMB, IF YOU CAN'T PEFORM A MOVEMENT WITH PROPER POSTURE, GOOD FORM, AND PAIN-FREE, YOU SHOULD NOT BE ADDING LOAD TO THAT MOVEMENT.*****

A Texting P.S.A.

Virtually every single patient I see in the clinic is there because they are in pain.  I do my best to educate, treat and assist them out of their painful experience and back to full healthy function.  But I also believe in prevention, and that's what today's post is about.

One of the things that I don't do is fear-monger.  I don't believe in saying to people, "If you do action x, it will lead to outcome y".  I'll certainly teach ways to move and function that may be more optimal for the patient, but I draw the line at making declarative statements.  As I've said many times in the past, the human body is just too variable to make definitive assertions about the future.

Last year, there was a study that was published and heavily circulated on social media about "text neck", or "tech neck".  The author drew a correlation between the pressure exerted on the cervical spine with forward flexion and neck pain.  He concluded that the constant head-down position we find ourselves in due to our omnipresent device usage will lead to pain, damage, and maybe even surgery.  Pretty scary words, in my opinion.  You mean to tell me that if I text too much, I'm destined for the O.R.?  If that's the case, we'll all one day be unified by our common neck scars.  Texting is not going away.

While I'll stop way short of declaring that over-texting will lead to surgery, I certainly think that we'd all be better off lifting our heads more often, pulling our shoulders back, breathing in more deeply, and taking in the world immediately surrounding us.  I see the opposite behavior every day on my walk to and from Penn Station.  People connected via their phones to places unknown, while completely oblivious to their immediate vicinities.  I suppose they assume that everyone else will get out of their way as they tend to whatever important task lies at the tips of their thumbs.  That would be fine, until the day we all decide just to walk by leading with the crowns of our heads.  While the ambulatory texters are mildly annoying, at least they aren't a real threat.  Last week I looked over at a girl who was driving (not simply waiting at a light) on Old Country Road (a busy multi-lane road on Nassau County) in rush our, head down, both thumbs texting away.  Do what you want on your own open road, but as long as you have a 2-ton weapon surrounding you, it is all of our business.

Why the preachy message?  I know I'm not telling you anything you don't already know.  I also am not sitting on a high horse, as I too have checked my phone at a red light.  The reason I'm writing about this today is because of something I observed earlier while driving, and something one of my patients told me a couple of weeks ago.

A few hours ago, I was waiting to make a right hand turn at a red light.  I was focusing my attention on the traffic coming from my left.  As I edged up to make the turn, I caught sight of a woman stepping off the curb to my right to cross in front of me.  She was texting away, and didn't once glance up as she made it across.  It would have been my fault had I hit her, and fortunately nothing happened.  But at this same time, I was wondering how someone could be so oblivious while walking amid traffic?  I know when I'm out for a run, and I'm the pedestrian in that exact same scenario, I always make sure I get eye contact with the driver first before proceeding.  I know it doesn't seem like much of a big deal, but the startled looks of the drivers reminds me that they are rarely looking right to make that turn.  Drivers (myself included) tend to focus exclusively on the auto traffic, and forget entirely about pedestrians.

One of my patients is seeing me following a second hip operation.  She is only 31 years old, but has undergone two hip operations and a knee operation stemming from being hit by a car as a pedestrian 2007.  She's a great person, and works diligently to get herself back to full functional capacity.  But her frustrations often boil over, and I'm always there to lend a sympathetic ear.  I have full faith that she will be okay in the long run, but it's a tough road for her.  She said the following to me two weeks ago:

"You know, if there is one message I could give to people it would be to tell them that it's not worth it.  Even if I was in a situation where I won some big monetary award for my troubles, it's simply not worth it.  I wouldn't wish this on anyone, and if people just paid a little more attention, then perhaps they will avoid being in my shoes one day."

An ounce of prevention is a wonderful thing.  I'm always encouraging folks to invest in their health now so that their body will give back to them in the future.  In this case, the preventative step that we're talking about is simply slipping your phone into your pocket as you walk or drive.  It can't be any easier than that.  There is nothing on that little screen that is more important than your and your neighbor's health.  It can wait.