You hear a lot about how walking, jogging or swimming can improve overall health. More recently you have probably heard about how these activities can help improve mental function. What may not have come across your radar is that strength training with weights can also improve mental function.

As most people know there are two “kinds” of exercise, aerobic and anaerobic. The distinction between the two concerns the use of oxygen to produce energy that our muscles use to move: Aerobic (with oxygen), Anaerobic (without oxygen).

The type of metabolism that our muscles employ depends on the intensity of the exercise.

I promise to keep this post as free of biochemistry as possible, but we need to think in very general biochemical terms for a minute.

Very intense exercise that lasts for a relatively short time requires energy very quickly and therefore relies almost entirely on anaerobic metabolism. This type of intense brief exercise is referred to as anaerobic exercise. Examples of anaerobic exercise include sprinting and weight lifting.

Less intense, prolonged exercise uses oxygen to produce energy and is therefore considered aerobic. Low to moderate intensity jogging/running, biking, and swimming fall into the category of aerobic exercise.

It should be noted that many sports and activities fall somewhere between these metabolic definitions of exercise since they incorporate varying intensities that require muscle to work in both aerobic and anaerobic conditions.

Are weights really good for our noggin?

When people talk about the benefits of exercise on health, nine times out of ten the discussion will be focused on aerobic exercise. So we need to ask ourselves, is anaerobic exercise beneficial to brain health? And, if so, why should we bother since we already know that aerobic exercise is good for brain health?

A recent paper in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise demonstrated that 24 weeks of moderate or reasonably intense weight training improves emotional and cognitive function (similar results have been found with shorter durations of training). Weight training (anaerobic exercise) had positive effects on mood, cognitive function, attention, and short-term memory compared to individuals who had weekly warm-up and stretch sessions. So this suggests that weight training can improve brain health!

Why bother with weights?

I’d like to start off by saying that everyone should strive for a balanced approach to fitness. Exercise routines should incorporate both endurance (aerobic) and strength (anaerobic) weight training. I’m not talking about blood vessel poppin’, t-shirt rippin’ workouts. Light to moderate, multi-repetition weight training works too. We can obtain many other health benefits from weight training that will supplement our aerobic routines. I’ve listed just a couple here:

1) Weight training builds muscle mass. Now unless you get really, really serious about weight training you won’t have to worry about looking like Mr. Universe. That being said, increases in muscle mass help increase our overall metabolism….even at rest, which means pound-for-pound we can burn more calories.

2) Weight training helps strengthen bones. The load placed on our bones during weight training causes our bones to respond by increasing their density and thickness. Stronger bones is an especially important benefit for women to help ward off osteoporosis.

3) Multi-joint weight training exercises (like squats or lunges) improve balance and coordination.

A couple of words of caution:

1) Always talk with your physician to determine what kinds of exercise are safe for you before you start an exercise program or make drastic changes to your current program.

2) Get advice from a professional. There are many personal trainers available to help you get started with weight training. Look for someone certified by a reputable institution. The American College of Sports Medicine, and the National Strength and Conditioning Association are two examples.

3) Start slowly, and listen to your body. This is especially important if you haven’t been active for a while. Remember that through exercise, in addition to helping your brain, you are re-sculpting your body so it is natural to be a little sore. But, overdoing it can make you so sore that you miss your next workout, or even worse cause an injury.

4) Lift with a partner. It is always a good idea to have someone there to “spot” you when you are lifting. Having a spotter will help you stay motivated and committed, but is also a very important safety measure when working with heavy weights.

So, check with your doc, start slow, and get pumped up……for your general health and your mental health!