Why we love load at LSPT
People are often afraid of lifting heavy things - whether they were raised being told lifting heavy will make them too bulky, they saw on social media that they can get hurt doing so, they have avoided it and now it is fear of the unknown, or many other false misconceptions they may have learned.
But you know what sounds scarier? A laundry basket, a child, a bag of salt for the water softener, or groceries being the heaviest thing picked up in a day.
Why is that scary? Because our body was not meant to constantly work at full capacity.
How many people have you watched try to stand up from a chair and are unable to do so without their hands? Their ability to stand up without hands tells us their legs are unable to work against the resistance of gravity alone. Them standing from the chair is their one rep max for the day and they have to perform that multiple times a day. If I tried to stand up with my 1 rep max back squat multiple times a day I would also be absolutely exhausted.
We need to be loading individuals with weight earlier in life so that as they age, their one rep max is not less than gravity. We need to give people weights so they can stand up without the support of a family member and get off the toilet by themselves. We need to use load to maintain or increase bone density. We need to use load so that instead of a bag of salt being their one rep max, it is 50% of their heaviest lift which decreases levels of fatigue and risk of injury throughout their day.
Lifting heavy things has so much benefit in addition to being able to get off the chair by yourself for life. According to Dr. Wayne Westscott in 2012:
“resistance training studies have consistently demonstrated significant increases in lean weight and metabolic rate, accompanied by significant decreases in fat weight. In the multiple areas that involve physical performance, resistance training has been associated with reduced low back pain, decreased arthritic discomfort, increased functional independence, enhanced movement control, and increased walking speed. Based on numerous studies that showed improved glucose and insulin homeostasis, resistance training has been recommended for resisting type 2 diabetes. With respect to cardiovascular health, resistance training research has demonstrated reduced resting blood pressure, improved blood lipid profiles, and enhanced vascular condition. Resistance training appears to have greater impact on bone density than other types of physical activity and has been shown to significantly increase BMD in adults of all ages. The demonstrated mental health benefits of resistance training have included decreased symptoms of depression, increased self-esteem and physical self-concept, and improved cognitive ability.”
Reach out if you have any questions about where to start with resistance training of if pain is preventing you from starting.
Lexi Noel, DPT
Loon State Physical Therapy
