Episode 34 – Dr. Dan Newmire – Unleashed Podcast

We all know that being physically active is good for our well-being, cardiovascular system, bone strength, mental health, and longevity. But is there a particular sport or training style that is both convenient to do anywhere and adjustable to anybody’s fitness level?

You guessed it right – resistance training seems to be the king of activities and there are numerous reasons for that.

In this episode of Unleashed Podcast, the guest is Dr. Dan Newmire, a bodybuilding competitor with a Ph.D. in Exercise Science. He joined the show to talk about the benefits of resistance training and the latest studies on the topic, which reveal super interesting findings!

Here are some of the most important questions that Dr. Newmeri answered.

What exactly is resistance training? 

While resistance training used to be called strength training, strength training is only one real outcome measure. It’s a fundamental outcome measure, but it’s not the only one.

Resistance training is some kind of activity that can be defined as a scheduled activity with an end goal and some kind of resistance against a joint action. While weightlifting could be fundamental, resistance training is an umbrella term. Strength training, weightlifting, Olympic lifting, powerlifting, bodybuilding, and all these different styles would go underneath that umbrella term.

Does resistance training affect all-cause mortality? 

An interesting study shows that roughly 60ish minutes of resistance training per day results in a decrease in all-cause mortality.

However, this is just one part of the story. The other caveat is as time increases beyond two hours of training per day, it also increases the risk of dying. We should be very careful how we interpret these findings. The big issue is that the study is based on self-reported data, which brings limitations and bias to the paper.

Another reason why resistance training decreases all-cause mortality is that there is a positive correlation between retaining lean body mass in adult life and a longer lifespan. This is something that can’t be achieved with aerobic exercise (hence, cardio) because it doesn’t stimulate muscle mass gain.

Does resistance training help with maintaining bone density? 

Dr. Newmire shares that they have a DEXA scan in their lab where they measure bone mineral density (BMD). The males who participate in resistance training regularly are one or two standard deviations above the standard, which is amazing!

If you keep up with resistance training throughout your 40s and 50s, when the testosterone declines, the longer you’ll hold on to high bone density.

What they find in females’ tests is that many women have low BMD in their upper body because they participate in more aerobic exercises that focus on the lower body.

Resistance training facilitates and stimulates mineral volume retention and absorption. Therefore, maintaining bone mineral density over time reduces the potential risks of fractures and issues.

No matter if you’re a male or female, don’t neglect training your whole body with some weights – not only that it’d improve your appearance but you’d be able to keep your bones and joints healthy and strong!

Do you want to listen to the whole episode with Dr. Newmire and learn more about resistance training? You can do it on Apple, Spotify, and Youtube!

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