His and Hers Workouts

A Balanced Workout

Strength training—You don’t have to lift weights to build strength. Try using your natural weight with lunges, push-ups, sit-ups and pull-ups, or take a power yoga class at least twice a week. If you choose to lift weights, start with light ones and do three sets of 8 to 16 repetitions. Free-weight exercises give you more benefit than machines, as long as you keep your body properly aligned. Remember to work your whole body!

Aerobic exercise—There are many options beyond taking an aerobics class or doing the stair-stepper. Try boxing, jump-roping, racquetball, fencing, rowing, cross-country or downhill skiing, hiking, swimming or cycling. Get your heart pumping for 30 to 60 minutes at least three to five days a week. Go for 75 percent of your maximum heart rate (subtract your age from 220 and multiply by 0.75). Cross-train to work different parts of the body and prevent boredom.

Women: Why you need strength training

• You’ll get strong. “Some women are afraid they’ll look like Arnold Schwarzenegger if they lift weights, but females don’t have enough testosterone to bulk up,” says Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network clinical exercise physiologist Cathy Odom. “Women can, however, be as strong as men relative to their total muscle mass—and that’s important to maintain your active lifestyle and prevent osteoporosis.”
• You’ll lose weight. On average, women who strength train twice a week for two months gain nearly 2 pounds of muscle and lose 3 1/2 pounds of fat. “Muscle, compared to fat, increases your metabolism
• You’ll have a better-looking body. “Strength training gives you a natural definition and can help you trim those problem areas,” says Patricia DeAngelis, D.O., Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network family practice physician. “You’ll look more attractive in that sleeveless shirt.”
• You’ll improve your mental outlook. A Harvard study found that strength training eases the blues even more successfully than counseling. “Looking good boosts your confidence and makes you feel great,” DeAngelis
• You’ll prevent pain. Strength training builds stronger connective tissue and supports your joints to help prevent injury and ease back pain and arthritis. “It’s never too late in life to start,” DeAngelis says.

Men: Why you need aerobic (cardiovascular) exercise

• You’ll prevent heart disease. “If you skip aerobic exercise, you’re not exercising your most important muscle: the heart,” DeAngelis says. “Your risk for high blood pressure goes up by 30 to 50 percent without cardiovascular exercise, and men are already at risk for heart attack earlier in life than women.”
• You’ll regain energy. An American Heart Association study showed that after six months of cardiovascular training, men in their 50s regained the endurance they had in their 20s.
• You’ll live longer. Aerobic exercise improves the heart’s ability to pump blood and deliver oxygen to all the organs in the body. “Your liver, kidneys, muscles and brain will work better and longer,” Brouse says. Another benefit: exercise may help prevent Alzheimer’s disease.
• You’ll help define those muscles. “It depends on your body weight, but 30 minutes of aerobic exercise burns about 300 calories,” says Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network exercise physiologist Eric Witzel. “You’re burning the fat that covers your muscles, giving you a more ‘cut’ look.”
• You’ll combat tension, stress and anger. “Men tend to hold it all inside, and exercises like boxing and racquetball help blow off steam,” Brouse says. “You also burn off adrenaline for a good night’s sleep.”

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