Health Blog and Podcasts

Have you considered adding strength training to your program? Strength training works against resistance to improve the body’s ability to cope with everyday demands. It’s highly beneficial for clients of all ages and abilities – not just athletes! Here we explain why strength training is so popular among our exercise physiologists, and how it could benefit you.  

What is strength training? 

Strength training uses specific exercises that require the muscle to exert force against a form of resistance. This resistance can be anything from gravity to a barbell or resistance band. For this reason, strength training is often referred to as resistance training.  

These exercises are designed to increase the strength, endurance and size of the targeted muscles. As the muscles work to overcome the resistance applied to them, they are progressively strengthened.  

Strength training exercises are most effective when performed 2-3 times per week. We often incorporate various forms of strength training as part of our client’s holistic exercise plan.  

Using resistance to strengthen the body

Strength training comes in many different forms and doesn’t always involve lifting the heaviest weights possible. Body weight alone can actually offer sufficient resistance to strengthen the body.  

The right format of training will depend on the ability of the client and any underlying conditions or injuries we are working with. Common types of strength training include: 

Body Weight  

If you’ve ever attempted a pull up, you would be aware of the resistance your body weight provides when working against gravity. Body weight exercises are commonly used in strength training for their convenience and ability to target several muscle groups at once. Squats, push ups, chin ups and lunges are all common examples of body weight strength exercises.  

Resistance Bands 

We often use resistance bands in our physical therapy programs, but they’re also a great tool for strength training. Resistance bands make it easier to isolate and target specific muscles, compared to working with weights. They’re also easy to transport, so you can train anywhere, anytime.  

Weights (Free Weights/Machines) 

Weightlifting is most commonly associated with exercises for strength training. At Atkins, we work with a mix of free weights (dumbbells) and weight machines.

Pilates 

Many of our clients are surprised to learn that pilates is a highly effective form of strength training. Although low impact, the practice of pilates requires precise, controlled movements that effectively strengthen smaller muscles that are often overlooked. Pilates is particularly effective in strengthening the deep muscles of the back, abdomen and pelvic floor – known as the core muscles. Core strength is foundational to overall body health and well-being.

Increasing strength for improved lifestyle 

Strength training isn’t just about beefing up those muscles. As exercise physiologists, we’re big believers in the benefits of strength training programs that go beyond the surface. We’re talking about long term lifestyle enhancement that can transform an individual’s quality of life.  

Benefits of strength training include: 

• Improved balance and coordination 
• Improved performance of everyday tasks 
• Improved confidence and self esteem 
• Improved cognitive function 
• Improved independence 
• Reduces symptoms of anxiety and depressions 
• Helps prevent chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and osteoporosis  
• Decreased risk of injury 

Building strength helps when managing injury 

Strength training can be intimidating to newcomers. It’s a common misconception that resistance exercises are only for athletes or those working towards strict performance goals.  At Atkins, we prescribe strength training exercises for clients from 15 years old through to 90+!  

Improved strength helps make everyday activities easier, which may seem simple, but can make a huge difference for those managing injury or chronic health conditions.  Whether your goal is to pick up your grandkids, walk your daughter down the aisle, or gain more independence in daily life – strength training can help.  

Strength training is beneficial for: 

• Cancer patients 
• Surgery prehabilitation and rehabilitation 
• Athletes 
• Clients with chronic health conditions (Parkinson’s Disease, Arthritis, Osteoporosis) 

Exercise physiologists work in cancer clinics to allow people going into treatment to leave in the same condition, if not better, as when they entered treatment. We do so by using strength training to maintain or improve physical capacity so clients may leave the program better for it. 

Wondering if strength training is right for you? Why not arrange a personal consultation with one of our expert EPs to discuss how you can incorporate strength training into your lifestyle? 

Sport is a great way for young children to stay active, healthy, and entertained, but did you know that sport has also been linked to improving engagement and performance at school? Physical activity has been shown to improve brain activity, which plays a pivotal role in a child’s development.  

Not only is sport a fun and cost-effective way for children to develop physical, social, and emotional skills – but it can also help students build confidence, develop leadership skills, and improve their academic performance.  We explore how sport is linked to childhood development, and how it could benefit your child to reach their full potential.   

Developing skills for success in school and life 

Executive functioning skills are a set of cognitive abilities that inform our behaviour and thought processes. They begin to develop gradually from childhood and continue right through to adulthood. Executive functioning skills allow us to focus attention, plan and prioritise tasks, remember instructions and follow through on them, regulate emotions, and inhibit impulses.  These skills are essential for academic and personal success, and research has shown that regular exercise can enhance executive functioning skills. 

The link between sport and executive functioning skills 

We know that sport is great for physical development, but understanding its role in mental development is a little more complex.  At a top level, exercise has been proven to improve brain function and enhance the growth of brain cells. When we exercise, the levels of neurotransmitters in the brain, including dopamine and serotonin, increase. These chemicals play a critical role in executive functioning skills, helping to regulate attention, motivation, and mood. 

Regular exercise has also been linked to improved cognitive skills such as memory, attention, and decision-making. This helps children plan and organise their activities, prioritise tasks, and manage time effectively. Sport is a great way to get children involved in exercise while simultaneously fuelling their brain with everything it needs to develop and thrive. 

When is the best time to get involved? 

Executive functioning skills develop from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood, with the most rapid rate of development occurring in childhood and adolescence. These skills begin in children without the development of foundational executive functioning skills such as impulse control, attention, and working memory.  The rate of development is influenced by genetic and environmental factors, such as exposure to stress, nutrition, and sleep.  

Exercise programs introduced between the ages of 5 – 14 years have shown to be particularly beneficial for developing key executive functioning skills. Specialised programs can help create a supportive and structured environment for children to practise, while modelling positive behaviours through exercise. 

Atkins’ My Strong Kids Program 

My Strong Kids is Atkins Heath’s specialised exercise program. It uses play and games that kids love to help improve executive functioning skills. Tailored to suit children up to Years 7 & 8, the program is ideal for all kids, including those with learning and physical difficulties.  

Our team of expert exercise physiologists is experienced in working with children with: 

• ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder 
• ADHD – Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder 
• Spina Bifida 
• Cerebral Palsy 

Our programs are designed to offer a fun, exciting environment for kids to develop key life skills. Each session will typically begin with a warm-up before moving into a strength program specifically designed to help develop:

• Impulse control 
• Emotion control 
• Organisation 
• Working memory 
• Task initiation 
• Flexible thinking 
• Self-monitoring  
• Planning 

We conduct regular comprehensive assessments of special tests related to youth development. This helps us understand individual needs and monitor each student’s unique progress. 

Get in touch to find out how exercise can help unlock your child’s full potential.