Monday, November 18, 2013

Day 184: 720lbs Leg Press

Wake, Traffic, Work, Traffic, Workout.

My day in 5 easy words.  They have fixed the leg press machine at the gym.  I went in put on some tunes blasting in my head phones and went heavy. 

There are always twice as many people on the cardio machines than lifting weights.  Some people it seems that is all they go to the gym for.  They drift from one cardio machine to another never bothering to pick up a weight or test out a weight machine.  One of the best things you get from weight lifting is lower blood pressure. 

It’s true.  Lifting weights helps your heart.  See, as you gain muscle mass and muscle fibers you gain strength, meaning it takes less work to make your muscles contract.  This means that your heart doesn’t have to work as hard.  I personally believe that the vast majority of people on blood pressure meds are there because they don’t exercise. 

Everyone I know on some sort of medication couldn’t jog a mile if their life depended on it.  Having to pick up anything over about 20lbs is out of the question.  I know people in active jobs who think that they get plenty of exercise throughout the day.  While they may walk several miles a day and carry things with a hand truck they are not exercising. 

In addition to helping blood pressure in both men and women, lifting weights can help with bone strength.  Especially in women.  Weight lifting has been proven to help increase bone density and can help slow and even reverse the effect of osteoporosis. 

Next time you’re in the gym think about pushing some plates.  I guarantee you that after you have thrown 720lbs on the leg press machine you will feel like you just ran 5 miles.  Trust me.

Daily Recap:
Matt: Hit the weights hard (next I am going to 800lbs on the leg press)

Kelly: Gym workout

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