We Lift Heavy…and Breathe Easy
Welcome to Our Inaugural Newsletter!
We’re excited to share fitness and wellness ideas with you and keep you informed about the goings-on at We Lift Heavy. Thank you for subscribing.
So why should we lift heavy anyway? Research shows that losing muscle mass is a by-product of aging; a natural process called sarcopenia.[i] Following muscle mass peak around age 35, and accelerating after age 60, adults lose about 1/3 of their muscle mass. This muscle loss impacts every aspect of our lives from strength and endurance to flexibility and balance, increasing the risk of falls and injury.[ii] Women, in particular, are vulnerable to bone loss and osteoporosis.[iii] Although there’s no way to stop the ticking-aging-clock, older adults can slow their decline through exercise.
Traditional advice for aging adults was to exercise using light weights and high repetitions, purportedly reducing stress on aging joints and tired muscles, with the hope of building endurance through increased repetition. In contrast, current research shows the best way to stimulate muscle growth and improve bone density is to push our muscles and challenge ourselves through a variety of different exercises, called muscle confusion, and gradually increasing heavy weight, called progressive overload. If you only repeat the same exercises and weights, your body inevitably adapts and strength plateaus.
In her book Roar,[iv] exercise physiologist Dr Stacy Sims discusses the unique aspects of the female physiology, observing that, first and foremost women are not small men and should not train like them. As women enter menopause, their bone density can decline up to 20% in the following 5-7 years making exercise particularly critical in offsetting bone loss. Approximately 50% of women over age 50 will break a bone due to osteoporosis making strength training using progressive overload particularly important for this population.[v]
What is progressive overload?
The National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM) defines progressive overload as the gradual increase of stress imposed on the muscles, bones, and nervous systems in order to drive adaptation and improve muscle growth by systematically increasing the difficulty of workouts. By gradually increasing weight, reps and sets while decreasing rest, lifters continue to increase the stress placed on their body, thereby improving strength and avoiding performance plateaus.[vi]
Recommendations from medical professionals and increased education about the benefits of strength training have helped people realize the benefits of lifting heavy, affecting every aging biomarker from improved bone density, balance and muscle strength to disease prevention, enhanced metabolism and stronger immune system.[vii] As a general principle, lifting heavier loads, slowing your lifting tempo particularly during the eccentric phase [or lowering part] of the exercise, and changing your exercise routine is the best way to build muscle, repair bones and improve strength and fitness. That’s why We Lift Heavy!
...and Breathe Easy?
If there are so many benefits to lifting heavy, then why bother with yoga? So many of us lead sedentary lives, spending hours in front of a computer or scrolling on our phones. We become stiff sore, and distracted. Bombarded by a never-ending torrent of information, it becomes increasingly difficult to find respite from a stress-filled world, discover calm, and quiet the mind. Yoga is an intentional mind-body practice that integrates concentration on breathing with heightened awareness of physical sensations in the body through movement to bring stillness in the mind and peace to the spirit.
Recent research has documented the many benefits of a regular yoga practice, including reduced stress,[viii] better heart health,[ix] improved flexibility,[x] increased physical and emotional resilience. Besides these individual benefits, by increasing our awareness of our connections to one another and to the wider world, yoga can be an important community-building tool.[xi]
Even if you’ve never taken a yoga class before, yoga can be made accessible for all, for every body and every mind. We invite you to explore the potentially profound effects yoga can have on “anatomy, neurophysiology, cognition, emotion, behavior, and relationships.” [xii]
Updates on Goings-On:
o Renovations at our 12 River Road location are mostly complete and we’re planning an official opening later in February.
o TBD: Mystic Chamber of Commerce Ribbon Cutting ceremony: Refreshments, raffles & prizes. Bring a friend!
o During our soft opening phase, memberships and classes are available for booking at https://www.we-lift-heavy.com
Notes
[i] https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC3940510/
[ii] https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/lifting-heavy-weights-may-be-beneficial-older-adults
[iii] https://www.bonehealthandosteoporosis.org/preventing-fractures/general-facts/what-women-need-to-know/
[iv] Sims, S. T. (2024). Roar: Match your food and fitness to your unique female physiology for optimum performance, great health and a strong body for life. New York: Penguin-Random House.
[v] Pg. 48.
[vi] https://blog.nasm.org/progressive-overload-explained
[vii] https://www.nia.nih.gov/news/how-can-strength-training-build-healthier-bodies-we-age
[viii] https://yogaalliance.org/scientific-research/cognitive-and-emotional-functioning/
[ix] https://yogaalliance.org/scientific-research/cardiovascular-conditions/
[x] https://yogaalliance.org/scientific-research/musculoskeletal-conditions/
[xi] https://yogaalliance.org/scientific-research/transcendence-spirituality/
[xii]https://eurekamag.com/research/100/629/100629805.php?srsltid=AfmBOormPrqO8AkRgrSYDtrsEZjoSw0ZcqlVln79F7JruN267Fy6kU65
Let the Renovations Begin!
Town of Stonington approved our zoning and we’re ready begin the build-out!
Contractor signed, HVAC and electrical designed, equipment ordered, flooring selected, sound system purchased.
We’re ready to turn a concrete and brick blank slate into a magical space for well-being and community.
Future Yoga Space
Future Weightlifting Area