Health Matters With TSET: The Benefits Of Strength Training & Building Muscle

In this edition of Health Matters with TSET, News On 6 Health Coach Dottie Small is learning how muscle isn't just about building strength, it's the key to building a better life.

She talked to strength coach Chelsea Cooke who said muscle growth can bring crucial health benefits and help with mental health.

"It's more of building that muscle and providing a stimulus for the muscle to actually help grow. The more muscle you have on your body, just generally speaking, the healthier you are," Cooke said.

Cooke said that exercise can decrease your chances for co-occurring conditions like diabetes, heart disease, and more.

"You might see your sleep increase, heart rate variability is better, respiratory rate goes down. Things like your lungs work better, your heart works better, those muscles are providing, on a cellular level, boost to your immune system," Cooke said.

She said that strength training can be intimidating, but full-body workouts are a good place to start for people of all ages and body types.

"Focus on the main movements, like squats, lunges, upper body, pool, upper body push, and a hinge, just focusing on those movements and typically, you're going to keep your body well balanced, building muscle, and you're going to see success over time," Cooke said.

Cooke said there are many different ways to get started for anyone interested.

"You can build muscle at any age, so it's really important that you don't discount yourself because of age or maybe injuries you've had in the past," Cooke said. "Find somebody that knows what they're doing and have them work with you, and you can really get where you need to go."

For more information on different ways to get active and build strength, CLICK HERE.