Having good chest and back muscles is not just associated with being fit physically but, according to a recent study, having good muscle strength in the upper body may reduce the chances of having a heart attack and other heart ailments.
It was revealed from the research that individuals with good upper body muscle strength are less prone to cardiovascular diseases than individuals who have poor muscle strength. The study points out yet another reason for including strength training as an essential component of a healthy life style apart from aerobics exercises.
The researchers looked into the health history of thousands of individuals and correlated the muscle strength of these individuals with the prevalence of heart diseases among them over several years. It was found that those individuals who have stronger chest and back muscles are less prone to heart attacks.
Muscle strength is not only about physical fitness according to the study. Usually, people who have strong muscles are healthy. For example, they have a healthy body weight, good metabolic rates, and stable blood sugar levels. All these elements contribute to low chances of getting cardiovascular disease.
As scientists explain, strength training improves insulin sensitivity, lowers chances of developing type 2 diabetes which is one of the risk factors of heart disease. Strength training contributes to lowering bad body fats, improving cholesterol level and lowering blood pressure. All these actions help to maintain good health of the heart.
It was pointed out by the researchers that such activities like push-ups, weightlifting, using resistance bands, rowing and exercising with body weight can develop such parts of the body as the chest, back, shoulders, and arms.
According to cardiologists, strength training should be combined with other aerobic activities such as walking, cycling, swimming, and running rather than replacing any of them. The current health recommendations are that individuals perform at least 150 minutes of physical activity per week and participate in muscle-strengthening exercises for at least two days per week.
In addition, the authors noted that muscle strength is just one of the factors which play a role in ensuring that a person has good heart health. A healthy diet consisting of plenty of fruits, vegetables, grains, and protein; sufficient amount of sleep; non-smoking; alcohol moderation; and stress management are all factors which reduce the risk of heart disease.
Even though there was a significant link between upper body strength and heart condition in this study, the scientists did not claim that muscle strength alone is what prevents heart attack in people. There must be other factors that play their role and add up to low risks. Further studies will help to figure out more details about the way in which muscle strength helps to protect the heart from diseases.
Scientists think that these results make people of all ages realize the importance of adding some exercises that strengthen muscles to their training program once a week.