Weight training or resistance training for diabetics. Most of type 2 diabetes patients in india ,especially those above 45 to 50 years of age adopt only WALKING as mode of exercise.Few people practice other aerobic exercise like cycling ,swimming etc .
Very few diabetic people in india after 50 hit the gym for weight training.
I hardly see woman above 40's opting for weight training.Many women india feels resistance training is not for them . It is equally important for both men and women to maintain lean toned muscles.
Aerobic training (walking ,cycling ,swimming etc)involves continuous activity of multiple large muscle groups, whereas strength training involves isolated, brief activity of single muscle groups.
After the age of 35 ,there is 3% muscle loss every year. To maintain muscle mass after 35 years ,resistance training is very essential
Benefits of Resistance training for diabetics:
1) resistance training actually improves insulin sensitivity better than aerobic exercises
2) Toned muscles also store glucose more effectively, and that helps regulate blood sugar even when you’re at rest.
3) Strength training also helps build stronger bones, thus helps in preventing osteoporosis.
4) As you age, strength training (also called resistance training), gives more stamina to do everyday activities such as walking, lifting things, and climbing stairs etc
5) Strength training also helps in decreasing the amount of insulin utilised by your body to store energy in fat cells, thus considerably reducing your fat-to-muscle ratio.
6) Strength training leads to an increase in muscle mass. This raises your Basal Metabolic Rate and causes the body to burn more calories.
7) More muscles -more mitochondria-more younger look and rate of ageing decreases.
AEROBIC or WEIGHT training?
Weekly twice strength training is very much essential for diabetics.
Combining 3 days aerobic exercises with 2 days weight training per week is more beneficial in controlling blood sugars and achieving HBa1c targets .
BASIC strength training Exercises
1) Standing biceps curl
2) Triceps extension
3) shoulder press 4)chest press
5) classic crunch
6) Planks ,squats and lunges
Spend more time warming up .
Optimise work out intensity .
If u can take the help of personal trainer ,it’s better .
NOTE: Having 100 g fruit is a good option before strength training exercises. If diabetes is uncontrolled or fluctuating sugar levels,blood sugar monitoring is required before and after exercise
Caution :Strength training is not advisable for people Diabetes retinopathy where vision may be impaired and those with severe comorbities like chronic kidney diseases,stroke etc .