We know we need food, water and shelter so humans have all but conquered these issues. The thing is before we accomplished this…evolution had to protect us.

We are completely reliant on physical movement to allow our various bodily systems to function. Avoidance of being sedentary is rule number one for avoiding illness. Evolution took advantage of our need to forage and now it is inseparable from normal body function. Hence the modern phrase “sitting is the new smoking”.

The next generation of this is “weight bearing”. As astronauts discovered living in low gravity – bone density and strength are rapidly lost in the absence of significant weight bearing.

More importantly it is fast being uncovered that our immune systems are heavily reliant on high levels of muscle tension and fatigue only possible from bearing heavy loads. Chemical messaging caused by bearing heavy weight appears integral to keeping your immunity awake (see Doctor McGuff’s video on our home page https://wefit.ca)

Suffice to say frailty is the first inception of illness and it may be better understood through the physiological reliance model than the “strong verses weak” description.

Clearer than ever is what we have consistently adhered to at our Ottawa personal training studio – strength training is a necessity not a luxury.

Be well, be strong,

Andrew and Tierney