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According to the NHS - and the WHO and CDC say the same - muscle-strenghtening activity is more or less necessary (otherwise they would not recommend it for the general public) in order to "build and maintain strong bones, to regulate blood sugar and blood pressure and to help maintain a healthy weight".

Yet it seems to me that these goals can be achieved by non muscle-strengthening exercise, so why is it so important to strengthen muscles?

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  • Please name an exercise that does not serve to maintain or build muscle.
    – JohnP ♦
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 16:25

1 Answer 1

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The reason strength training is necessary is right there in the paragraph you quote:

Muscle strength is necessary for daily activities

The point of muscular development is not just for bone strength, but for muscle strength. Muscles are useful in and of themselves, not just for their many benefits to other bodily functions.

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  • Well virtually everybody has enough natural muscle strength to carry out daily activities without working out. Why is it necessary to increase this muscle strength?
    – drake035
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 10:31
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    @drake035 Because your first sentence is incorrect. The body atrophies with age and disuse.
    – Dave Liepmann
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 10:33
  • ...and many if not most people need to modify their daily activities as they progressively become less capable.
    – Dave Liepmann
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 10:35
  • On the linked page NHS already provides recommendations by age groups, I don't think aging is the issue here.
    – drake035
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 10:46
  • @drake035 1) "and disuse" 2) do you think people don't age between 19 and 64? Or that such aging doesn't affect their ability to accomplish tasks? Or that if they are entirely sedentary during that time that they won't experience any decrease in muscular function?
    – Dave Liepmann
    Commented May 19, 2015 at 11:17

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