By: Joann Bally CSCS
Patients are given conflicting advice after a heart attack or heart surgery, according to an article in Health News. Some are told not to drive for more than 30 minutes, not to vacuum, not to put their hands over their heads, or not to lift anything weighing more than 3 pounds for a few weeks. The same advice doesn’t suit everyone, so many people end up with programs that are too conservative and actually impede their recovery. I’m not going to give advice to a heart patient, but if you are one, you may want to consult with your doctor about when you can start lifting weights.
But the 3-pound dumbbell isn’t confined to heart patients. Often older adults are advised to use “light” weights when working out. Some young, healthy women use very light weights because they fear getting “big.” Endurance athletes often tend to use light weights because they don’t want to increase their body weight, and 3 pounders abound in aerobics classes, where they end up being used for muscular endurance, not strength.
So what’s wrong with this? A study in Baylor University Medical Center Proceedings shows that activities of daily living take more strength than is generally realized. This is intended for those heart patients, to show that they really need to develop more strength. For the rest of us, it shows that just working out with light weights isn’t doing us much good as far as strength goes. (It doesn’t do much good as far as toning goes, either, if you don’t challenge your muscles.) Look at these examples of how much force, in pounds, is needed for common activities.
Lifting the 3-lb dumbbell: 4.0
Pull out a full dishwasher rack: 5.0
Lift a full coffee pot: 6.5
Push a vacuum cleaner: 7.5
Open a refrigerator: 9.0
Open the door to the doctor’s office: 15.5
If you don’t have any medical counter-indications, lift weights that are moderately heavy (for you) at least some of your workouts. Don’t throw out your 3-lb weights, though. They are good for rehab and certain high-repetition exercises. And they make nice paperweights.
Related using the H&F.com Search:
STRENGTH TRAINING HELPS RUNNING
HEALTHandFITNESS.com 
