Weight-training is acknowledged by the medical fraternity as a great form of exercise to reduce fat, build muscle and maintain overall health. Further, it increases strength and stamina, improves bone density, reduces the risk of fractures, diabetes and high blood pressure. Finally, it gives a lean, strong and toned look to the body.

Lower-back pain (LP) is increasingly on the rise. According to the American Chiropractic Association, lower-back pain costs the US 50 billion dollars every year in treatment and rehabilitation costs, not counting the loss of man-days and productivity.

One of the common myths around weight training is that it reduces flexibility in the person. The stereotype of a muscle-bound weight-trainer who is stiff and inflexible is very popular. Elders in the family, peers and friends often warn weight-training enthusiasts about the risk of becoming inflexible.

In recent decades, the professional and personal lives of sports stars are no longer a secret. Every minute detail of their lives are documented and discussed in various forums today.

Diabetes is on the rise again. According to the World Health Organization, in 2016 alone, 16 million deaths were caused by diabetes. And in 2012, 2.2 million deaths worldwide were caused by complications arising out of high blood sugar. A sedentary lifestyle, poor diet, genetics and various health conditions can cause irregularities in the way human body processes blood sugar, triggering Type-1 and Type-2 diabetes.

Healthcare practitioners will tell you that adults of age 65 years and above should spend at least 30 minutes a day, 5 days a week, in moderate aerobic exercise such as brisk walking. Further, they should do strength training at least 2 days a week.

Human society has evolved through the centuries with an aim to improve quality of life. Machines have been created or livestock engaged to perform what humans did previously. Our ancestors heaved, pulled, lugged, lifted, hammered and carried heavy weights or undertook back-breaking work in farms, factories and households. All that is a thing of the past now! Machines have eased human life to a large extent in the modern world.

When you think of your body, are you properly taking care of yourself? Take a look at these three points for a quick self-check. There are other things that contribute to the wellness of our bodies, but here are three basic points. I like to think of them as a trilogy for fitness.

Strength training or resistance training is form of exercise where the individual uses resistance to the free contraction of his/her muscles, by adding some weight. The weight could be in the form of his/her body weight, or heavy objects that must be lifted, pulled or pushed.