For a number of reasons, many people do not know that building muscle is the key to losing and keeping fat weight off. In fact, science has only recently made this finding. When aerobic exercise came to prominence in the mid 1970's the industry and the media focused on the benefits, ignoring resistance training that would build strength. New research is showing that adding muscle is the most effective way to lose fat quickly and safely, while at the same time improving the body's immune system. The benefits of exercise include: improved health, more energy, improved self esteem and improvements long term in the quality of life as we age.  For "balance" health and fitness, science and medicine have found what the Greeks knew thousands of years ago, and the Chinese still practice today, a combination of strength and aerobic training.

Only recently have such organizations such as the American College of Sports Medicine amended their fitness recommendations to include strength training. Strength training will improve your body shape, enabling you to have more energy by improving or building muscle. There is so much confusion when it comes to strength training and bodybuilding. Many people are concerned that if they strength train they will develop the magazine look of big bulging muscles.   Nothing could be further from the truth. It takes considerably more effort then 20 minutes of cardio-vascular exercise and 20-30 minutes of total body strength training to develop a championship physique.  Aerobic exercise is a great way to improve and maintain cardio-vascular health and cardio-vascular endurance. By combining strength and cardio-vascular cross training exercise, you will have the very best of a balanced fitness program.