Middle-aged men wanting to look better in Lycra should start lifting weights, according to a study from the Harvard School of Public Health (HSPH).
While researchers found that weight training was better for men trying to keep their waistline in check than cycling or running, they say that a combination of lifting weights and aerobic exercise is the optimal way to avoid putting on the pounds.
In the study, published in the journal Obesity, researchers found that men who spent 20 minutes a day weight training put on less abdominal fat as they aged than those who undertook the same time engaging in aerobic exercise.
While men who undertook aerobic exercise saw a lower increase in overall weight than those who pump iron, the latter put on less weight around the stomach – and that, say researchers, is a sign that the latter are ageing in a healthier way.
Lead author Dr Rania Mekary of HSPH, quoted on Express.co.uk, said: “Because ageing is associated with sarcopenia, the loss of skeletal muscle mass, relying on body weight alone is insufficient for the study of healthy ageing.
“Measuring waist circumference is a better indicator of healthy body composition among older adults.
“Engaging in resistance training or, ideally, combining it with aerobic exercise could help older adults lessen abdominal fat while increasing or preserving muscle mass,” she added.
The study, conducted over 12 years, assessed the levels of physical activity, waist circumference and weight of 10,500 men aged 40 or above, spanning a broad spectrum of body mass index.
The biggest gains in men’s waistlines, unsurprisingly, came from those with more sedentary lifestyles such as spending time sitting watching TV.
Senior author Frank Hu from HSPH said: “This study underscores the importance of weight training in reducing abdominal obesity, especially among the elderly.
“To maintain a healthy weight and waistline, it is critical to incorporate weight training with aerobic exercise,” he added.
21 thoughts on “MAMILs – want to look better in Lycra? Start pumping iron!”
To start of with, I hate the
To start of with, I hate the word MAMIL. It’s stupid and if you think about it, it’s a negative acronym that tries to persuade men not to take up cycling. Wouldn’t be surprised if it was brain stormed into being by the car lobby.
I think this research seems true from personal experience. A few years ago I practiced martial arts everyday for a year. It’s easy to put muscle on like that, but when I was younger and used to run 5 miles 6 days a week followed by an hour or two of kung fu. I was much more lean. Now I have to watch what I eat much more…oh well, that’s life I guess.
Now I’m back to cycling, which I guess I found again just in time (some days I like really like cake). However, now I understand what my teacher told me. He said:
Man is incomplete until he is married, then he is finished. In martial arts training terms there’s a lot of truth in this.
I have been saying this for
I have been saying this for 20 years, but based on performance not on image.. Cyclists should do weightlifting. (Not bodybuilding routines)
Cyclist wrote:I have been
Not just cyclists – MEN should do weightlifting. Not body building stuff but short routines that provide solid resistance to the body. Good for the central nervous system, good for the joints, and good for injury prevention.
Twice a week, short sets with combined muscle groups targeted. In and out of the gym in 20 minutes. Slow sets with 5 second reps to complete and utter failure.
Also good for just feeling like a man.
AJ101 wrote:Cyclist wrote:I
Do women not have any use for a central nervous system, joints or injury prevention…?
Is this article pointing out
Is this article pointing out the bloody obvious or something ?
So basically the best way to keep fit is to put on some muscle because of course that burns more calories than fat and then do aerobic exercise.
People pay for this research ??
As for ronin says about MAMIL spot on, just like CHAV is used to denigrate a group in society. I am a MAMIL but been cycling in Lyrca since 28 …
So the survey didn’t actually
So the survey didn’t actually ask anyone if they look good in Lycra? That’s just an inference of this article…..
A good athlete will do both disciplines anyway.
What a dumbass article..must
What a dumbass article..must subscribe to ‘Obesity’ though.
I’ve no problem with the word
I’ve no problem with the word MAMIL, it’s a perfectly factual description of what I am! 🙂
Yep, I’m at MAMIL & hope to
Yep, I’m at MAMIL & hope to be an OMIL 🙂 There’s only one thing with lifting weights though, they’re so tedious!
Rule #4
Rule #4
Rule #0 (the rules are
Rule #0 (the rules are neither clever nor funny)
Hang on a minute. The study
Hang on a minute. The study compared people who do 20mins lifting weights with people who instead did 20mins aero. But which readers of this site just do 20min rides?
A stiff 2 to 4 hour ride on a weekend surely does more to burn fat than any amount of boring gym time?
I’m not going to suddenly grab some dumbbells in the sales!
Fat people already do a lot
Fat people already do a lot of weight lifting – a lot of food into their fat mouths then trying to walk around with all that blubber around them. Yuk! I hate fat people. Too many of them now it’s depressing. Getting like the US.
The main reason people are not lean is not because of not doing weight training, but because they over eat and over eat the wrong type of foods. Portion control is what fatsos have a problem with. They don’t know when to stop pigging out.
Btw the best exercise to stay lean is running and chin ups. The latter the more the better.
Does Dr Rania Mekary by any chance have shares in a gym or health club?
‘A stiff 2 to 4 hour ride on
‘A stiff 2 to 4 hour ride on a weekend surely does more to burn fat than any amount of boring gym time?’
absolutely not.
Diet first. Then any exercise
Diet first. Then any exercise you can do regularly (that usually means something you either enjoy or is part of your day job).
Diet gets you slim. Exercise gets you healthy/mobile.
ydrol wrote:Diet first. Then
A 100% correct! You can do all the exercise you want but without the right diet it will hardly make a difference.
This applies to building muscle, unless you have the right diet to follow it you will not make many gains.
ydrol wrote:Diet first. Then
I find its the other way round. If you exercise more you then eat less, due to thinking ‘if I eat that cheese it will entirely undo all the benefit of the cycling/running/walking I just did’.
Plus exercise helps avoid the boredom that leads to eating more.
I find its the other way
I find its the other way round. If you exercise more you then eat less, due to thinking ‘if I eat that cheese it will entirely undo all the benefit of the cycling/running/walking I just did’.
For some people exercise decreases appetite, for others it increases it.
It is well know for example, for people to gain weight training for a marathon, whilst others lose. Mainly because the former group are overeating.
( https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=gain+weight+marathon+training )
The most successfuly route to weight loss is table pushaways. (whether it is a cause or effect depends on the individual).
For most people its really about controlling blood sugar levels (exercise helps here) which then controls cravings. But ,generally, exercise alone, doesnt burn enough calories to make a difference over the long term (years). The article doesnt mention diet at all, so is fail.
However exercise is vital for fitness and health. But for weight loss its a big gamble that for most people doesnt work *long term*.
And this is a new discovery
And this is a new discovery how, exactly?
Isn’t climbing a hill
Isn’t climbing a hill weight-training and aerobic at the same time?
Not convinced weight-training is a massively good thing in general. Too many football and rugby players have been unnecessarily bulked up and it causes them a lot of problems from too much strain on the ligaments and injuries from more powerful collisions. (Micheal Owen anyone?) Even too much hill-climbing can put too much strain on the ligaments. Core exercises are probably the most useful form of cross-training, maybe rowing is the best as it exercises almost everything and won’t bulk you up. Free weights, maybe, if you want to improve your sprint.
And as for weight I mainly do aerobic exercise and I have no excess weight at 57 and I know people who weight-train and have put on a bit. That depends on discipline or having a system to lose weight as soon as you put some on. Regulation of weight is a minefield but it’s basically down to having a good hormonal system, which regular exercise may help gain and maintain, and what used to be called will-power. Although, personally, I think the best way to do it is to lose any small excess, even 0.5-1kg, asap.
The only easy way to lose weight is not to gain it in the first place.
TOTALLY!
Although it can be
TOTALLY!
Although it can be hard enough getting men to realise the importance of strength training. And that’s without the fear of bulking up that many women have around this subject as well!