Physician Referral Online

A free and confidential service
of Yale-New Haven Hospital.

Physician Referral Online
Using your own criteria, you can request information from a database of 900 area physicians who have registered to participate.

Request an appointment
We would be happy to assist you in scheduling an appointment with a member of the hospital's medical staff. Use the link above or call:

203-688-2000
or toll free
1-888-700-6543
to talk with a referral coordinator.

Weightlifting no longer a man's domain

Weight training is an important component of a complete exercise regimen for both men and women. Some of the women I see in my practice were initially hesitant to venture into the weight area of their local sports club, thinking it was primarily a masculine domain, but they've since experienced some of the benefits weight training provides, such as increased muscle strength and endurance, stronger bones and leaner bodies.

Weight training is exercise that adds resistance to the body's natural movements in order to make those movements more difficult and make the muscles become stronger.

I encourage patients to develop balanced fitness programs that combine aerobic exercise, which builds endurance and benefits the heart and lungs, with resistance training, which develops muscular strength. The combination is a good approach.

Weight work can be particularly rewarding for women who traditionally have weaker upper body strength because they haven't trained like their male counterparts. Many women have participated in group aerobic classes or walking programs, so their legs may be relatively strong, but generally their arms and shoulders are not very well developed.

Working out with weights helps develop that upper body strength that can make many tasks of daily living such as lifting and carrying heavy objects much easier.

And, contrary to some women's concerns, weight training won't result in very large, body builder-type physiques. Women who strive to become competitive body builders work out for several hours a day using very heavy weights. Some also take hormones and steroids to increase their muscle mass.

Exercise is also an important component of a healthy lifestyle. Anyone who is overweight benefits from exercise whether it's working with weights or jogging. Inactivity is a major cause of obesity. Aerobic activities such as walking quickly and jogging or sports such as tennis or soccer burn calories more efficiently than resistance training, but weightlifting does burn calories and it is usually part of a general lifestyle change from inactive to active, and that's where the biggest payoff is.

Getting a good start
It's a good idea to see your doctor before beginning any exercise program, particularly if you're over age 40 or if you have any medical conditions such as heart disease or joint or back problems. Almost anyone can benefit from strength training, but you may need to take some special precautions depending on your physician's recommendations.

Using equipment properly is important. Weight training programs can be done with free weights or with weight machines. Free weights are less expensive than weight machines and are more easily adapted to smaller and larger body types, but machines are safer for beginners than most free weights because the weight and movement are more controlled. Most gyms have a broad selection of machines and free weights. It's important to have a trained person show you the proper way to use the equipment to minimize the danger of accidents and to maximize your workout.

Benefits abound
There are some cardiovascular benefits to weight training, but the primary benefit for women is strength. Progressive exercise actually strengthens bone, and a regular fitness program is a good way to ward off or prevent osteoporosis. Start slowly, but gradually add weight, and your body will actually build new bone. Elderly people in nursing homes who have been involved in light weightlifting exercises actually have fewer bone fractures than those who don't.

Resistance training also helps people who have osteoarthritis. Muscle tissue absorbs shock, and the more muscle you develop around areas such as your knee and shoulder, the less stressed those joints will be. Exercise doesn't cure arthritis but it may significantly improve symptoms.

Muscles atrophy if we don't use them, and many of the diseases associated with aging are a result of lack of exercise along with the natural loss of muscle tissue that occurs with age. A balanced exercise program can revert some of this aging process.

In the last few decades people's physical performance has increased significantly, so we know we are capable of a lot more than we may have thought. The performance of master athletes continues to improve, and 60- and 70-year-old marathoners are no longer a rarity. Forty- and 50-year-old men are now running four-minute miles, a feat we thought impossible for anyone of any age a few short decades ago.

Women athletes are also outperforming their predecessors by leaps and bounds. Women are particularly competitive in very long running events such as 50- and 100-mile races because of their energy reserves. Although women's smaller frames and higher body fat composition may be a disadvantage when they compete against larger men, women can compete successfully against men of their own size.

Keep in mind
Strength training should complement your regular cardiovascular routines. Flexibility is important to work on as well, so alternating yoga, tai chi or Pilates programs with your regular workouts is a good way to develop flexibility and balance. One of the biggest benefits of regular resistance training is that you'll see and feel changes of strength in your body within the first few weeks, which is great motivation to keep you getting even stronger and fitter.

Dr. Jokl is vice chairman and professor of orthopaedics and rehabilitation at the Yale University School of Medicine. In addition, Dr. Jokl directs the Yale Sports Medicine Center.