Get more physical. We hear the message multiple times a day, through multiple channels and it seems to be working. According to the National Health Interview Survey, we are witnessing an increase in physical activity. This is great news for all of us in the health and well-being industry. But it also begs the question: Which type of physical activity is most impactful for your employee population—aerobic activity or resistance training?
To answer this question my team and I conducted research based on the HealthFitness book of business. We found that worksite well-being programs skewed toward aerobic activity to the exclusion of other forms of exercise. While aerobic activity is undoubtedly helpful, we believe that by also incorporating resistance training, employers can help employees achieve significant improvements in their health and well-being.
Fortunately, the introduction of easily available monitoring technology and virtual fitness options make resistance training that much easier to implement in the workplace. And incorporating resistance training into program design can help employers build upon the successes they may be experiencing with aerobic activity. Not to mention helping more employees get more physical.