Plenty of spas are encouraging exercise as a necessary part of a full spa experience. Exercise isn't limited to fitness focused resorts like Canyon Ranch (multiple locations) and BodyHoliday (St. Lucia), and there's one more reason to encourage clients to work out and incorporate strength training in their routine. Recent studies (including one in the Journal of Physiology) have linked improved mitochondria function (the mini powerhouses generating energy for cells, including skin cells) in the brain and muscle tissue of people who strength train with dumb-bells and body-weight moves. Mitochondria are damaged from free radicals as we age. When they are compromised, so is collagen and elastin production, as well as the amount of hyaluronic acid so skin appears dry, dull, and lax. Though the connection with weight training and mitochondrial function in skin isn't proven, yet, researchers are working on an answer in the next few years.
Would you incorporate weight training in your routine for beauty benefits or encourage clients to lift in the name of youthful skin?