TExES Physical Education EC-12 Practice Exam

What is primarily increased through resistance training aside from muscle strength?

1. Body flexibility

2. Bone density

3. Cardiovascular endurance

4. Mental acuity

The correct answer is: Bone density

Resistance training is known to primarily increase muscle strength, but another significant benefit is the enhancement of bone density. When muscles contract during resistance exercises, they exert force on bones, which stimulates bone formation and increases density. This process is vital for overall skeletal health and can help prevent conditions such as osteoporosis, particularly as people age. The other options, while beneficial to overall fitness, do not directly relate to the primary outcomes of resistance training. Body flexibility is more effectively improved through stretching and flexibility exercises rather than resistance work. Cardiovascular endurance is typically enhanced through aerobic activities rather than resistance training, which focuses more on muscle engagement. Mental acuity can be influenced by overall physical activity and health but is not a primary outcome of resistance training specifically. Thus, the most appropriate answer is the increase in bone density resulting from resistance training.