The term "weightlifting" is often informally used to refer to weight training. Weightlifting is considered a good method for training in any sports, and can help build confidence as it makes people stronger physically. Weightlifting is a sport where competitors attempt to lift heavy weights mounted on steel bars, the execution of which is a combination of power and technique.

On the other hand, physical exercise is considered important for maintaining physical fitness including healthy weight; building and maintaining healthy bones, muscles, and joints; promoting physiological well-being; reducing surgical risks; and strengthening the immune system. It is a common belief that training a particular body part will preferentially shed the fat on that part; for example, that doing sit-ups is the most direct way to reduce subcutaneous belly fat. This is false: one cannot reduce fat from one area of the body to the exclusion of others.

Frequent and regular physical exercise is an important component in the prevention of some of the diseases of affluence such as heart disease, cardiovascular disease, Type 2 diabetes and obesity.

There is indisputable evidence of the positive effectiveness of regular physical activity in the primary and secondary prevention of chronic diseases such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity, cardiovascular disease, some forms of cancer, depression and osteoporosis. And, there clearly appears to be a linear association with increased physical activity and improved health status.

Vigorous exercise elicits a greater energy expenditure then moderate exercise, and thus controlling for energy expenditure allows for the optimal way to assess the effects of aerobic exercise intensity.

But heavy weightlifting can lead to aortic dissection, the rare but deadly cardiac event that killed actor John Ritter.

Aortic dissection refers to a splitting of the wall of the aorta, the largest blood vessel in the body. The splitting allows blood under pressure to enter between the layers of the wall of the aorta. This condition is fatal unless the patient is immediately diagnosed and has surgery.

In this study, cardiothoracic surgeons at Yale-New Haven Hospital examined 31 cases of aortic dissection linked to weightlifting.

They concluded that, in people with pre-existing mild to moderate aortic enlargement, heavy weightlifting can increase blood pressure and raise aortic wall stress to the point that it causes aortic dissection.

The findings were published in the July online issue of the journal Cardiology.While this study does offer evidence of an association between aortic dissection and heavy weightlifting, "this is not a reason to avoid weightlifting and strength training, which can be healthy and beneficial," the study authors noted.

They recommended that people who do heavy strength training undergo a painless, minimally invasive cardiac echo exam in order to detect any potential problems.