By Lachlan De Sane***
Strength training has always been a staple of good health. Looking back at ancient cultures, lifting rocks and building with heavy materials started the weight lifting process.
But before you think it’s only for men or only for “meatheads,” think again.
Weight training has multiple benefits for everyone, no matter their gender, age or interest in getting “bulky.”
In fact, most of the advantages are for general health and have little to do with bulking up.
Improves cardiovascular health
The link between high body fat and increased chances of developing cardiovascular disease makes it a priority to engage in physical activity.
Weight training is proven to improve your heart health by helping to reduce the excess fat that releases hormones and proteins responsible for cardiac problems.
The more muscle you have, the more excess fat you are burning.
Keeps bones strong and healthy
The body needs physical challenges, the same way the brain needs exercise to stay sharp.
Resistance training puts force on the bone and helps it stay strong, the body must adapt to survive, putting weight on the bones will make them stronger along with the muscles.
Numerous studies have been done that show us strength training can play a huge role in slowing bone loss and several even show it can build bone.
Reduces risk of chronic disease
Lifting weights can help alleviate the symptoms of many chronic diseases as well as help faster sugar removal from the blood, which helps increase insulin sensitivity.
This is extremely beneficial in preventing type 2 diabetes.
The stronger the body is, the more resilient it will be against disease and overall risk for mortality at any age.
Improves mental health
Weightlifting and strength training are both natural remedies to stress and anxiety.
When someone lifts weights, endorphins are triggered during the workout that send signals to your brain that work to boost your mood.
Exercise can be transformative in many ways, physically and emotionally.
Working out tests what the body can do, which gives you a sense of accomplishment that improves how you perceive your physical appearance.
Lowers body fat
When we look beyond the muscle and strength gain, there is the great loss of body fat.
Building muscle during strength training helps burn calories and increase your resting metabolism so that you are almost constantly burning calories, even while sitting on the couch watching tv.
Muscle is an active tissue which means it burns more energy at rest compared to fat, this means the more muscle you have, the more fat your body is burning daily.
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