The Benefits of Strength Training

By: kybelle616, on February 9, 2017

“Really? I have to lift weights?”

I hear it all the time, at one point by myself included. Took me years to embrace it, and experience the amazing benefits from it!

Strength training is not just to build muscle, contrary to what most people believe. Along with doing cardio, strength training also can benefit your heart, strengthen your bones, improve your balance , increase your metabolism, AND help you lose weight. It is great for people of any age and can be helpful with people with arthritis or heart conditions. It can even be as effective as taking medication to relieve arthritis pain. It is also helpful to women of post menopausal age by reducing the risk of bone fractures.

Along with helping make you look more toned, and lose weight, strength training also helps you maintain weight loss. Something most people with weight loss seem to struggle with the most. Studies have shown that women who do three weight training sessions a week, burn more calories in a day, in addition to calories burned during a workout, than women who do not. This is very helpful in maintaining weight loss.

Did you know that after puberty that women and men both lose about 1% of bone and muscle strength each year? One of the best ways to prevent this and reverse is, is by increasing strength training into your routine, three times a week. Strengthening and toning your muscles make you stronger and get you into better shape. Who wouldn’t want that?

Along with the benefits listed, this kind of training improves balance , coordination and posture! Which helps you perform better in your workouts as well! Better performance = better results! It’s a WIN WIN. You can boost energy levels and improve your mood. It has been shown to be a great anti-depressant and help you sleep better. I can absolutely attest to that, as depression and sleep have been something I used to struggle with quite a bit in the past.

Unlike doing cardio alone, your body continues to burn calories even after you leave the gym, or finish your at home workout. This can boost your metabolism by 15%, which can be super beneficial jump starting your weight loss plan.! If you are looking to start some sort of fitness regime, or looking into how to incorporate strength training into your current exercise regime, lets chat! There are so many options, for men and women, of any age and any fitness level! And it can be fun too!