5 Benefits of Strength Training
I can remember when there was a time that I didn’t want to lift heavy because I was afraid. I was afraid of ‘bulking up’ or gaining weight. Boy was I wrong! Lifting heavy weights has shaped my body in such a positive way. I feel stronger, I look leaner, and I, honestly, feel better. It’s given me the confidence boost that I felt I always needed. As a model, it can be tricky because so many people say to do more repetitions and less weight, but I HIGHLY disagree. Lifting weights does not make you ‘big’, it just gives you a better shape. It’s about how much food you’re consuming at the end of the day to determine how ‘bulky’ you will get.
Strength training: whether you’re using added weights or just using your own body weight has multiple benefits to the mind AND body.
Lower body fat percentage- Muscle weighs more than fat, and the burn lasts longer than just cardio alone. Studies say that the amount of fat is burned more during strength training because your body continues to burn calories even AFTER you’ve trained. So, even if you burn a lot of calories on the treadmill, your body stops burning calories once you stop. This is good to keep in mind because I used to be a BIG cardio bunny. I would do cardio for HOURS on end; no bueno.
Better heart health- We all know that exercise is good for your heart. However, strength training is something you can do for less than an HOUR a week and you can lower your chance of heart attack or stroke by 40 to 70% { via }.
Better body mobility- More than just helping you to become stronger, your body mechanics get a boost of assistance with the help of strength training by improving your balance, your coordination, and your ability to prevent injuries { via }. This can also improve your flexibility because you’re increasing your range of motion.
Natural mood boost- Lifting weights make you feel better, seriously. Your mood changes and your confidence level goes UP. It elevates your endorphins, which are responsible for increasing your energy levels { via }. With this mood boost, this helps your mental health, as well.
Stronger bones- The older and wiser I’ve become, the more I’ve noticed how important it is to take care of our bones NOW. Strength training helps tremendously with that. It literally increases your bone mineral density. When a muscle contracts, it pulls onto the bone it’s attached to, which causes the cells in the bone to produce proteins that are structural { via }.
SO, by lifting weights or doing strength training exercises, you are doing your body a HUGE service from the inside out!
What are your favorite strength training workouts to perform? Let me know in the comments!
Love,
Ash x
