Beyond just feeling and looking great, strength training has many benefits that will help your body over the course of your lifetime. Whether you do strength training with weights or without, the benefits are too great to ignore. If you are looking to add any one thing to your lifestyle to increase your health, strength training should be it. Here are the top benefits to strength training:
Maintain Your Weight
Strength training is a great way to increase your metabolic rate, which will help your body burn more calories throughout the day. It also increases your lean muscle mass and overall strength, helping you to workout longer and have more energy. These things combined work to help you maintain your weight goals over a long period of time.
Increase Bone Density
Over time as you age, inactivity (and just getting older) can lead to your bones decreasing in density and becoming more brittle, leading to diseases like osteoporosis (and being at higher risk for injuries). By doing regular strength training, research has proven that you can both increase your bone density and work to prevent osteoporosis.
Prevent Injury
One of the best ways to prevent and heal injuries is to strengthen the muscles around them. A large portion of sport-related, as well as life-related injuries, can be prevented by properly strengthening both your muscles and joints. If you do endure an injury, strength training can help heal it faster by strengthening the muscles affected and speeding up recovery time.
Increase Your Performance
No matter what your favorite sport or activity is, if you practice regular strength training, you will improve at it. Strength training is a fantastic supplement to someone that is already physically active but wants to take their sport or activity to a higher level. Strength training can give you that extra energy and power needed to excel.
Feel Great and Look Great
Nothing is more satisfying than the feeling of a great workout. Strength training may be painful at times, but the effects that stronger muscles and joints can have on your body are every bit worth it. Being stronger can impact your posture and your overall muscle tone. All of these things combined lead to increased confidence and higher self esteem. Strength training can also help you age more gracefully, as it keeps you alive and vibrant.
With benefits this compelling, it is hard to find a reason not to put some time and effort into improving your overall health with strength training. By practicing strength training just 3 to 5 times a week, you can begin to see a change in your body and health. Don't feel limited by solo weight training; there are many group alternatives (such as Yoga or Pilates) that can be just as beneficial and produce all the same results. Research your options and get started on building a strength training routine that will literally change your life!