Unlock Your Potential: 5 Essential Reasons Why Strength Training Should Be a Part of Everyone's Routine
In a world where fitness trends come and go, a world where we are inundated with fitness advice, claims, products, diets, and influencers, one timeless practice stands out as the cornerstone of overall well-being – strength training. While many associate strength training with bodybuilders, athletes and fuck boys, its benefits extend far beyond the realms of bulging muscles, competition, and tank tops. Whether you're a seasoned gym-goer or someone contemplating a new fitness routine, here are five essential reasons why everyone should incorporate some form of strength training into their lives.
Boost Metabolism and Burn Fat:
One of the most compelling reasons to engage in strength training is its ability to boost metabolism and promote fat loss. Unlike steady-state cardio, which primarily burns calories during the exercise session, strength training creates a phenomenon known as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). This means your body continues to burn calories at an elevated rate after your workout as it repairs and builds muscle. Over time, this can lead to a leaner physique and improved body composition.
Cardio is still a great form of exercise. It’s good for the heart and the respiratory system but if it’s the only form of exercise you’re getting then you are leaving a lot of meat on the bone so to speak. Let’s say your goal is weight loss and you put in a grueling, sweat drenched, 60 minute cardio session where you burn 150-200 calories. All that hard work can be undone with one snickers bar. Strength training will get your body working for you during and long after your workout.
Enhance Bone Health:
As we age, maintaining bone health becomes increasingly important to prevent conditions like osteoporosis. Strength training places stress on bones, stimulating the production of new bone tissue and increasing bone density. This is particularly crucial for women, who are more prone to osteoporosis. By incorporating resistance training into your routine, you can strengthen your bones, reduce the risk of fractures, and enjoy better overall skeletal health. This becomes more crucial for all of us the older we get. Strength training is not just for the young and the restless or the bold and the beautiful. We should all be doing strength training well into our old age when even the simplest of falls can result in broken hips, hands, arms etc.
Improves Joint Health and Flexibility:
Contrary to the misconception that strength training is hard on the joints, it can actually improve joint health when done correctly. Strength training helps to strengthen the muscles surrounding the joints, providing better support and stability. Additionally, resistance training enhances flexibility by promoting a full range of motion in various exercises. Over time, this can contribute to better joint function and reduce the risk of injuries. This also helps explain why lifting weights with proper form is so crucial. Furthermore there are many different ways to do strength training and certain methods like bodyweight exercise, yoga, and resistance bands are even safer and more beneficial for joint, ligament, and tendon health.
Enhance Mental Health and Cognitive Function:
The benefits of strength training extend beyond the physical realm, positively impacting mental health and cognitive function. Engaging in regular strength training releases endorphins, the body's natural mood lifters, which can help combat stress, anxiety, and depression. Furthermore, the confidence and the sense of autonomy that come from strength training are benefits that will certainly enhance anything you want to accomplish in your life.
Moreover, research indicates that resistance training may have neuroprotective effects, promoting cognitive function and potentially reducing the risk of cognitive decline as we age. When we train for strength we are not just training our muscles, more importantly we are training our central nervous system. Together our brains and our central nervous systems work together to respond to stimuli and recruit the necessary muscle fibers in an efficient amount of time.
Promote Longevity and Independence:
Strength training plays a crucial role in maintaining independence and quality of life as we age. It helps preserve muscle mass, which tends to decline with age, and improves overall functional fitness. This translates to better mobility, balance, and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries. By investing in strength training now, you're not just building a better body; you're investing in a healthier and more independent future.
In a world filled with fitness fads, strength training stands out as a tried-and-true method for achieving holistic well-being. From metabolic benefits to improved bone health, enhanced mental well-being, and increased longevity, the reasons to incorporate strength training into your routine are both varied and compelling. So, whether you're a fitness enthusiast or a newcomer to the world of exercise, it's time to embrace the power of strength training and unlock your full potential. Your body and mind will thank you for it in the long run. So if you’re wondering what to get your grandmother for Christmas or her birthday, you can’t go wrong with some light dumbbells or a set of resistance bands.