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Strength training is often overlooked as part of an exercise regime to get yourself fitter, but it shouldn’t be – there are myriad benefits to this form of training.
Strength training (also known as weight or resistance training) forms one of two sides of the exercise coin, the other being cardiovascular. This method of exercise is primarily employed to build strength in all of those exercised muscles, as well help them increase in size – it’s the favoured activity of the bodybuilder, which is why their muscles are particularly defined.
The rationale behind strength training is deceptively simple. Muscles of the body must work together to lift, push or pull a resistant force – namely, some form of weight, in its many guises.
Thus, when strength training is undertaken repeatedly, those muscles will gradually become bigger and stronger. Simple, right?
Strength train, for fitness gain.
Not always. Strength training is often overlooked when it comes to getting yourself fit and healthy when undertaking an exercise regime. Why? Because it perhaps doesn’t seem to get the heart pounding as much as 10 kilometre jog or mile swim (though believe us when we say it can, it really can!), it can often be dismissed as an inessential addition to an effective fitness plan. Why is this?
Well, it’s a common assumption that simply being moderately active – cycling to work, walking to the shops – will be ample exercise to keep muscles strong. True, any form of active movement is beneficial to overall health, but to really build muscle strength, a concentrated effort is required. This is why weights machines and dumbbells were invented!
Don’t resist strength training
What’s more, strength training can burn body fat, fry calories and, of course, give you more defined muscles. It’s increasingly taking up a bigger part of overall fitness plans, so add a little into your regime and see if you notice the difference. Your muscles naturally deteriorate as you age – another great reason to give strength training the go ahead –
“If you don’t do anything to replace the lean muscle you lose, you’ll increase the percentage of fat in your body. Strength training can help you preserve and enhance your muscle mass – at any age,” physical medicine and rehabilitation specialist Edward R. Laskowski told Mayo Clinic.
There are myriad other benefits to weight training, too:
For starters, it’s not just your muscles that will become stronger – your bones will too. Under the pressure of weights, your bones not only become denser, but the risk of osteoporosis is decreased. Stamina is also boosted, meaning that you won’t succumb to fatigue as easily as you grow stronger. Additionally, lifting weights can significantly reduce the symptoms of physical ailments, including arthritis and back pain.
Why not head on down to One55 and check out our Western Sydney Gym? It has all the weight training equipment that you can imagine, and, if you aren’t quite sure where to start, you can even enlist the help of a personal trainer!
