Benefits of Strength Training
The
benefits of strength training go beyond just having a stronger and
more beautiful body.
Building lean muscle through
strengthening exercises helps
increase your metabolism.
This means by adding some form of strengthening workouts to your
weekly routine, you can burn more
calories and lose weight.
Increasing your BMR is just one of the many advantages to strength
training for weight loss and for your health.
There are lots
of other benefits to this type of exercise.
Many
people associate strength training with body building.
Although body
builders do lots of workouts to build muscle strength, you don't have
to "bulk up" just to gain some lean muscle mass. In fact, body builders
have to work hours and hours to achieve their results.
If what you are looking for is a leaner and toner body, then
strengthening exercises will get you the results you want.
What Are The Benefits of Strength Training
Health
Benefits
One
of the main benefits of strength training is the many health
benefits. These health benefits include;
- Increase in the “good" cholesterol (HDL)
and
decreased “bad" cholesterol (LDL)
- Reduced risk of diabetes
- Minimizes risk of heart disease
- Lowers Blood Pressure
- Lowers Risk of Breast Cancer
- Decreases risk of osteoporosis
- Reduces effects and symptoms of
premenstrual
syndrome (PMS)
- Reduces the chance of getting a cold and
other
illnesses
Increased
Bone Mineral Density
Bones are constantly remodeling, meaning the tissues break down at the
same time they build up.
The peak of remodeling takes place during
puberty. However, as we age we all lose bone mass.
The bones
will naturally become thinner as your existing bone breaks down faster
than new bone can be rebuilt.
When this happens, you lose
important calcium and other minerals in your bones.
Getting sufficient calcium and performing strengthening exercises are
the top two
suggestions to minimize the loss of bone density. So as you
can see, this is a great benefit of strength training.
Increased
Strength
One of the more obvious benefits of strength training is increased
strength. This increase in strength and muscles means an
increase in the number of calories you burn.
By building lean
muscles you are increasing your metabolism and aiding in weight loss.
Increase
the Range of Activities
With strength training, you are building not only muscles but
endurance, flexibility and balance. This increased strength
and mobility means reduced risk of injury when doing everyday normal
activities like lifting, etc.
Reduce
the Body Fat
Strengthening exercises can assist in reducing your excess body
fat. With the increased endurance you can perform more
efficiently when doing aerobic exercises.
The increased
muscles mean a higher metabolism. This in turns means you
will be burning fat and less likely to store foods as fat.
Improved
Health for Seniors

Strength
training does not reverse aging, after all there is no
fountain of youth, but it can help slow down the aging
process.
The benefits of strength training in seniors
includes faster healing from injuries, reduced risk of injury through
improved balance and strength and improved overall health and state of
mind.
Improve
Heart Condition
One of the benefits of strength training is a lower heart rate, meaning
your heart is working more efficiently.
This helps to lower
blood pressure and reduces risk of heart disease.
Rehabilitation
Benefits
If you are injured one of the best ways to rehabilitate is through
strengthening exercises. By strengthening the muscles around
the
injured area, you are able to recover more quickly from your injury.
Looking
and Feeling Great
This of course is one of the main benefits of strength training for
many people. After all, most people start a resistance
training program for the sole purpose of getting a fit and tone
body.
Strength training can give you a great look and make
you feel better about yourself.
Better
Sleep
This is one benefit of strength training that many people
don’t even
think about.
But proper exercise can help you sleep more
soundly at night.
And getting the proper sleep aids in weight
loss, reduces stress, helps regulate insulin levels which can help you
lose belly fat.
Illustrated Strength Training Exercise
To be effective at strength training and get all these benefits, you
must do your training on a regular schedule.
You should
include at least 2 or 3 days a week to your resistance training and do
the exercises properly.
To see some common resistance band
exercises or dumbbell exercises demonstrated with instructions, just
visit the free
fitness
videos page for a full list of illustrated strengthening
exercises.
To get the full
benefits
of strength training, be sure to learn more
about the different types of strength training exercises.
Additional Articles
Resistance
Band Exercises
Strengthen your muscles using resistance bands. These types of
exercises are great if you are just starting out. You can use different resistance levels by using a variety of
resistance bands.
Dumbbell
Exercises
Another great way to do your strength training at home is using
dumbbell weights. There are different weights so that you can workout with different
resistance levels.
Abdominal
Exercises
When doing your strength training, don't forget about the abdominal
muscles. With these stomach exercises you will be working your core muscles.