Benefits of Strength Training

If I had a rand for every female client who said "I don't want to get all 'muscly' Ty" , and every guy who said I don't want to get "All big and bulky" I would be a very rich man! First of all to get to those extremes, it takes a lot of hard work, and a bit of extra 'help'. However, being strong is one of the most essential things that all human beings need. From caveman days, to the gladiators, the strong survive! I am sure there weren't many muscle bound cavemen, who couldn't put their arms down because of their big lats, however they could climb trees, run for ages, and hunt their own food! So you say to me that if you need a steak you just go to Woolies, but what about the rest of the benefits, besides being able to hunt your own food?

1. Strength Training adds tone and hardness to your bodies

There is nothing worse than a soft body. And although all of us want to be harder and more toned, running on the treadmill 10 hours a week won't do that! If anything it will hinder the process! resistance and strength training creates a series of hormonal reactions in the body which help you work towards the hard, toned physique of your dreams!

2. Strength training protects bone health and muscle mass.

After puberty, whether you are a man or a woman, you begin to lose about 1 percent of your bone and muscle strength every year. One of the best ways to stop, prevent, and even reverse bone and muscle loss is to add strength training to your training.

3. Strength training makes you stronger and fitter.

Strength training is also called resistance training because it involves strengthening and toning your muscles by contracting them against a resisting force. There are two types of resistance training:

• Isometric resistance involves contracting your muscles against a non-moving object (push ups against the floor)
• Isotonic strength training involves contracting your muscles through a range of motion as in weight lifting (squats and deadlifts)

When doing any resistance or weight training, as I am sure you have all felt, your heart needs to work hard to pump blood to the muscles being used, as well as try regulate the breathing which is more explosive, compared to cardio type breathing.

  

4. Strength training helps you develop better body mechanics.

Strength training has benefits that go well beyond the appearance of nicely toned muscles. Your balance and coordination will improve, as will your posture. A very important fact for those desk jockeys in my stable! More importantly, if you have poor flexibility and balance, strength training can reduce your risk of falling by as much as 40 percent, a crucial benefit, especially as you get older. 

5. Strength training plays a role in disease prevention.

Studies have documented the many wellness benefits of strength training. If you have arthritis, strength training can be as effective as medication in decreasing arthritis pain. Strength training can help post-menopausal women increase their bone density and reduce the risk of bone fractures. Strength training also has many benefits in preventing diabetes, by regulating glucose control. 

6. Strength training boosts energy levels and improves your mood.

Strength training will elevate your level of endorphins (happy hormones), which will make you feel great. As if that isn’t enough to convince you, strength training has also been shown to be a great antidepressant, to help you sleep better, and to improve your overall quality of life.

7. Strength training translates to more calories burned.

You burn calories during strength training, and your body continues to burn calories after strength training. More calories are used to make and maintain muscle than fat, and in fact strength training can boost your metabolism considerably— that can really jumpstart a weight loss plan!