When people embark on a fitness programme they tend to think that lifting weights is primarily focuses on building muscle.
While this is true to a degree, what you may not know is that by incorporating resistance training into your gym workout, you are also going to improve your health a great deal more.
So now is the time to build muscle and strength to improve your health.
Cardio based workouts have always been associated with good heart health and disease prevention. Yet it`s worth noting that strength training is also very important, but can get neglected at times.
Build Muscle To Increase Metabolism
Did you know that your metabolism actually increases when you build muscle? That means you burn more calories even when you’re at rest. If losing weight is one of your goals, strength training can be as beneficial, if not more beneficial in some cases than cardio exercise.
As you build muscle, you’re building metabolically active tissue that will burn fat for you. That means that while you’re adding more lean muscle tissue to your body, you’re burning more fat. And this helps to lower your risk for heart disease, stroke, and cancer.
Gain More Strength
When you develop more muscle mass, you will notice that you gain more strength. This means your body will perform more optimally in dealing with the day to day activities in your life. You’ll find it’s easier to play with your kids, carry in the groceries and even housework will become less of a struggle.
When you have strong muscles, you’re also less likely to get injured. People who participate in strength training are much less inclined to have accidents such as falls as they get older. That means fewer injuries, especially life threatening problem such as broken hips.
Stronger Bones
Another benefit of strength training is that it also helps to increase the density of your bones. This is especially important for women in the prevention of osteoporosis. When you train your muscles, you will have fewer issues with bone loss and bone breaks.
As you age, having strong muscles can also help to prevent or relieve pain from arthritis. Having a fit and strong body also helps you to control your blood sugar so that you cut your risk of diabetes. Furthermore, exercise releases endorphins which helps promote the feel good factor, this helps to protect the brain from memory loss and depression.
Improve Sleep
When you build muscle and strength, you also can have better sleep at night. This helps your body to heal and supports a healthy immune system. With improved and sustained good health comes a longer life of independence.
As you can see, when you strength train you get much more than just a better looking physique. Strength training is an essential part of any fitness and wellness programme. You will enhance the way you look and feel, but you’ll also decrease your risk of disease and injury as you get older.
So if you’re ready to build muscle and strength to improve your health and general well being, you can start by talking to a professional trainer about incorporating weight bearing exercise into your routine.
