Why Strength Training is Important

When we think about losing weight or getting in shape, the first thing that typically comes to mind is cardio. The benefits of cardiovascular exercise are abundant for our health, but it’s important not to neglect strength training when creating an exercise routine. You don’t need to be a bodybuilder to incorporate strength training into your daily workout, and the benefits are just as numerous as going for that daily walk or run.

Health Benefits of Strength Training

You’re probably wondering exactly how strength training is important for your overall health and fitness. It not only helps you lose weight and burn calories, but it also benefits your body in a variety of different ways.

Building muscle strength protects your joints.  Having more muscle strength means less strain being placed on your joints when exerting force or lifting heavy objects. Stronger muscles and joints can help prevent and even treat arthritis and increase mobility.

Strength training can lower your risk of injury. Strong muscles are important in maintaining things like balance and coordination. Keeping your muscles in shape helps to strengthen the tendons that connect them, resulting in lower risks of tendonitis and helping to prevent exercise-related injuries.

Strengthening muscles can provide a boost in mental health. We’ve probably all heard the term “runner’s high”, but that same sentiment can be applied to strength and resistance training. Building muscle strength can improve symptoms of depression and anxiety the same way that cardiovascular exercise can, by releasing feel-good endorphins. Lifting weights also provides you with an opportunity to overcome obstacles and improve mental resilience.

Strength training provides cardiovascular health benefits. Since strength training can aid in weight loss and burning more calories, the benefits it has on the heart are not to be ignored. Reducing excess fat in any form improves overall heart health, but strength training has been shown to help improve blood pressure and improve HDL (the good cholesterol) in the body.

How You Can Incorporate Strength Training

Now that you know the benefits strength training can have on overall health, it’s time to consider ways to incorporate regular strength training into your workout routine. Lifting weights doesn’t need to be complicated, and you can do simple things like using resistance bands, lifting canned goods or bottles at home and using your own body weight in the form of activities like sit-ups, push-ups and squats.

When starting out, try to incorporate eight to ten exercises that work the major muscle groups of the body and do them two to three times a week. You want to focus on safely building up a strength training routine, making sure to warm up properly before starting these exercises, and only doing eight to twelve reps per exercise. Starting off slowly will greatly reduce your risk of injury and will allow you to focus on proper form to get the most benefit out of the exercises. If you’re at all unsure of what you’re doing, or if you’d just like to get some professional guidance on building the best strength training routine for you, contact me at Train With Nicole.   I have the knowledge and experience to get you on the right track and can ensure that you’re lifting weights in a safe and productive manner.