Last Updated on March 12, 2024 by admin
Did you know that 6 in 10 Americans don’t do any kind of strength training at all? Only 30% of the American population engages in some kind of strength training through the use of resistance bands, lifting weights, or bodyweight exercises like push-ups, situps, or chin-ups.
Which group do you fall into? If you haven’t added strength training into your fitness plan yet, then you are missing out on the numerous benefits of strength training. Let’s read on to see what some of them are.
Table of Contents
1. Stronger Bones
If you have a history of osteoporosis or other bone health issues in your family, then start strength training asap. Lifting weights or doing calisthenics can help reduce the incidence or risk of osteoporosis, by increasing bone density and strengthening your body’s tendons and ligaments.
2. Increased Joint Flexibility
When you are lifting weights, be it barbells or dumbbells, you are going to be using your joint’s full range of motion (ROM). This not only increases your muscle strength but also improves your joint flexibility. If you are feeling that your body is becoming stiffer due to old age, start adding strength training to your weekly fitness plan.
3. Reduced Body Fat
When people think of exercise options to reduce body fat and get toned, they usually turn towards cardio or aerobic exercises. But strength training can be a great way of turning some of that fat into muscle and increasing your skeletal muscle mass. Read more on what is skeletal muscle mass and some reasons you need to increase it.
4. Improved Mental Health
Are you prone to stress and anxiety? Do you wish there was some way for you to let out some steam? Strength training is a great way to do so.
Not only will it help you burn some of that stress and restless energy you have, but it also releases endorphins that make you feel happy. Strength training exercises tone your body which improves body image that in turn helps you feel more upbeat.
5. Reduced Risk of Chronic Disease
There is an epidemic of sedentary living in America and the rest of the world right now. Too many people are spending way too much of their day sitting – either in their cars, their couches, or their work desks.
By bringing strength training into your fitness plan, you are alleviating and counteracting some of that sitting around with beneficial and gainful activity.
The Benefits of Strength Training Are Myriad
There are many different types of exercises out there, but the benefits of strength training listed above prove that it should be part of your fitness plan, no matter what else you are up to.
Start by adding it in slowly, with smaller weights, and build up over time, as you get more comfortable.
Did you find this article enjoyable? Don’t forget to check out related articles on health and fitness on our website, and keep striving for better health.
