Exercise is important for our overall health as it helps train our bones and muscles to become strong, flexible, and capable of lifting heavy objects without putting you at risk of getting injured. Strength training is not limited to those who are simply lifting weights but it also encompasses those who want to develop their muscles regardless of their age.
But what is all the fuss about strength training anyhow? And why should you include it in your fitness routine? For those who are wondering why strength training is important to one’s health, here are five reasons why you should add it to your regular workout session.
- It provides protection for your bones and muscles. Regardless of whether you are a man or a woman, once you are done with the puberty phase, your bones and muscles will lose 1% of their strengths every year. This can lead to weakened muscles and brittle bones as you get older. Through strength training, you will help keep your bones and muscles strong and healthy to prevent loss of strength as you age.
- It can improve your body’s mechanics. Strength training can give you more than just nicely shaped muscles. As a matter of fact, lifting weights can help improve your coordination, sense of balance, and your posture too. If you are often prone to tripping or falling, strength training can increase your ability to maintain balance when moving around.
- It builds muscle. Regardless of whether you are aiming to lose weight or you want to build muscles, you will find that there are plenty of weight lifting workouts that will give you the results that you are looking for. Plus when you lift weights regularly, you are inhibiting or slow down the decline of your muscles and bones as you age. A good choice of workout for this is HIIT or high intensity interval training where your bones and muscles will be challenged constantly.
- It helps with your mood. Another reason why strength training should be part of your fitness routine is because it can help improve your mood. Strength training helps your body release more endorphins which can elevate your mood. What’s more, this kind of fitness training can actually prevent depression from setting in which means that you won’t have to worry about negative feelings putting you down in the dumps. For sure, you will find your mood to be considerably better after you train.
- It can make you sleep better. For those who are having a hard time catching some sleep at night, you might want to strength train today. Strength training has been found to be effective in improving the quality of sleep because your muscles become relaxed afterwards because of the amount of blood pumping through the veins. And since you are no longer stressed out after you exercise, your mind will be in a calmer state which can promote better sleep.
Strength training does have numerous purposes not only for our muscles and bones but the quality of our sleep and our mood. These are just a few reasons why doing strength training exercises is recommended.