Let’s face it, life is just easier when you’re strong. Carrying groceries? Only need to make one trip. Carrying children? No problems. Flat battery in the car? Push it with ease.
Doesn’t matter whether you have 50kg to lose or just the magical last 5kg to feel better, the most effect way to burn fat and build muscle is strength training.
Lifting has been shown to halt and even reverse sarcopenia which is the reduction of skeletal muscle that occurs as we age, helping us stay independent and living longer.
It’s not just about making life easier and longer; strength training has lots of great “right now” benefits.
Looking good naked
Gok doesn’t have the monopoly on this (sorry reality TV tragic)… Lifting weights will help you lose weight (and body fat) in a few different ways, yes it’s a multitasking fitness genre. Strength training helps you retain your existing muscle while eating a calorie deficit and loosing weight.
Having a much greater level of excess post-exercise oxygen consumption than aerobic exercise means participating in strength training will continue its benefits long after the last weight has been put away. Your body needs to do a lot more work to replenish itself in order to bring itself back to a normal state (the way it was before you worked out). This takes a lot of energy, and some studies have shown that it can boost your metabolism for up to 38hours after your workout has finished. Your body uses more calories to maintain muscle than fat so strength training can help increase your metabolism by speeding up your Resting Metabolic Rate (RBR). It is estimated that for every 500g of muscle you gain, your RMR goes up 30-50 calories.
Feeling better
With more energy and confidence, other areas in your life may seem so much easier to control resulting in lower stress levels and anxiety, just an overall better mood. Resistance training has also been proven to help increase cognitive functioning so you will actually think better which puts to bed the old saying “not too bright but can lift heavy things”!!!
Training too close to bed time isn’t the best timing but exercising earlier in the day has been proven to help prevent sleep apnoea.
Loving your heart
With heart disease being the leading cause of death for both men and women; Strength training helps correct issues relating to cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes and inactivity which are all factors for heart disease.
So the overall picture looks healthier
If you are looking for more bang for your buck within the fitness arena, strength training is it. Increasing bone density, building a stronger heart, reducing resting blood pressure, improved blood flow, halts muscle loss, helps control blood sugar, improves cholesterol levels and improves balance and coordination… a marvel really, should be a super hero.
….and its fun
So if you are looking for the most effective 20-30 minute workout to stay fit and look good naked or a competitive sport that you can really get your body into, strength training can help you meet your goals. It’s also easy and fun to see progress as you strength train, easy to apply short and long term goals keeping you interested and on your toes… even an effective way to cross train if you are looking to improve in other specific areas, say a sport, traditional cardio or even taking on Ninja courses, strength training is the easy decision.