Strength training can yield fantastic results if you wish to step up your fitness game and take your fitness to the next level. The benefits range from becoming lean, having an efficient metabolism and perhaps the best of all – increased strength like never before.
If you are still not convinced, let’s take a look at how strength training can change your body, for the better of course.
Makes you Healthy
If you are wondering what is the best thing you can do for your body, you can start by staying fit. Yes, it is that simple.
With strength training, you focus on exercises that train you to push your mind and body to their limits, and even beyond. However, this does not mean you push yourself too hard. As long as you play your cards right, exercise just enough to stay at the top of your game, there is nothing that will stand in your way from reaching your goal (s).
Eventually, there will come a time when you will not only feel stronger, but you will be more energetic. Gradually, your immune system will fight off whatever comes its way, until you are healthy as a horse.
You will be surprised at what you will accomplish by doing something as simple as weightlifting.
Increases Strength and Muscle Mass
If you still haven’t come around to it, the most obvious effect of weight training is that you will be stronger. But there is more to it than meets the eye.
Among the most amazing side effects of increased strength include being comfortable around weights. You will never have to be intimidated by said weights ever again. But wait, there is more. You will find a lot easier to pick up groceries, your kids, and even the snow during winters!
Things that were previously a chore will not be a hassle for you. You will never be out of breath, nor will your body be sore ever again. Rest assured, your daily activities will be a breeze to pull through, but only as long as you use strength training to your advantage.
On the other hand, most women work out to show off their chiseled abs. This can be achieved quickly and with ease via strength training. Fit people tend to primarily focus on cardio, without paying close attention to strength training and how it can help them increase muscle mass.
Thin people end up developing a higher body fat percentage, despite looking healthy with clothes on. This can be attributed to having a low muscle mass.
Skinny fat is common amongst women who assume weight lifting will bulk them up. What these women do not realize is that they do not have the hormone profile to bulk up like men do. If you are still afraid of the consequence, consider the fact that various studies have concluded that women only feel confident about their body after they give strength training a shot.
The only way you can change the shape of your body is by increasing muscle mass, and there is no other way to go about it. To get the body you want, strength training through progressive overload is the only way to stress the muscles enough for them to grow to get the shape and muscle size desire.
Improves Posture
Women mostly feel fat, sickly and depressed due to having a poor posture. Believe it or not, your lifestyle comprising sitting behind a desk is wreaking havoc on your health. But fear not, as strength training will strengthen those postural muscles to even out imbalances in order for you to appear taller, attractive and feel stronger at the same time.
Builds Stronger Bones
Enough emphasis cannot be placed on the fact you will need to maintain your bone density as you age, to avoid problems later on.
With stronger bones, you won’t have to deal with osteoporotic fractures and injuries, which can become dangerous with age. This is a huge concern for women, considering how they are far more susceptible to bone loss at an earlier age, largely due to lifestyle and hormonal changes.
Physical activity can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fall-related injuries. Like it or not, strength training is your best bet for stronger bones. In fact, it positively influences bone mineral density.
Decreases Body Fat
While cardiovascular exercises burn fat, they are not as effective at it as strength training. If you are wondering how, especially since cardio has higher fat burning rates, it has to do with “afterburn”.
What’s afterburn, you might ask? Simply put, the afterburn effect is calorie burn AFTER exercise. That’s right. If you are doing a high-impact physical activity like strength training, your body will burn calories at an elevated rate. This continues even after you stop exercising, and can last up to 72 hours.
With cardio, most people only focus on short-term goals like losing 5lbs of fat, but that is nowhere as effective as strength training, which works even better with the proper nutrition. By combining increased muscle mass and a higher metabolism, you will be able to cut body fat like a knife cuts through butter.
Now that you know how strength training can transform your body for the better, make haste and take the initiative to be solid, strong and resilient.
Of course, you, just like any other woman, will be bound by your frame and genetics; this does not mean you can’t make a difference. You can change your body shape as you see fit, so much so you can build glutes to show them off, rather than hide them. Seeing the innumerable benefits, it should not come as a surprise that models and celebrities primarily focus on strength training, as it allows them to get in shape real fast, and look fantastic.
Do keep in mind though; strength training is not strictly about lifting weights. It is about confidence, energy, independence, and vitality. Once you have experienced the results for themselves, you will understand how strength training transforms the body, inside and out.
Author Bio:
Judy Robinson is a passionate health and lifestyle blogger. She loves to write on women’s healthy lifestyle, fitness 101 and DIY related topics. Currently, she is associated with Hourglass Express, an online store for best waist trainers. Follow @judyrobinson for more updates.
Strength training is one of the best way to lose weight, gained muscles and improved strength. Great article, good read and informative.