When you think about weight training or resistance training, you probably picture a bodybuilder. But you don’t have to be a dedicated bodybuilder to enjoy the benefits of weightlifting. You can use weight training to strengthen your muscles and improve the way you look. However, you can also enjoy some less obvious—and visible—benefits. Incorporating weight training into your daily routine can help you feel better both physically and mentally. It’s also a great way to reduce your risk of many different diseases and health problems.
You Can Get Many Benefits Of Weightlifting
Though this list is not all-inclusive. Here are some of the best benefits of weightlifting that you can get from incorporating weight training into your regular workout program:
1. Energy
Weight training requires a lot of effort, and you’ll definitely work up a sweat. However, you can greatly increase your energy levels if you weightlift regularly.
2. Body Fat
Weight training also increases the amount of lean muscle in your body. The more lean muscle you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate will be. Having a high resting metabolic rater can help you burn more fat and decrease the amount of stored fat in your body.
3. Muscular Strength
Weight training is a great way for you to increase your muscular strength. You don’t have to spend a lot of time on your weightlifting sessions to get results, so you can build muscles quickly and efficiently by incorporating just a short weightlifting session into your workouts.
4. Muscle Endurance
You can also use resistance training to increase your muscular endurance. If you want to focus on building your endurance, increase your number of reps and use lighter weights.
Vidoe From Dr. Kiel On 12 Benefits Of Weightlifting
5. Flexibility
It’s always a good idea to stretch before and after your workouts. When you combine stretching with your weight training regimen, you’ll increase your overall flexibility and reduce your risk of pulled muscles and other injuries.
6. Bone Density
Weight training also strengthens your bones and increases their density. This will reduce your risk of developing osteoporosis or bone fractures (1).
7. Joint Mobility
You can improve your mobility and strengthen your joints with regular weight training. This will help reduce your risk of osteoarthritis and decrease any symptoms you may have. Common symptoms of osteoarthritis include pain, stiffness, and tenderness in your joints. Regular weight training can help you manage and even eliminate these symptoms.
8. Immune System
Weight training improves the functioning of your immune system and can reduce your risk for colds, flu, and many other diseases and health problems.
9. Muscle Mass
As you get older, your body naturally experiences sarcopenia, or a loss of muscle mass. You can preserve your muscle mass and drastically slow the effects of aging by incorporating resistance training into your workout sessions.
TED Talk On Fighting Sarcopenia One Of The Benefits Of Weightlifting
10. Insulin Resistance
Several studies have shown that weight training can improve your insulin resistance. If your body is resistant to insulin, then it won’t process glucose properly and you’ll experience high blood sugar levels. This can eventually lead to type 2 diabetes. So, you can use weight training to reduce your body’s insulin resistance and your risk for type 2 diabetes.
11. Posture
To have good posture, you need a strong core. Many resistance training exercises will help you strengthen your core and improve your posture.
12. Heart Rate
When you weightlift, you force your heart to work hard to pump oxygen to your muscles. So, if you do regular weight training, your heart will learn to work more efficiently, and you’ll have a lower resting heart rate.
13. Lower Back
Weight training can be a great solution if you suffer from lower back pain. The most common contributor to lower back pain is a weak core. So, focus on strengthening your core and lower back muscles. You can also work on increasing flexibility in your lower back through weight training and stretching.
14. Balance and Coordination
When you do regular resistance training, you’ll improve your muscle strength, tone, and flexibility. In turn, this will help improve your balance and coordination.
15. Functional Capacity and Ability
When you use weight training to improve your core strength, balance, and flexibility, you’ll also reduce your risk of falls and fractures. Especially as you get older, you may worry about your stability while you’re climbing stairs or doing other normal activities. If you maintain your muscles with weight training, you won’t have to worry!
16. Resting Metabolic Rate
Studies have shown that your resting metabolism naturally starts to decline when you’re around the age of 30. You can use weight training to improve your resting metabolic rate and reverse this natural decline.
17. Blood Pressure
If you have high blood pressure, or hypertension, you can use resistance training to lower your blood pressure. Even if you don’t suffer from hypertension, you can still work on lowering your resting blood pressure. A lower resting blood pressure means your heart doesn’t have to work as hard to pump blood.
18. Food Metabolism
Weight training also decreases the amount of time it takes for food to travel through your digestive system. This can reduce your risk of developing colon cancer and other diseases that are associated with toxin absorption through your GI tract.
19. Blood Cholesterol Levels
Studies have shown that weight training can have a positive effect on your blood cholesterol levels. If you struggle with your cholesterol, you can use regular weight training to lower your LDL levels and raise your HDL levels.
20. Psychological Well-Being and Mood
Studies have also shown that resistance training can increase the levels of certain chemical hormones in your brain that can improve your mood and increase your sense of well-being. You can use weight training to reduce your stress levels and improve symptoms of depression.
21. Sleep
When your stress levels are low, you usually sleep better. When you incorporate regular weight training into your workout program, you can also increase your levels of certain hormones that help you sleep.
So, now that you know all the great benefits of weightlifting, it’s time to get up and go! Head to the nearest gym and start pumping iron to pump up your heart and improve your well-being today!
The Benefits of Weightlifting Are Much More Than Building Strength
Most people think that weightlifting is only for getting strong. You now know there are way more benefits of weightlifting than to just get stronger.