Would you like to get out of your comfort zone and do one more push-up or bicep curl? Yes, it helps to remember that all that extra muscle mass will make you stronger, give your muscles more definition, and speed up your metabolism. That wasn’t enough, though. Now we hear that all that pump-itude (yes, that’s an SNL reference) is also good for your mental health.
It turns out that yoga isn’t the only way to get in shape and feel better about yourself. In fact, a study that looked at the effects of hatha yoga and strength training found that both made people feel better mentally and physically. Everyone in the group was less sad, and the people who worked out also felt better about their bodies. “We know that all exercise makes you feel better,” says Jeffrey A. Katula, PhD, an associate professor of health and exercise science at North Carolina’s Wake Forest University. “But I believe that resistance training makes people feel a different way.” Let’s start find out 7 benefits of weight training that have nothing to do with gaining muscle.
How often should you train with weights?
Twice a week is ideal , whether you lift weights , use machines at the gym, or do bodyweight exercises , says Rachelle Reed, training development manager and barre kinesiologist at Pure Barre.
To make things even better, Reed and DiDio both agree that you should work out more than twice a week as you get stronger and healthier. “You can lift weights every day, but make sure you work different body parts or train your body differently each day ,” DiDio says.
Not sure which muscle parts to work on? Indeed, Reed says that is up to you. “Many trainers will tell their clients to focus on the upper body one day and the lower body a couple of days later,” he says because it works out the whole body. Add compound exercises and supersets to your routine to get the most out of your workouts. Supersets are a type of strength training in which you go from one exercise to the next without stopping.
In addition to increasing strength, lifting weights has many benefits. Read on to learn all the reasons why you should pick up a pair of dumbbells (or kettlebells, or dare we say, a barbell) today.
You will lose weight and burn more calories
Running can help you get rid of belly fat, but lifting weights can help you burn more calories by making you stronger. Having metabolically active muscles means that they burn calories even when you’re not working out. “In fact, muscle tissue burns between seven and ten calories per kilo per day, while fat only burns between two and three calories per kilo per day,” says DiDio.
A study published in 2017 in the journal Obesity also shows that a healthy, low-calorie diet along with weight training can help keep off the lean muscle mass that you lose when you do aerobic exercises. “When weight loss occurs in the absence of strength training, all facets of body composition are lost ,” Reed says. “You lose some weight in fat, some in muscle, and some in bone, and it’s unfavorable to lose weight that comes from both muscle and bone.” That’s the reason it’s so important to do power training. A lot of the weight that people lose when they work out is fat.
You will protect your bones
When estrogen levels drop, bones become weaker and more brittle, especially for women who have gone through menopause. Oestrogen is the hormone that keeps bone strength. However, lifting weights can help you build more bone mineral density because of Wolff’s Law, which says that bones can grow when they are forced to. This means that lifting weights can help you build stronger, healthier bones by putting stress on your joints.
“Strength training involves muscles contracting against the surrounding bones ,” Reed says. “This force applied to the bones helps improve bone density over time .”
Actually, a study published in October 2017 in the Journal of Bone and Mineral Research found that women with osteoporosis and osteopenia can improve their bone mineral density by doing high-intensity resistance training movements like back squats, deadlifts, and overhead presses.
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You will control stress and improve your mood
Have you had a tough day at work and need to relax? Get the weights ready. Endorphins are hormones that make you feel good. Strength training, like any other type of exercise, can improve your happiness by releasing them.
New study also shows that exercise, like lifting weights, may help keep you from getting Alzheimer’s and dementia. Columbia University Irving Medical Centre researchers discovered that the hormone irisin, which is released when you exercise, can help new neurons grow in the hippocampus. The hippocampus is the part of the brain that is responsible for learning and remembering.
“Any type of exercise improves your mood, but weight training makes you feel stronger and strengthens the muscles in your back and neck, which are most directly associated with stress,” DiDio says.
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You will improve your posture
Most people who work in an office have rounded shoulders and a hunched back, which makes your lower back hurt more. When you do this, your shoulders, which are the most flexible part in your body, may not be able to move as freely as they should.
But pulling weights can change this by making your chest wider, your back muscles stronger, and your range of motion better. “It also strengthens the core, which keeps the back aligned and upright ,” DiDio says.
Choose complex exercises that use more than one joint, like the squat to overhead press or the lateral lunge to twist. These will help you work on more than one plane of motion and muscle group at once, which will save you time and effort.
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You will reduce back pain
Not just one thing can cause back pain. Muscle imbalances, like having weak knees and a shaky core, can make it worse. A lot of people think that pain is caused by stress, but sometimes it’s because of bad balance. Since muscles are linked together in a dynamic chain, a weak link can often lead to bigger problems in other parts of the body. You can avoid most accidents, though, if you work on strengthening your whole body.
For example, if your hip flexors are weak, so will your glutes, their opposing muscles. And, “normally [the muscles] don’t weaken evenly, so this can also throw the pelvis out of adjustment, which could affect gait,” says DiDio. “As weak, tight muscles pull and pull, they can cause imbalances and pain, which is your body telling you something is wrong.”
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You will improve memory and brain health
A review published in 2016 in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found that exercise can help people over 50 stop or slow down cognitive loss, no matter what their current neurological condition is.
The brain gets more oxygen-rich blood when you move. This makes the brain more neuroplastic, or able to make new neural connections and adjust to changes in its surroundings. By making your neurons more flexible, you can handle stressful scenarios better and stay awake.
“In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine has published a number of studies looking into how different types of exercise can improve the cognitive abilities of older people. All of these studies agree that this is an important area of research.” Reed tells you to keep going.
You will be more in tune with your body
There is no better way to get in touch with your feelings during exercise than to lift weights. When you lift weights, you become more aware of how your breathing can help you get the most out of each rep, whether you’re doing an overhead press, a plank row, or a goblet squat. Complex movements can also test your cognitive and auditory skills, since it takes a lot of mental power to follow a trainer’s cues and do a move properly.
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FAQ
What are the benefits of strength training besides gaining strength?
Strength training might make your life better and make it easier for you to do normal things. Strength training can also keep your joints from getting hurt. Getting stronger can also help you keep your balance, which may lower your risk of falling. This can help you stay on your own as you get older.
Is strength training better than muscle building?
Strength training is likely to help you do well if you want to improve your athletic skills or compete in strength sports. Bodybuilding will help you reach your full athletic potential if you are an athlete who can easily put on muscle while staying mostly lean.
Final Verdict: 7 benefits of weight training that have nothing to do with gaining muscle
Weight training offers more than just muscle gain. Improved bone density, increased metabolism, enhanced mood, better sleep quality, boosted energy levels, reduced risk of chronic diseases, and enhanced cognitive function are some additional perks. So, even if bulging muscles aren’t your goal, hitting the weights can still significantly enhance your overall health and well-being.