Did you know that weight training can actually change your life!
We’re going to go through 9 benefits of weight training that you may not be aware of.
1. It promotes weight loss (win!)
In a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, women who did a weight-training workout for an hour burned roughly 100 more calories over the next 24 hours compared to women who didn’t lift any weights. Who actually lifts zero weights? What kind of life is this?
2. Weight training builds muscle
The latest research shows that even light weight lifting can yield powerful results for your health. That’s good news for people who want strong muscles but don’t want to look like the Hulk. Think strong and lean rather than beefed-up and bulky.
3. Lifting weights counteracts bone loss
Weight training counteracts bone loss by stimulating the cells that rebuild bone. In a three-year study of post-menopausal women, researchers found that regular weight training helped women increase bone density in key locations (spine, hips, and heels) throughout the body.
4. It also improves insulin sensitivity
A recent study of diabetic men found that twice-weekly strength training helped participants control insulin swings better than men who didn’t lift any weights.
In another study, researchers found that women who lifted weights at least two times a week were less likely to develop type-2 diabetes over time than their peers. Experts at the World Health Organization currently note that 350 million people have diabetes worldwide and by 2030 they predict the disease to be the seventh leading cause of death.
5. It can reduce inflammation
Researchers are narrowing in on inflammation as the cause of certain health conditions such as heart disease, autoimmune disorders, and even asthma and allergies. But weight training may help to counteract that inflammation. In a study from researchers at the Mayo Clinic, women who lifted weights had lower levels of inflammation than their peers who did not.
6. It will improve your balance
According to the National Council on Aging, falls are the leading cause of death by injury and the most common cause of non-fatal hospital admissions for older adults. You know what can prevent falls? Better balance. And that’s a direct result of greater strength.
7. It’s good for your mind as it’ll reduce anxiety and depression
Countless studies have shown that exercise in almost any form can help improve mood and stave off bouts of depression and anxiety. One study from researchers at Duke University found that patients who had been diagnosed with depression were able to manage their symptoms without medications after undergoing weight-lifting sessions four days a week for a four-month period.
8. Your focus will improve
Want to keep your brain in tip-top shape? Weight lifting may be the key. In a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine, researchers followed 155 women between the ages of 65 and 75 and found that those who lifted weights once or twice a week performed better on cognitive tests after one year than those who focused on balance or toning exercises.
9. It improves your chances of survival (YES!)
This 2014 study from the University of California, Los Angeles, the more muscle mass a person has, the lower their risk of premature death. As Mark Peterson, an assistant professor of physical medicine at the University of Michigan, puts it, the addition of weight training to a person’s exercise routine “seems to be one of the best predictors of survival,” adding, “when we add strength, almost every health outcome improves.”
If you’ve ever wondered why you should be weight training, your question has been answered… 9 times.