Resistance training, also known as strength or weight training, has become one of the popular forms of exercise both for improving individual fitness and for conditioning athletes. Without disrespecting cardio, but if you want to burn fat, get in shape and balance whatever comes your way, weight lifting is what you need. The experts agree. Heavy lifting is all the rage! You can’t move a bell these days without turning to some workout guru, exercise program, or book who advises women not only to lift weights, but to lift more weights.
Research shows that lifting weights consistently not only maintains bone mass, but also helps build new bones, and lifting weights will build bigger and stronger muscles, strengthen the muscles that surround and support your joints, and help support prevent injury. If you have osteoporosis you should seek the advice of a personal trainer and if you cannot afford one, don’t worry. Susie Hathaway, a certified personal trainer, will guide you on how to safely strength train and decrease bone loss in two workouts per week, without long-distance cardio. Just follow the easy steps on the DVD that comes with your book and you will reap the benefits of weightlifting …
Another benefit of weight lifting is that it increases the level of testosterone in both men and women. When you lift weights, your body begins to release natural growth hormone and a healthy level of testosterone. Testosterone helps you burn body fat, build muscle, get in a good mood, and increase sexual function. If you are a woman of that age, strength training, interval training will normalize your testosterone level and help you through menopause. This is not a drug or bioidentical hormones, they are a secret to help you stay healthy.
Benefits of weight lifting
If you knew that a certain type of exercise can benefit your heart, improve your balance, strengthen your bones, and help you lose weight while making you look and feel better, wouldn’t you want to get started? Well, studies show that strength training can provide all of those benefits and more. Most athletes do strength training as part of their general training program. Their primary concern is not how much weight they can lift, but whether the increased strength brought about by training results in better performance in their sport.
Strength training and chronic illness
Studies have documented the many wellness benefits of strength training, including weight loss aid, people with chronic diseases manage their conditions. If you have arthritis, strength training can be as effective as pain-reducing medications. And for the 14 million Americans with type 2 diabetes, strength training along with other healthy lifestyle changes can help improve glucose control.
How to Add Weight Lifting to Your Routine
If you are looking to add weight lifting exercises to your routine, you have several options. You can hire a personal trainer, go to the gym, or get a strength training program that allows you to exercise in the privacy of your home. You can even use your body weight as resistance, squatting on a chair, push-ups, planks are very effective. If you have health problems, ask your doctor what type of strength training is best for you. According to the American Council on Exercise, when you do strength, weight, or resistance training, your body demands more energy. The harder you work, the more energy is required. That means more calories are burned during training. There you have it, the health benefits of weightlifting and strength training,