What Are The Advantages Of Strength Training?
If you typically stick to the treadmill or Stairmaster when you go to the gym, you're not alone. Many people choose cardio as their main form of exercise. While cardio workouts help you burn calories and keep your hearth healthy, they aren't the only types of exercises you should be doing.
It's also important to incorporate strength training in your workout routine. Strength training improves your muscle fitness through weight machines, free weights, and your own body weight. Here are some of the benefits of resistance training.
Strength Training Helps You Look Leaner
If you include strength training exercises, like squats, lunges, and shoulder presses, in your exercise routine at least twice a week, you will build more muscle. Muscle takes up less space than fat, so your body will look leaner and more toned. Your clothes may fit better, and you'll feel so much more confident about your appearance.
Strength Training Improves Bone Health
Bones become weaker as a person ages. That's why you see many senior citizens fracture their hips or knees when they fall. A great way to improve bone health is to add strength training to your workout routine. When you lift weights, it stresses your bones, helping them become stronger.
Strength Training Makes You Stronger
The more you train your muscles, the stronger they will become. When you have increased muscle strength, you will be able to accomplish everyday tasks, such as lifting heavy boxes or carrying groceries, a lot easier.
Strength Training Increases Your Metabolism
When you participate in cardio exercises, you only burn calories while you're doing the activity. With strength training, you continue to burn calories hours after you've finished with your workout. This can increase your metabolism and help you maintain a healthy weight.
Strength Training Improves Heart Health
It turns out that cardio isn't the only type of exercise that improves the health of your heart. Strength training is also beneficial for your heart. Resistance training helps you increase muscle mass and burn fat, lowering abdominal fat. The less visceral fat you have sitting around your heart, the better off it will be.
As you can see, you have so much to gain from strength training. If you are new to resistance training, it's a good idea to hire a personal trainer to show you the ropes. He or she will teach you how to do strength training exercises properly so that you don't injure yourself.