Working out – especially strength training – is a great way to stay healthy and improve your quality of life. But if you’re not careful, you can actually do more harm than good. This is especially true if you don’t choose the right type of exercise for your body.
That’s why strength training and weight training is so important. It’s one type of physical activity that can help prevent injuries and increase your overall health.
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Strength training can help you lose weight
Strength training is an important part of any fitness routine. This is because it builds muscle and burns calories. When you engage in strength training, your body uses more energy than it would otherwise.
This means that when you’re not exercising, or even if you’re doing something else like walking, your body will still be burning more calories than usual because of your strength training workout. Additionally, strength training also helps prevent injuries by improving posture and balance. It also helps to strengthen bones and muscles throughout the body
Strength training builds muscle mass
This is pretty obvious, but it’s important to understand how this works. When you lift weights and push yourself beyond your comfort zone, your muscles become stronger and more capable of handling physical stress. If you’ve ever lifted weights before, then you know that after a while, your body will start to look different. Perhaps most importantly for many lifters out there, your strength gains will be noticeable in everyday life as well
Strength training helps reduce stress, anxiety and depression
Strength training is a great way to relieve stress and anxiety. Exercise has been shown to reduce the symptoms of depression, anxiety, and even help you sleep better at night.
A big part of feeling better about ourselves is maintaining a healthy weight and strength training is great for doing this. Strength training burns calories while building muscle tissue. This means that over time it will help keep your metabolism running smoothly. Meanwhile, it will help to keep you at a healthy weight.
In addition to preventing weight gain through increased calorie burn, strength training has been shown in numerous studies that people who participate regularly tend have fewer aches and pains. Meanwhile, people who don’t exercise might complain about soreness from picking up groceries yesterday afternoon.
Strength training increases bone density
Strength training is an important part of a healthy lifestyle. It keeps your muscles strong, improves bone density and can even help you lose weight.
As we age, our bodies naturally become more frail and prone to injury. Bones become thinner and less dense. This makes them more vulnerable to breaks or fractures if we fall or bump into something. The best way for adults over age 50 (or even younger adults who have been inactive for years) to avoid these problems is by building up their muscle strength through regular weight-bearing exercises such as walking, running or lifting weights at the gym.
Some forms of strength training can be done at home
Strength training can be done at home, with or without equipment. While there are a few examples of strength training that require specific equipment (like barbells), many exercises can be done with just your body weight and some creativity. If you’re looking for more information about how to get started with strength training at home, we’ve got you covered!
- Bodyweight squats: Stand with feet shoulder width apart and toes pointed slightly outward. Squat down until thighs are parallel to the ground then return back up into starting position.
- Push-ups: Start by placing hands on floor directly under shoulders in plank position (back straight). Lower body until chest touches ground then push back up into start position
Learn how to start strength training
To get started, you’ll need to learn the basics of strength training. You can do this by taking a class or reading some books on the subject. Here are some things you should know:
- Use the right equipment. If you’re going to be lifting weights at home, make sure that everything is safe and sturdy enough for heavy use. If possible, ask an experienced friend or family member how best to set up your home gym so that it’s both safe and comfortable for lifting weights.
- Learn how to warm up before exercising. This helps prevent injuries during workouts because it gets blood flowing through your muscles and joints more quickly.
- Cool down after exercise too. This will help prevent swelling in tissues from occurring after strenuous activity has been performed.
- Breathe properly while lifting weights. Inhale deeply through the nose when picking up heavy objects like dumbbells or barbells. Exhale fully through pursed lips once they’re back down again on either side of their respective rests!
Don’t just lift weights
Strength training can be done with weights, but it doesn’t have to be. There are many other ways to build strength that don’t require a gym membership or dumbbells.
- Bodyweight exercises: You can do push-ups, pull-ups and squats without any equipment at all! These three movements train your muscles in different ways and they’re great for beginners because they can be performed anywhere (even when traveling).
- Kettlebells. A kettlebell is similar to a dumbbell, but because of its shape, it will help you develop your stability and to perform the exercise correctly compared with the dumbbell.
- Resistance bands: Resistance bands come in different sizes depending on how much tension you require. These tend towards lighter weight options which makes them perfect for beginners looking for something relatively easy yet effective.
Use proper form when lifting
The best way to avoid injury is to use proper form when lifting weights. If you’re not sure how to do this, ask one of the trainers in your Everyone Active gym to show you.
Keep track of what you’re doing
Strength training is a great way to keep your body healthy and strong, but it’s important to keep track of what you’re doing. There are many ways that you can do this, including using an app or journaling in a notebook. You should also try keeping track of your progress over time so that you can see how much better your body feels after several months of strength training!
In the end, strength training is a great way to improve your health and wellbeing. The benefits are endless, from helping you lose weight and build muscle mass to reducing stress and anxiety. It’s also easier than ever before for people at every level of fitness level to get started on their own journey towards becoming stronger.