5 REASONS WHY STRENGTH TRAINING WILL HELP YOU BE BETTER

What is the first thing that comes to your mind about strength training?

For many people, it’s athletes, others its bodybuilders. To me, strength training is a way for me to play with my kids without injury and fatigue. Strength training gives me confidence in my body to have the ability to sprint, jump, and roll around with my kids.

Strength training to me means life. I know when I am 70+ years old that I will have the strength and skill set to be independent. At that age, falling and breaking something is a huge risk factor for our health. This can be prevented with proper strength training.

I want to be the old grandpa who can still get on the floor and play with the grandkids and easily get back up without help. I want to have the ability to sit on a toilet without assistance. Everybody should want that with old age.

You see, strength training is more than building muscle, and being an athlete. Strength training is for longevity, health, play, and more.

Here are 5 reasons why you should consider strength training.

1. IMPROVED POSTURE AND SPINAL HEALTH

Proper strength training can help you strengthen the muscles that are underworked and weakened while sitting at your desk. These muscles included the upper back, neck, rear shoulders, and your core.

When these muscles become underutilized, chronic pain can show up in these areas and the low back. You also might feel stiff and hard to move as well.

This can be a problem if you want to be active at home but can also cause suffering while at work. This suffering might cause less productivity. That would be no good at all.

2. INCREASED ENERGY AND PRODUCTIVITY

Speaking of work, when you regularly exercise and strengthen your body, you will feel more energized, even at work.

Strengthening your body will also improve your cardiovascular system and increase your work capacity. This means you can do more work with less energy.

We all had experience with the mid-day slump, feeling sluggish and ready for a nap. Strength training and movement in general will improve that slump. Even at the moment, go for a 5-minute walk or stretch and you will be more energized.

Movement builds momentum, so keep moving for more energy.

3. REDUCED RISKS OF CHRONIC DISEASES

As I mentioned earlier, strength training improves your overall health.  It will give you life by lowering your risk of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Movement in general is promoting longevity in how you move and feel. Being stronger will improve your quality of life and make other things easier.

Yes, it is hard work to get into the gym and lift weights. Do you want to know what is harder?

Growing older having to take a ton of pills just so your body can function.

Having to depend on a walker to move your body from point A to point B. Needing help to sit on a toilet.

It might be hard now, but you’re investing in your future, so the easy things now stay easy.

Choose your hard.

4. ENHANCED MENTAL WELL-BEING

This should be talked more about, but strength training and exercise in general is a big win for mental health.

Less anxiety, stress, and depression when you just move more. Think about it, how are you going to stress about work, and you are lifting something heavy?

Hormones play a huge role in both mental and physical health and strength training does a really good job of balancing those hormones.

The brain also receives a little cognitive boost from the release of these hormones when you exercise.

I always feel less stressed and anxious when I can move my body. Anytime I feel negative thoughts or stress come, I will go for a walk, bonus points if it is done outside in the sun.

Plenty or research shows the benefits on mental health, so if you need a little pick me up, go walk and lift heavy things.

5. GREATER INDEPENDENCE IN OLD AGE

Lastly, I want to come back to old age. I mentioned it in the beginning, but it is so important, I want to dive a little deeper.

It has become normal for our society to see older adults as weak and fragile. It doesn’t have to be that way. My life goal is to be in the gym doing the same thing I am doing now.

Strength training is about longevity. It can prevent some of the age-related issues such as muscle and bone loss, strength loss, and even coordination.

If you start right now, you are investing in your ability to move your body and live independently.

Choose your hard.

A related blog on why strength training is important that I recommend you read is, WHAT IS STRENGTH AND WHY IS IT IMPORTANT IN LIFE.

If you need help, schedule a free consultation or email me at cory@caruthersfitness.com.