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Strength Training - How it Helps You.

Posted By: Alan on 02/04/2011

Learn to Love Strength Training - for your Health and your Looks.

Below are 10 reasons you should strength train (and LOVE every minute of it):

1. Strength training preserves muscle mass during weight loss.

25% to 30% of weight lost by dieting alone is not fat but lean tissue, muscle, bone and water. However, strength training helps dieters preserve muscle mass while still losing weight.

2. Strength training elevates your metabolism.

Starting in their twenties, most people (especially women) lose half a pound of muscle every year if they aren't strength training to preserve it. After age 60, this rate of loss doubles. Regular strength training can preserve muscle throughout your lifespan, and rebuild the muscle lost.

3. Strength training helps you lose weight more easily (or eat more without gaining weight).

Since muscle is active tissue (unlike fat, which is inert), it requires energy to maintain. The more muscle you have, the more you can eat without gaining weight. Strength training can provide up to a 15% increase in your metabolic rate, which is helpful for weight loss and long-term weight control.

For every additional pound of muscle you gain, your body will burn about 50 more calories each day. A recent study showed that a woman who strength trains two or three times a week for eight weeks gains 1.75 lbs of muscle and loses 3.5 lbs of fat.

Aerobic exercise burns more calories than strength training at the time you are exercising, but your metabolism returns to normal about 30 minutes after you finish your aerobic workout. Individuals who perform strength training, however, elevate their metabolism (burn more calories) for two hours after their workouts end.

4. Strength training increases bone density.

Strength training increases both muscle mass and bone density. In a recent study, women who lifted weights did not lose any bone density throughout the study, and actually gained an average of 1% more bone mass in the hip and spine. Non-exercising women lost 2% to 2.5% of bone mass during the same period of time.

Another study showed a 3% increase in spine and hip bone density after an 18-month strength training program among women ages 28 to 39.

5. Strength training counteracts depression.

In a study of 32 men and women who suffered from chronic depression, half did strength training while the other half only received health information. After three months, 14 of the 16 who lifted weights felt better and no longer met the criteria for depression. Another study showed that 10 weeks of strength training reduced clinical depression symptoms more successfully than standard counseling alone.

6. Strength training reduces sleep difficulties.

Ten people in the strength training group (from point 5 above) reported sleep difficulties at the start of the study. After 12 weeks, six of the 10 reported they no longer had trouble sleeping - they fell asleep more quickly, slept more deeply, awakened less often, and slept longer.

7. Strength training reduces your risk of diabetes.

Adult-onset (Type 2) diabetes is a growing problem, with over 14 million Americans suffering it. Strength training can increase glucose utilization in the body by 23% in just four months. As muscles contract and relax during exercise, they use sugar for energy. To meet this energy need, your body uses sugar supplies in your blood, reducing your blood sugar levels.

8. Strength training lowers your blood pressure.

Resting blood pressure (RBP) levels are impacted by strength training. In a recent study, after 18 months of strength training, participants shifted from the high-normal RBP category to normal RBP levels. Regular exercise, including strength training, strengthens the heart, allowing it to pump more blood with less effort. The less your heart has to work, the less pressure is exerted on your arteries.

9. Strength training helps you age more gracefully.

As you age, muscle mass decreases (if you're not working to preserve it), which can cause skin to sag in not-so-pretty ways. By strength training, you can fight age-related muscle loss and maintain a more youthful physique.

10. Strength training improves your quality of life.

Building muscle allows you to get more out of life. Everyday activities, such as lifting children, carrying groceries, and working in the yard are much easier when you're not struggling with the effort. Being in shape makes you more confident, helps you stand taller and makes you feel great about yourself. And what's better than that?