7 Reasons You Should Do Resistance Training

Also known as weight training or strength training, resistance training is the application of force from an external resistance to the muscles. This involves muscular tension, gravity, one’s own body weight, bands, cables, machines, and free weights. Also, it provides numerous health benefits to our body. Read on and learn about the seven reasons why you should do resistance training.

Faster metabolism and improved digestion
Your basal metabolic rate or BMR, the rate at which your body burns calories while at rest, is mainly influenced by the amount of muscles that your body has. Muscles, unlike fats, are active tissues that require continuous supply of energy. Resistance training helps replace fat with lean muscle tissue, which helps increase your total energy expenditure and makes it easier for you to keep a favorable body composition and healthy weight. This also helps in decreasing the body’s gastrointestinal transit time, which is important in reducing the risks of developing colon cancer.
Better sports performance and reduced risk of injuries
The inclusion of resistance training in an optimal sports training program helps increase muscle tone and enhances your performance in speed, coordination, power, and agility. It also contributes to a stronger body core, allowing you to maintain a better balance. Also, it helps develop strong tendons and ligaments that support the joints, enhancing the body’s stability and minimizing the risk of injuries. This is especially important as we age. Strengthening the lumbar area is very important as lack of lumbar strength can cause lower back dysfunction and pain.
Better posture and increased self-esteem
Weak back muscles lead to poor posture and prevent the body from standing tall. Resistance training helps strengthen these muscles, improving posture, reducing muscular pain, and allowing you to display more confidence. Also, just like other types of activities, it has a powerful psychological effect. Achieving the goals that you set throughout the entire training process helps boost your self-esteem. Also, being stronger and fitter provides a great feeling of empowerment as you are better equipped in dealing with the daily life challenges. Moreover, it is undeniable that feeling and looking more attractive boosts one’s confidence levels.
Reduced risk of heart diseases
Health studies show that strength training helps improve HDL or good cholesterol and decreases LDL or bad cholesterol. It also helps reduce hypertension. Cardiovascular strength training is a great way to reduce blood pressure, while weight training offers a positive result on diastolic reading, putting less strain on your heart. Resistance training is also known to help lower blood levels and serum lipids of the amino acid such as the homocysteine, reducing the risks of developing blood clots and coronary heart diseases.
Reduced risk of developing diabetes
Resistance training helps improve insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance, decreasing the risks of developing diabetes. Health studies show that strength training increases the body’s glucose utilization. The increase in lean muscle mass is significantly correlated to the decrease in the insulin release.
Reduced risk of osteoporosis
Typically, we face various bone density issues, like osteoporosis and osteopenia, as we age. This is especially true for many women who are in their post menopause phase. During this stage, women’s estrogen levels are significantly reduced, resulting to loss of bone density. Weaker bones are more susceptible to fractures and reduce the body’s mobility. Comprehensive resistance exercises will not only help stop losing bone density but can essentially increase bone density.
Aids in managing arthritis
Resistance training is a necessary tool in managing arthritis. By increasing the muscular strength that surrounds the joints, it helps in reducing joint stiffness and pain. Weight bearing exercises also help improve flexibility and endurance, providing a positive effect in controlling arthritis.

Matt helps run Havoc Store – a UK based online fitness retailer stocking everything from boxing gloves to a huge collection of MMA t-shirts.

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