Day 185 - Resistance Training

Resistance, or weight training should be an integral part of any well-rounded fitness plan. Men and women have a lot to benefit from resistance training.

I know a lot of women are either afraid to train with weights or are not sure where to begin, but even simple exercises with weight can be highly beneficial. I recommend either a personal trainer or even doing some individual research to learn how to strength train properly to maximize your exercising benefits.

The truth of the matter is that many women are afraid of "bulking up" and shy away from too much strength training. Unfortunately, this is a long standing myth that prevents many women from improving their overall health. Most women lack the needed testosterone to get "bulky" so working with weights has more of a toning and strengthening effect on them. There are a myriad of other benefits that are accomplished through regular strength training that I will list below.

Keep that metabolism firing - Resistance routines help build muscle tissue. The more muscle mass you have, and the more efficient each of those muscles are, the more calories you burn on a day to day basis. Muscles are constantly burning calories, even when you sleep so many studies have proven that a resistance routine increases your metabolism for up to 24 hours after a workout. That means you will be burning more calories even when you are watching television or sleeping!

Prevent the effects of aging - As we age, our bodies are constantly deteriorating. This is a "use it or lose it" mentality that is imprinted in our genes. The body feels that it should cut away excess materials if they are not being used. Unfortunately for a lot of people, this makes them more prone to injury such as fractures and sprains not to mention an increased risk of arthritis and osteoporosis. Strength training has been proven to increase bone density, ligament and muscle strength, etc. The more of your muscles you move and use, the longer they will stick around to help your body stay healthy!

Diabetes prevention - Muscles actually also help your body improve its insulin sensitivity so you can ward off diabetes as you age as well.

Posture - A well-rounded strength training program also improves your posture which can help ward off structural pain such as back pain or tense/tight joints.

Keep Your Balance - A major risk facing us as we age is our decline in balance and coordination. As we age, it is natural for our bodies to become less nimble and more prone to falls. This is a leading cause of injury for seniors. By practicing strength training, you will be increasing your body's balance and coordination, helping you long into the later years of life.

Men don't usually need motivation to hit the weights as that is what they generally head for first when they enter a gym. If anything they need to improve their overall fitness with other aspects of fitness such as yoga, flexibility and cardiovascular exercises. Women on the other hand tend to shy away from weights as they are either unsure of what to do with them, or they are afraid of getting too muscular. A personal trainer can help design a program that will help round out your physical fitness program and make you a more overall healthy individual!

Quote of the day:
"People will hate you, rate you, shake you, and break you. But how strong you stand is what makes you."

~ Unknown
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