We’ve heard every doctor and health professional tell us we need to start exercising. Maybe you’ve even considered going on a run, joining a yoga class, or even walking your dog. They’re all valid forms of exercise that are worth trying out. However, it’s always met with apprehension and doubt when it comes to “serious exercises,” especially weightlifting.
“I don’t want to look too big.”
“I’m too weak for barbells and dumbbells.”
“The gym is an intimidating place to be in.”
These are the common reasons many people often provide in the context of not doing weightlifting, despite having the initial desire or interest. But there’s more to weightlifting, benefits that merit you to try your best to go to the gym, hire a gym trainer, and work on your body. In this article, we’ll look at solid reasons for you to do weightlifting, and hopefully, by the end of it, you’ll be convinced to do so.
Helps You Lose Weight the Healthy Way
Let’s get this out of the way: you cannot out-exercise a bad diet. So if you’re looking for weight loss tips, the ultimate advice is still to eat properly. But weightlifting is an excellent supplement to a weight loss diet as it’s easily a high-calorie-consuming activity. A few minutes in the gym lifting weights is already a couple of hundred calories lost. Still, perhaps the most crucial factor for weight loss is the engagement of metabolically active muscle. Muscles consume more calories than fat, so what this means is that when you’re working on your muscles, you’re burning more calories. This is considerably more than doing traditional cardio-based exercises. So consider regular weight training for a healthier weight.
Corrects Your Posture
Many of us have a hunched back and a neck that’s way too craned forward, and it’s not hard to guess why. Most modern jobs require you to sit in front of a computer for hours on end, which results in the destruction of your hips, spine, and even neck. By doing weight training, you’re strengthening these muscles, muscles that are actually passively engaged throughout the day. You’ll find that you have better posture, and as a result, you look taller and better.
Increases Strength
The obvious strength benefits of weight training are still one of its most apparent benefits. Engaging the muscle in physically challenging activities will strengthen it, especially when the concept of progressive overload is applied. It essentially means lifting heavier than you the last time and is a great way to improve the strength of latent muscles or weak points in our body. This is particularly important as we grow older because muscle atrophy from inactivity can be very difficult to deal with. It’s best to prevent it from even setting.
Increases Muscle and Bone Endurance
Here’s an interesting irony: even though weightlifting is seen as a “dangerous” activity that can result in bruises and broken bones, engaging in it will make your muscles, joints, and bones more resistant to injury. Weightlifting works on tendons and ligaments, the body’s connective tissues. These essentially keep your body together. With stronger joints, we can feel stronger and move around significantly safer. Studies have also shown that regularly engaging in weight training significantly strengthens the bones, thanks to gradually increasing resistance and tension. Overall, the endurance-increasing benefits of weight training make it great for young people and older individuals suffering from muscle and bone problems. Think about it: you’re never too old to start lifting weights. If you’re older in years, it just means you should start now.
Mental and Social Confidence Boosters
Several studies have found that lifting weights makes both men and women feel significantly better about their self-image, both internally and externally. Both men and women boost their confidence by improving their body image (losing weight or developing muscles) or by growing stronger and noticing gradual gains, such as lifting more weight and participating in more activities. Like other types of physical activity, free weights boost confidence. They can even help control the symptoms of mental disorders like anxiety and depression, making it a healthy and practical approach to coping with stress.
Final Thoughts
People who start weightlifting report a significantly improved quality of living, from physical to mental aspects. The benefits of weightlifting are simply undeniable, and as more research is being put into its advantages, there will be more reasons to start weightlifting. If you’re still unconvinced, the last tip is to really just try it out to see if it’s for you. You’ll be surprised by how fun it can be.
