Strength-Training and its Long-Term Health Benefits
You’ve heard it many times considering it’s become more popular in the last few years (thank god). I’m referring to strength training which can also be referred to as weight training or resistance training.
Why is it so popular now? Well, thanks to many gym goers, especially women, and possibly social media, posting their workouts, raving about how good they feel, their improved relationship with food, and so much more, people want to try it out.
It’s awesome to see the growing interest in lifting weights and wanting to get stronger and achieving other fitness goals with strength training.
Endurance, cardio and conditioning such as high intensity intervals tend to be more popular amongst those who want to lose weight, or “tone up.” However, research continues to show that strength training’s benefits are just as good, if not, better.
It might be trendy on social media, but for a good reason.
The benefits of strength training are endless from achieving aesthetic goals to long-term health goals. People tend to believe that the more you sweat and run out of breath, the better your workout was and the better your health will be.
Contrary to popular belief, recent research shows the benefits of strength training or weight training which often is “underappreciated” while endurance training gets more praised.
Benefits of weight training:
- Healthy Aging
- Improved mobility and functionality for the elderly and sick (increased bone density and preserved or more muscle mass)
- Greater cognitive functioning
- Improved survival from cancer
- Better metabolic health (preserve/gain muscle mass, improved insulin sensitivity, glycemic control, glucose tolerance)
- Feeling strong = empowerment, especially for women
- More confidence
- More control of eating habits and appetite
So it’s important to incorporate weight training into your workout routine.
Like cardio? Cool. Keep doing what you enjoy the most but don’t completely skip out on lifting weights. Your future self will thank you.
Reference:
Abou Sawan, Sidney; Nunes, Everson A.; Lim, Changhyun; McKendry, James; Phillips, Stuart M.. The Health Benefits of Resistance Exercise: Beyond Hypertrophy and Big Weights. Exercise, Sport, and Movement 1(1):e00001, January 2023. | DOI: 10.1249/ESM.0000000000000001
