You’ve heard the general exercise guidelines...exercise at minimum 5 days per week at a moderate intensity for 150 minutes. But, what exercise is best?
There are so many different types of training and sometimes it can be difficult to know what is best for you--HIIT, pilates, yoga, walking, lifting weights, running, tai chi, dancing, kickboxing...the list goes on. But, what type of exercise gives you the most bang for your bucks?
Strength Training.
The benefits of strength training are endless! See below for some of the top benefits listed:
Get Stronger--your daily activities get easier like climbing stairs or lifting boxes. You start to gain muscle!
Reduce your body fat--Increased body fat is related to heart disease, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, type 2 diabetes, and certain types of cancer. More muscle=healthier human.
Improve your Metabolism--muscles burn more calories at rest than fat. In fact, if you strength train you’ll continue to burn calories for the next 72 hours!
Improve your Heart Health--decrease blood pressure, lower total and LDL (bad) cholesterol, and improve blood circulation! Cardio is not always queen when it comes to our hearts.
Reduce your Risk of Falls--Building muscle is correlated with better balance and reducing your fall risk.
Reduce your Injuries--no matter the sport or activity, the stronger you are=the less likely you are to get injured! Muscle strength protects your body from straining muscles, spraining ligaments or causing tendonitis.
Stronger Bones--Resistance training increases your bone mass and density in as little as 30 minutes, twice per week. Stronger bones means less chance of fractures as you age.
Improve your Brain--Lifting weights improves your mood, energy, concentration and focus. There is even evidence it may reduce your risk for Alzheimer’s disease.
I hope you consider adding further weight training into your weekly routine. Don’t wait, even if you don’t have any weights at home, start with your body weight. Do push-ups, squats, bicep curls, lunges. Your body and future self will thank you! And if you are already strength training, then great job, keep it up!!
If you have any questions on knowing the best type of strength training or how to perform specific exercises, reach out and I’ll be happy to help! If you feel limited in your ability to perform certain exercises, then let me know at drcaitlin@engagepttn.com or 615.982.4062.