7 great benefits of weight training, a healthy habit that you can easily practice at home!
This is how weight training is a great way to be healthier, to have stronger and healthier bones, better cardiovascular health, maintain optimal weight, and many other benefits.
7 Benefits of weight training
In the continuation of today’s article, we highlight some of the many benefits that such exercises provide to our health.
1. Weight training strengthens and preserves muscles and bones
After the age of 30, due to aging, a person loses an average of 3 to 5 percent of lean muscle mass per year.
Studies have shown that just 30 minutes, twice a week of high-intensity exercise improves bone density, structure, and strength.
Also, this exercise contributes to building and maintaining existing muscle tissue.
At the same time, it increases its mass, strength, and firmness and all this is crucial for us and our health as we age.
2. With weight training less risk of cardiovascular disease
Numerous studies have found that weight training directly affects heart health.
One study found that young men who exercised regularly had better levels of HDL, or “good” cholesterol, than those who did not exercise at all.
Exercise improves blood pressure and blood triglyceride levels, much like cardio.
And especially significantly has even better effects on HDL – good cholesterol.
Another study also found that women who exercised heavily had a 17% lower chance of developing cardiovascular disease than those who did not.
3. They regulate blood sugar levels
One study found that in addition to the role of weight training in building new muscle tissue, it also improves the ability of muscles to absorb blood sugar.
Another study from 2019 showed that people who exercised moderately with weights and had moderate muscle power were 32 percent less likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those with very low muscle power who did not practice such exercises.
This exercise is thought to help the body with the sensitivity and regulation of blood sugar, ie insulin levels.
4. Help regulate weight and lose weight
Aerobic – cardio exercises are considered superior in terms of calorie expenditure.
But it has been found that weight training also affects our body weight, but in a slightly different way from cardio exercise.
Namely, weight training is considered useful for this purpose because it increases the calorie needs for your basic metabolism.
This is because building new muscle tissue speeds up the metabolism itself.
This means that the body will burn more calories during the day to perform basic functions (without additional physical activity).
It is also thought that this type of exercise keeps the oxygen consumption, and thus the metabolism, more active and longer after exercise, as opposed to aerobic exercise.
This also results in more calories being burned.
5. Contribute to better mood and mental health
If you want to be in a good mood then start exercising.
Aerobic exercises have been much more studied and their effect has been proven through numerous studies in terms of improving mood.
But through more studies in recent years, the effect of weight training has become apparent when it comes to improving the condition of people with anxiety and depression.
In a 2013 study, it was found that such exercises, especially when slightly more intense, alleviated the symptoms of depression in respondents.
Exercise activates and increases endorphin levels.
Endorphins play a role in our mood and make us have more energy after training.
In addition, there are studies that have shown a link between weight training and better sleep.
6. Better flexibility, agility, and balance
A 2017 study found that these exercises improve flexibility in both men and women.
In addition, with exercises that activate the joints and move them to their full range, over time that range can be increased, and with it your mobility and flexibility.
Also, these exercises require balance and mobility from your body.
As you move in more positions and at different angles, your body stabilizes you through the muscle groups, and over time you develop better balance and control.
7. Greater self-confidence if you practice weight training
No matter what the results, research shows that people who exercise regularly change the way they look at their bodies.
They look and feel fitter and have a more positive self-image.
The aforementioned effects on mental health have an additional effect on the image we have of ourselves, and vice versa.
According to scientists, people who exercise regularly also have a sense of accomplishment and their self-confidence has increased.
Of course, cardio exercises can also contribute to weight loss, but weight training builds a more defined body.
With weight training, the muscles become more visible, which can further affect self-confidence.
Why exercise with weights?
Everyone has their own particular, favorite way or mode of exercise.
Some people prefer more moderate exercise such as walking or cycling, while others prefer more intense exercise such as running, jumping rope, or the like.
These exercises would be classified into the group of cardio or aerobic exercise.
But today we will focus on another type of exercise, ie weight training.
By this, we mean exercises with weights or other objects, but also exercises that are done with your own weight, without the need for weights.
This type of exercise is often present in gyms.
But the beauty of these exercises is that different subjects and different locations can be used for your daily training.
Such exercises can be practiced in nature, in the yard, or in the warmth of your own home.
Of course, choosing any type of exercise – cardio, with weights, or with your own weight has significant and proven effects on our physical and mental health.
In the following, we will focus on weight training and will look in more detail at its effect on our body and mind.
What is weight training and what are its effects?
Weight training includes any physical activity through which you exercise and strengthen a specific muscle group in your body.
This means exercising with some resistance – weights, elastics, own weight, etc.
Through continuous exposure of the muscles to such resistance and stress, they grow and strengthen, and contribute to maintaining our health.
This is a basic principle and should not be seen as going to the gym or exercising exclusively with weights.
Such exercises exist for practically all age groups and are especially suitable for people with health problems such as for overweight, diabetes, heart disease, and arthritis.
These exercises are easily adjustable and can be practiced in your home.
You do not need any special accessories, and if you are able you can freely combine exercises with weights or rubber bands and exercises with your own weight.
It is important to allow your body to rest and recover from exercise between workouts.
Because it is during this period that reparation and strengthening of the muscle group that underwent the exercises take place.
How does weight training affect our health?
Numerous studies have proven this to be effective and beneficial for heart health, improve your balance, strengthen bones and help you lose weight.
In doing so, they can transform and shape your body and make you feel stronger and more confident.
They also have a positive effect on mental health and improve mood.
They can easily adapt to your daily routine and with a little discipline quickly grow into a healthy habit without which you will not be able to.
Conclusion
Let exercise become a habit.
It is clear that such exercises have a huge impact on our health and our mind.
They make us stronger, more flexible, more confident, and healthier.
They can be made anywhere, even in our room and it is enough to start with a few minutes a day.
If you exercise daily, do not forget to rest between workouts, in order to allow the muscles you have exercised to rebuild.
In combination with some cardio exercises, the best results and effects on our health are perceived.
With regular exercise, you will feel the listed effects and you will feel more beautiful and healthier.
So without further ado, let such exercises become your new healthy habit.
