The Benefits of Strength Training

The dictionary defines strength training as, “a method of improving muscular strength by gradually increasing the ability to resist force through the use of free weights, machines, or the person’s own body weight. Strength training sessions are designed to impose increasingly greater resistance, which in turn stimulates development of muscle strength to meet the added demand. ”Strength training also has a multitude of health benefits. When some individuals think of strength training, they think of only the aesthetic benefits while not understanding the added health benefits associated with strength training. Some diseases and chronic conditions that strength training improves are: arthritis, diabetes, osteoporosis, obesity, back pain, and depression. Weight training also prevents muscle atrophy. Muscle atrophy, which is also called “muscle wasting,” happens when muscular cells waste away or deteriorate. This is also important when it comes to weight loss since only muscle can burn fat. Strength training (anaerobic) training is the only style of training that can build muscle. Some examples of strength training include Olympic lifting, body weight exercises, plyometrics, and general weight lifting. Eliminating excess fat is a key attribute to health. Having excess body fat increases your risk for disease while also worsening already acquired disease. Our nation is well over 40% obese, and obesity is causing a lot of the previously mentioned diseases and chronic conditions. Don’t become a statistic, work out and prolong your life!