10 Benefits Of Resistance Training
I thought a good place to start would be with my definition of resistance training:
Intentionally putting muscles under increased load or tension.
This is most easily done in the gym because we have access to lots of equipment that can help us load the body effectively.
That being said, it is possible to resistance train from home with just our body weight, although it can be more challenging to create a good training effect.
So if you’re contemplating doing some resistance training, what are some of the benefits up for grabs?
Here are 10 for you to consider:
1. Lose Body Fat
This is the most common reason people work with us at Fitness Studio 46.
The vast majority of people want to have less body fat so they can look and feel at their best. Wear the clothes they want to wear and feel more confident.
Remember: The only way to lose weight is to create a calorie deficit. Burning more calories than we are consuming over-time.
By Resistance training we can increase the amount of calories we burn, to help us create that deficit.
A ‘Brucy bonus’ of Resistance Training is that, when we’re in that deficit, our body will prioritise burning body fat, not muscle, because we have a signal being created that we need to maintain muscle.
Leaving us with a lean, toned and defined physique.
It’s worth noting that lower body fat levels will also improve our Health… not just how we look.
2. Boost Metabolism
We’ve all heard the word but do you understand what your metabolism is?
Your metabolism is the rate at which your body processes energy.
The faster your metabolism, the more calories you burn even at rest, which means it’s much easier to keep your body fat low.
It also means that you can eat more food and your body will burn through those calories more readily.
Metabolism can be influenced by a lot of factors:
Age
Gender
Genetics
x2 resistance training per week is estimated to increase total calorie burn by 5000 calories per month.
Another way to positively influence metabolism is by building developing our bodies lean mass… which brings us to point number 3.
3. Build Muscle
Increasing muscle is what gives our body shape, tone and definition.
As we already said it allows our metabolism to stay high which makes losing body fat even easier.
A common objection that I get for resistance training is that somebody doesn’t want to get ‘too bulky’ or ‘build too much muscle’.
But trust me, I can assure you that’s never happened.
Building muscle takes consistency over long periods of time, with a dedicated training focus. It doesn’t happen overnight.
Whether your goal is muscle growth, or fat loss, performance based or physique based, if you’re male / female, young / old … everyone should be training with a focus on putting muscles under tension.
4. Reduce / Remove Pain
Do you suffer with sore knees? Lower Back pain? Shoulder pain? Or any joint pain for that matter?
Resistance training helps to strengthen ligaments and tendons which will provide added strength and support to joints.
Almost everybody I have ever trained has had an injury history or a niggle that causes them pain.
With intelligent training, we can always at the very least train around an injury, but we can often dramatically improve it.
We’ve had some exceptional client stories in this area!
One that stands out is a client who came to me with chronic lower back pain. After seeing multiple physio’s, doctors and chiropractors … hiring a coach was her last attempt at improving her position. Even 4 years at the time of writing this article, that client is pain free on a daily basis!
All due to effective strengthening, stretching and movement improvements.
5. Prevent Osteoporosis
A common skeletal condition is Osteoporosis
Osteoporosis is where somebody suffers a reduction in bone density, which leaves the bones vulnerable to injury. It’s especially common in women.
Resistance training is phenomenal for maintaining strength in the bones.
Even moderate resistance training into old age will help preserve the integrity of our bones.
Speaking of Old Age…
6. Anti - Ageing
Resistance training can actually reverse ageing in muscle tissue.
In one interesting study a group of men with an average age of 68 experienced gene expression reversal that led to the having mitochondria characteristics of a moderately active 24 year old.
In simple terms…
Resistance training keeps your muscles young!
7. Inceased Life Expectancy
As well as keeping you young… it can extend your life expectancy.
Some of the biggest killers in western society are linked to obesity-related diseases:
heart attack
high blood pressure
stroke and some cancers.
As such an effective method of keeping body fat levels low, resistance training can help to prevent these conditions.
8. Improved Performance
We all know that athletes use resistance training to improve their performance, even for a sport such as golf!
(Although I think darts players are yet to adopt strength training)
Even though you may not identify as an athlete yourself.. All of us benefit from improving our performance, even for everyday tasks.
But being able to run, jump and move well is going to open up loads of fun activities and opportunities for us to enrich our lives!
9. Mental Health Improvements
A prescribed treatment for people struggling with their mental health is to exercise.
Exercising has a direct impact on our physiology by creating feel good hormones and helping to improve our hormone levels.
Specifically when it comes to resistance training, I’ve seen first hand the confidence builds in people.
Looking better and improving confidence will have a massive impact on someones mental health.
10. To write a better story to your life!
The 9 benefits I’ve just covered are scientifically backed, tested and proven benefits of resistance training.
But what about the intangible benefits?
I’ve had the privilege of introducing hundreds of people to resistance training and when you ask somebody what results they’re happy with… They always mention obscure things that are specific to that persons life!
running up the stairs to work.
Wearing shorts for the first time in years.
Being able to play and run around with your kids without getting tired.
Walking up mountains.
Whatever it is… resistance training can help you to write a better story to your life!
I believe that should be celebrated and shared.
Yours in coaching,
Harry