Every health magazine or exercise facility touts the benefits of a strength training program. But you may be unaware of why strength training is important or the benefits one receives from strength training exercises.
Copyright (c) 2008 Nancy Rishworth
Every health magazine or exercise facility touts the benefits of a strength training program. But you may be unaware of why it is important or the benefits one receives from these types of exercises.
As the name implies, strength training keeps your muscles strong. Many Americans don't get sufficient exercise. Increasing strength is an important part of exercise that helps keep our bodies strong and vital. You'll realize the following benefits by adding strength training exercises to your routine:
- Reduce risk of disease - Increasing strength helps prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease, type II diabetes, some forms of cancer, obesity and problematic lower back injuries.
- Builds immunity - Increasing strength prevents disease and improves your immune system. You'll have fewer colds and incidents of flu.
- Builds strong bones - Osteoporosis (soft and brittle bones) is a disease that affects both men and women as they age. Weight bearing exercises, increases strength and bone density. Even if you've already lost some bone density, training will increase some of your bone loss.
- Changes body shape - Strength training exercises have an impressive affect on body shape and your appearance. Consistent training helps you lose body fat by building muscle mass. With more muscle mass, your metabolism is more efficient, you burn more calories and more body fat. It results in a leaner, trimmer body shape.
It's easy to add strength training exercises to your current exercise routine. Any exercise that uses resistance to contract your muscles is considered a strength building exercise. As an example, exercises such as push-ups or squats use gravity and your own body weight to begin muscle contractions. Repeating the exercises will over time resulting in increased muscle mass.
Using free weights, such as dumb bells, is a great way to add to your routine to build strength. Simple arm curls using weight adds resistance training, which builds muscles. You can even also use weights when performing exercises such as squats, to make them more challenging.
When you decide to add strength training to your regime, it's important to take it nice and easy. Many people make the mistake of using too much weight, performing too many repetitions of the exercise, or not stretching properly before or after exercising. When you take a slow approach you prevent injury or strain and gain sleek, strong muscles. Strength training adds great flexibility and good health into your life.
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