5 Benefits of Strength Training You Must Know
When you hear the phrase strength training, you may think of bodybuilders or cross-fitters, in other words, people who are trying to bulk up.
Strength training exercises are simply those that build muscle. There are a variety of strength training exercises, including resistance training, aerobic exercise, weight training, and body weight exercises.
Strength training can be for your overall health and wellness. It can be beneficial for weight loss, improving your heart health, strengthening your bones, and more!
1. Build Healthy Bones
Strength training does more than build muscular strength; it is also crucial for bone development.
As we age, our bones become more fragile. Along with losing muscle mass, this part of aging makes strength training for women and men more important by the day.
Strength Training increases bone density, which makes your bones healthier and able to carry more weight. So whether it’s your legs, hips, or wrists, this training gives your bones the strength and stability that leads to better wellness and overall health.
2. Burn Calories More Efficiently
All exercise helps boost your metabolism, but Strength Training is particularly effective.
Building muscle increases your metabolic rate, meaning that you will burn calories more efficiently. In fact, if you build muscle mass, you can continue to burn additional calories hours and even days after your workout or even while you are sleeping!
3. See Results in Your Appearance
Many women fear strength training because they don’t want to be “bulky.” I’m here to tell you that doing the right kinds of strength workouts will not turn you into the incredible Hulk. You’re only going to get bulky if it’s your overall goal.
Strength training is the most effective way to burn fat and gain muscle. Rather than appearing “bulky,” building lean muscle mass and burning fat will make you appear toned. Even if you don’t see results on the scale, muscle takes less space on your body pound for pound, allowing you to lose inches off of your waist.
When combined with the proper diet, you can lose fat and see real results in your appearance.
4. Experience Benefits Beyond the Physical
When you begin your strength training workout routine, you’ll reap more benefits than just the physical. In other words, you won’t just look better— you’ll feel better too.
The fact that exercise produces endorphins is not new information. However, strength training has been known to have an especially positive benefit on the brain.
Studies show that strength training may boost your mood, self-esteem, and self-efficacy and improve your mental health. So, you’ll find yourself with more energy and confidence, less stress and anxiety, an overall positive mood, and a better thought life.
5. Develop Better Body Mechanics
Strength training also benefits your balance, coordination, and posture.
As you strengthen your core, you improve your balance and coordination. Balance and coordination are crucial for lowering your risk of falling or injury.
Chances are, if you’re an iPhone user or spend your day hunched over working on a computer at work, then you may have developed poor posture. However, if you want to stand a little taller and prevent neck or back pain, strength training also improves posture!
McClure Fitness Strength Training Workouts
Strength training does NOT mean that you have to lift heavy weights! There are plenty of other workout programs out there that can get you lean and toned, allowing you to reap the many benefits of strength training.
In fact, we offer a variety of programs at McClure Fitness that incorporate strength training workouts. Here are just a few of the many programs we offer here at McClure—
Barre
Working everything from your calves to your arms, barre is a ballet-inspired strength training workout that blends low-impact and high-intensity movements for crazy-good results.
Don’t want to do burpees? No problem. No one in this class does either! Don’t want to lift heavy weights? Still, not a problem. In this diverse program, you’ll still experience crazy burns from tiny, intentional movements. Our barre classes also cover both big and small muscle groups, so you can expect to tone your muscles without having to lift heavy weights.
Pilates
Pilates workouts typically focus on strengthening your core and targeting smaller muscle groups that will lift your booty, sculpt your arms, tighten your legs, and flatten your abs through tiny yet effective movements.
Pilates isn’t going to make you sweat it out as much as cardio or aerobic exercise would, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t going to have to give it your all.
HIIT
HIIT stands for High-Intensity Interval Training. During these workouts, you do intense exercise, and take active rests between exercises, which puts your body into performance overdrive. These workouts are equipment-light and results-heavy.
HIIT classes are a staple at McClure Fitness for a good reason— they work! Our HIIT program will put your goals on the fast track.
Strength Train with McClure Fitness
I think I’ve made it pretty clear that strength training is worth the work and will benefit you in more ways than one. And there’s no better place to start a strength training program than McClure Fitness.
We have so many different workouts that you can choose from to meet your strength training goals. Not to mention that we offer different ways for you to work out and become a part of the MF family. If you’re located in Central Arkansas, you can join us for a class at our Benton gym, or if you’re not, you can work out with us at McClure Fitness Online!
