Lifting Weights – Are you a girl ditches strength training section of the gym but never lift the weights because you will ‘bulk you up?’ Well! You are wrong! You are not going to look like a Hulk. However, you are going to look the leanest, shapeliest and sexiest version of yourself. Are you a man who looks at other bulky men and think they are ‘all on steroids?’
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All that loose skin won’t tighten itself if you only run on the treadmill or ride a bicycle. So that’s not the only reason you should be lifting.
Wondering why and how to lift weights? Why lift weights? Because it tones your body, gives an edge over belly fat, reduces the chance of heart disease, strengthens your muscles and helps in tissue recovery. The reasons behind how and why of weight lifting are detailed below.
Contents
- 1 For Longer Life
- 2 For Better Sleep
- 3 Noticeable Progress
- 4 For Protecting Bones
- 5 For Better Body Balance
- 6 To Be Stronger
- 7 To be Happier
- 8 For Looking Better
- 9 For Burning More Calories
- 10 So that you don’t have to spend all time at the gym
- 11 You Can Ditch Gyms and Work At Home!
- 12 For Heart Health
- 13 To Wear a Funky Gym T-shirt
- 14 To Eat Better
- 15 To Be More Productive
- 16 Rev up your Metabolism
1For Longer Life
Exercising keeps you fit and healthy. However, weight lifting provides an added benefit. When you learn how to lift weights correctly, you can do it regularly and add years to your life.
Also Read: Light Exercise Make You Live Longer.
A 2014 research at UCLA, suggests that more muscle mass reduces the chances of dying prematurely. According to the study’s co-author Arun Karlamangla, M.D., one should always try to increase and maintain muscle mass without worrying about the weight or the body mass index. So the best way of doing so is by pumping iron.
2For Better Sleep
Insomniacs! Read this. Weightlifting promotes sound sleep. Those who lift weights regularly state that they sleep pretty well. A small study conducted in 2012 on older men suggested that participants who engaged in resistance training woke up the lesser number of times during the night when compared to the members of the control group who performed no exercise at all.
3Noticeable Progress
Weight training is like a sport. Every day you set a goal for yourself and aim hard to achieve it. Moreover, what could feel better than crushing your goal and pushing your limits. The weight that you once thought was impossible to lift soon starts to feel comfortable.
This gives a boost to your self-confidence allowing you to track your progress even more strictly. In fact, you can spend up to 40% of body fat by strength training and cardio combined routine. Moreover, of course, your clothes will fit better as layers of fat melt off and give you svelte body.
4For Protecting Bones
This one is, particularly for women. If you intend to avoid broken ligaments or bone fractures, start lifting weights now. It is a proven fact that weight bearing exercise especially strength training increases your bone density, thereby reducing the risk of bone fractures.
Obviously, you should know how to lift weights and how often you should do it. So, discuss your requirements with a good trainer.
5For Better Body Balance
Do you trip often? Do you feel unbalanced, physically and mentally? Well, then you should lift weights! Weightlifting or any strength training is known to improve strength and balance of your body, protecting it against osteoporosis and physical imbalance.
It also aids in fewer falls. One such research suggests that various kinds of strength training can reduce by 30 percent the rate of falling amongst older individuals. Plus, weight lifting promotes a healthy brain, so you are mentally fit!
6To Be Stronger
Weight training protects your body against injuries by correcting your body’s imbalances.
7To be Happier
One of the most underutilized anti-depressants is exercise, especially weight training. If you wonder why and how to lift weights, you should read ahead. You should be lifting weights for mental benefits- for the happiness; it brings to you. Practicing weight lifting, even three times a week can bring positive changes to your mood.
It reduces symptoms of anxiety and depression and increases self-esteem by altering the levels of serotonin and dopamine in your brain. So then losing all that weight, feeling ripped or even getting a revenge bod will make you happier, instantly!
8For Looking Better
Remember, weight lifting can help you in loosing fat more effectively than another exercise routine. According to Nick Tumminello, personal trainer, people should watch their diet for revealing their shape and strength train to develop that shape.
9For Burning More Calories
Yes! We know those exercise ‘gurus’ tell you that weight lifting doesn’t burn calories. And yes, it doesn’t burn many calories when you are exercising. The real game begins when those muscles start to repair themselves.
So, you will be burning calories throughout the day even when just sitting. Of course, complementing it with some cardio would do wonders.
10So that you don’t have to spend all time at the gym
More isn’t always better. And that’s certainly the case for weight lifting. Therefore, the question is, ‘how often should you lift weights?’ According to Runner’s Times, around 30 to 60 minutes of strength training per week is enough to keep your body fit plus in good shape. So, you don’t have to spend hours at the gym for the ripped bod!
Also Read: A Glass of Red Wine OR A Hours of GYM! Equivalent
11You Can Ditch Gyms and Work At Home!
Don’t like sweaty gyms? Don’t worry! You can practice weight lifting at home. I Wondering how? Here is the trick. The terms weight lifting doesn’t necessarily indicate just the barbells or dumbbells.
You can lift whatever you wish to, be it jars, cans, tumblers, buckets, etc. You can even do freehand body weight training. Or if you want to be a little more professional, you can get a set of basic gym equipment at your place such as a home gym, a couple of barbells and dumbbells, etc. And for an affordable price, you can even buy a great home gym.
12For Heart Health
Cardio aids heart health, but weight lifting improves heart muscles. It is also known for reducing blood pressure. For adults, the American Heart Association proposes at minimum two sessions of strength training weekly, focusing on all body parts.
13To Wear a Funky Gym T-shirt
Want to wear a crop top? Lift Weights! Want to wear those funky t-shirts that your favorite male celeb dressed for an event? Lift Weights! Weightlifting lets you wear the coolest, sexiest t-shirts that you might not wear if your body were not ripped enough.
14To Eat Better
You can’t develop a habit if you cannot supplement it with better habits. So, you can’t eat better if you don’t exercise well. Therefore, to eat better and be healthier, you should start lifting weights. The strength that goes into it will prompt you to take better eating decisions.
15To Be More Productive
Researchers unanimously agree that individuals can be 15% more productive than those who don’t exercise. That happens because of neurotransmitters making your brain more alert while you are in a better mood that helps you pursue all goals.
16Rev up your Metabolism
Sitting all day and working sedentary jobs messes up with our metabolism. If you have the slow metabolism or if you can’t seem to lose weight, then rev up with weight lifting. A study conducted by the University of Nevada indicates that you can burn 73% more calories if you consume food after lifting weights.
Even better is that men who did weight lifting twice weekly for 18 weeks burned close to 9% more calories than those who did not lift any weights. This means that an average man can lose up to 25 pounds in a year without having to make any serious changes to his lifestyle or diet.
Go ahead! Pick up by 10-pound dumbbell and enjoy the sweet taste of victory! Remember to practice proper form.
Also Read: Wants to Be Successful Businessman! Start Workout First.