Why You Can’t Afford to Ignore Strength Training

 

Strength training is important, especially if you work a sedentary job! Even mundane daily tasks, like taking the shopping in or climbing a flight of stairs are made more difficult by a lack of strength. On top of that, studies show that we start to lose muscle from as early as 30, so it really is — use it or lose it. Put another way, if you’re not getting stronger, you’re getting weaker.

Weight Training.jpg

Benefits of Strength Training

If you need convincing, consider that strength training can help you to:

  • Get Stronger Bones

  • Build Muscle Mass

  • Improve mobility

  • Improve Balance

  • Prevent Injuries

Still need more convincing?

Unexpected Benefits of Strength Training

The advantages that come from regular resistance training go way beyond just building muscle. You can also expect strength training to:

 
 
“If you want to optimize your health, you should focus on fat loss, whilst simultaneously striving to retain or build muscle. Regular resistance training combined with a sufficient intake of protein is the best way to do this!”
— Max, foundation gym

The Role of Strength Training in Fat Loss

Since fat loss is a common goal, I want to talk about the critical role that strength training plays in this process. Before I do that, let’s clear up a common misconception — the difference between fat loss and weight loss:

Weight loss — is the indiscriminate reduction of bodyweight which could come from muscle, fat, water, glycogen, etc.

Fat loss — is the reduction of fat specifically.

If you want to optimize your health, you should focus on fat loss, whilst simultaneously striving to retain or build muscle. Regular resistance training combined with a sufficient intake of protein is the best way to do this!

But that’s not all, having more muscle will help you to burn more calories just by existing. Your Resting Metabolic Rate (RMR), is the amount of energy your body burns at rest and more muscle tissue = a higher RMR. That is to say, the more muscle you have, the more calories you burn, even when you’re just sitting on the couch. When we consider that achieving a calorie deficit dictates fat loss, it’s easy to see how this might be an advantage.

Strength Training is for Everyone

It’s never too late to get stronger, consider this 2013 study that showed that “after doing specific training for 12 weeks, people over the age of 90 improved their strength, power and muscle mass”.

It’s not about lifting massive weights or gaining vast amounts of muscle; It’s about striving to be a little better than you were yesterday, and improving your quality of life so you can carry on doing the things that make you happy.

Yours in health,

The Foundation Team

 
Gemma McCabe