Strength training is one of the healthiest and most popular fitness activities worldwide, and its prevalence is due, in part, to its countless physical and mental benefits. There are numerous health perks associated with strength training, ranging from the externally obvious to the internally complex. These factors include, but are not limited to:
Building a Stronger, Healthier Body
The most evident advantage of strength training is its impact on bodily composition – namely, increased muscle mass and a more balanced muscle/fat ratio. A consistent strength training regimen, if followed correctly in tandem with proper nutrition, will often yield noticeable physical benefits. These changes not only contribute to a stronger, more defined physique; they can also aid metabolic health and make it easier to achieve and sustain a healthy body weight. This two-pronged adaptation allows strength trainers to expand their physical capabilities while fostering an equally strong resting metabolic rate (RMR) – both of which stand as cornerstones of long-lasting health and wellness.
Improving Mental Health
Strength training is one of several fitness-based activities consistently linked to enhanced mental wellness. Lifting can serve as a healthy vehicle for purging negative emotions, distracting the mind from stress, and recalibrating the body-brain frequencies in which anxiety can perpetually run rampant. Such workouts also generate endorphins, or neurological chemicals responsible for happiness and calmness. What’s more, the often goal-oriented framework of strength training is a natural foundation for improved mental health, with each accomplished goal providing a vivid sense of accomplishment and self-confidence that may transcend the weight room.
Reducing Illness
Thanks to its physical reinforcement and stress reduction capabilities, strength training can also play a key role in mitigating illness and boosting one’s immune system. Strength workouts promote circulatory health, which aids in the transportation and fortitude of immune cells and antibodies within bodily tissues. The lymphatic system, meanwhile, leverages exercise-based stimulation to facilitate waste and toxin removal and support general immune function.
Gaining Better Sleep Quality
Beyond training sessions, strength work holds lasting benefits for one’s sleep hygiene. The aforementioned endorphins, paired with post-workout relaxation and healthy tiredness, promote sleep quality by making it easier to fall and stay asleep. As a result, one can maximize their chances of undergoing crucial circadian rhythms and keeping their bodily clocks in check. This effect brings the cycle full circle, keeping one well-rested and, therefore, capable of meeting their full potential in future training sessions.
