We know we should be lifting weights
As far as we are concerned, lifting weights and getting stronger is the magic fitness pill that you’re looking for
It will help you burn fat, it will shape your body, it will even help with managing chronic health issues
For those that still need a little more convincing, let’s dig a little deeper
Here are 16 reasons to lift heavy things
1. Boost metabolism: Eat more food AND burn fat you say!? Yep, over time resistance training can boost your metabolism significantly. Allowing you to burn more calories throughout your day, making long term weight loss that much easier.
2. Build strength: If you put some time into upgrading your strength, you will find it easier to build muscle and burn fat. Fact. The more weight we can move the more stress we can put on our bodies during a workout, which will then lead to more results.
3. Shape your body: Your muscles can only grow and shrink, they can’t ‘tone’ or ‘lengthen‘. So if you are looking to change the shape of your body, the only way to do it is through lifting heavy weights.
4. Lose fat: Here’s an industry tip for you: Don’t rely on cardio to keep the weight off. Use weight training to build your metabolism and strength, then once you have built up to a certain point, reduce the calories and see the weight fly off.
5. Prevent joint pain: Muscles support our joints. If our muscles are stronger, they will fortify our joints a lot better. Knees, lower back or shoulder sore? Jump on a good weight lifting program and see what happens 😉
6. Boost confidence: A strong body goes a long way to a strong mind. Getting strong will literally make you walk taller. Doing something you didn’t think you could do, is the best way to reaffirm your self awesomeness. Now go get that 100kg deadlift!
7. Enhance posture: Lifting weights can realign your body to function better. If our posture is poor our force production, blood flow and quality of life is affected.
8. Manage chronic health conditions: Weight training doesn’t just make us look good. It can assist us in managing things like diabetes, heart disease and even mental health disorders. So if you are suffering, get a coach, lift some heavy things and FEEL the power of weight lifting.
9. Reduce stress and anxiety: Exercise has become the most effective intervention for mental health disorders. And there’s no better way to ensure long term success than focusing on getting stronger week after week.
10. Enhance sleep quality: Sleep is king. Getting better sleep will change your body more then just focusing on exercise and nutrition. Crazy hey. The cool thing is that appropriate weight training will increase your sleep quality. Lift heavy = sleep better.
11. Increase energy levels: Sometimes the reason you have no energy is because your body has forgotten how to be energetic. Strength training actively requires your body to adapt and change. This process can hence make you feel more energetic throughout the day.
12. Maintain independence: If you’re 23, older age might seem life a lifetime away. But the thing is, the stronger we are through our lifetime, the more independence we will have when we do move into older age. So the size of your quads isn’t just for aesthetics after all.
13. Improve brain function: There is a direct correlation between people who lift weights and better brain function. So if you want to be better at work or more present as a parent, it behoves you to pick up strength training.
14. Enhance performance: A well performing body is a good looking body. If you play a sport, any sport, proper strength training will boost your performance.
15. Create healthy habits: If you commit to 2 strength training sessions a week, you can anchor other healthy habits to this ritual: Protein shake after your workouts, a clean wholefood meal before you train, a sleep routine to help you recover.
16. Weight training is infinitely variable: A good coach and program can ensure you don’t see training plateaus. Unlike cardio, you can change and adapt your training to any goal or any life context.
