Why is Weight Training Important?

Why is weight training important? That's a question that's easy to answer, if we look at the scientific research and evidence, weight training is vastly the most productive, efficient, and beneficial form of fitness training. It's important to follow the evidence and science.

Why is Weight Training Important? Efficiency

Why is weight training important: It is the most efficient form of fitness, we get “more bang for our buck” by utilizing weight training over other fitness methods. The book Body By Science gets into the deeper science of why strength training is so important. Efficiency is only one small part of the benefits of weight training.

“The key findings in these studies indicate that in terms of overall health, a workout requiring six to nine minutes a week produced the same muscle enzymes (which are essential for the prevention of type 2 diabetes) as a workout requiring four and a half to six hours per week. That is significant in light of the growing levels of unfitness. After the study, Professor Giabala stated, “ We thought there would benefits, but we did not expect them to be this obvious. It shows how effective short intense exercise can be.” -Body By Science p.17

Why is Weight Training Important? Health Benefits

Why is weight training important for health? Because the benefits are so extensive that everyone can and will benefit from starting a weight training program. Older clients who haven't done strength training before will generally have the most incredible and huge results, but everyone can benefit.

It is as if our bodies are supposed to always utilize strength training, the greatest evidence of this is in the effect of myokines on the body. Myokines are proteins that are released during intense strength training exercises. The closer we can bring our muscles to momentary muscle fatigue, the more myokines are released in the body.

Myokines are responsible for a huge amount of rejuvenate effects, creating the self destruction cycle in cancer cells and increasing bone density are just two of the OVER 100 incredible functions myokines serve in the human body. This five minute video about myokines serves to really highlight the exciting benefits that strength training has in our bodies!

Why is Weight Training Important? Metabolism

Why is weight training important for the metabolism? For starters, Sarcopenia, which is simply the loss of muscle mass over time. Most people lose a half pound of muscle EVERY YEAR after the age of 27 years old if we don't perform strength training exercises. And keeping muscle on our bodies increases our resting metabolism by SO much in the long term.

For every pound of muscle we add to strengthening our bodies, we are able to burn an extra 37.5 calories a day while we are simply sitting still resting. This is VERY good news, since it's possible to gain a lot more than nine pounds of muscle in a year of solid consistent training. This would mean an extra 337 calories burned every day, naturally. That's the equivalent of jogging a few miles, but it would eliminate SO much risk to the joints and having to replace knees and hips down the road.

I always do suggest this one on one fitness training company that I am blessed to work for, we are The Perfect Workout. With just 20 minutes, twice a week we can get all of the important benefits of strength training.

Check out results from one of my clients at The Perfect Workout!