Weight lifting has long been the go-to method for people who want to get strong and build muscle. Perhaps you’re already a seasoned expert in the art of weight lifting. Or maybe you’re just starting out. Regardless of where you are in your fitness journey, you may find yourself wondering: what are the tangible benefits of heavy weight lifting? While there are a wide variety of benefits, we’ve listed some of the top benefits of heavy weight lifting below:
1. Getting Fit
One of the most obvious benefits that weight lifting offers is the ability to effectively lose weight while also building muscle. Although many consider cardio to be the go-to for weight loss, weight lifting is actually a much more effective method. This is because even though cardio can burn more calories than weight lifting, weight lifting may heighten your metabolism after a session. Higher metabolisms aid in losing weight and keeping it off. Lifting is also much more effective at targeting specific muscle groups and conditioning and sculpting them than simple running or cycling would be.
2. Building Confidence
Weight lifting can also be a huge confidence boost, and not just for the reasons you’d think. While getting closer to your target weight or building muscle mass will undoubtedly make you feel good, it goes beyond that. Feeling yourself get stronger over time is rewarding. The ease that comes with physical strength is encouraging, and constantly pushing your body and overcoming challenges builds confidence and resilience.
3.Healing the Mind
Weight training not only has significant benefits on the body but on the mind as well. Exercise has long been praised as a method of improving one’s mood. Now, new studies suggest that regular weight training can help fight and prevent depression. Participants in a study who regularly lifted weights saw a significant improvement in their symptoms of depression, and those with no previous symptoms were less likely to develop symptoms of depression or deep sadness. And the good news keeps coming! It doesn’t matter how much weight you lift. It doesn’t even matter how frequently you do it either. There is no direct correlation between how much or how often you lift and how good you feel. The important part is showing up and putting in the work.
4. Aging Well
We know that weight lifting is a great way to maintain health and wellness. But what about the long-term benefits? Not only does weight lifting help you get strong now, it sets you up for future fitness too. Weight training can be crucial to aging well, and not just in terms of vanity. A growing body of research points towards the long-term health benefits of weight lifting, including ease in movement with aging, retained mental acuity, and overall good metabolic health. After age forty we begin to lose an average of 5% of our muscle mass every ten years. The consistent strengthening and building back up of muscle through weight training also helps with muscle mass retention. Weight training also helps increase bone density, which may help stave off the fragility that comes with aging.
But what if you didn’t start lifting when you were young? Is it too late?
Fear not.
Studies show that regular weight training can help recover lost muscle mass and muscular strength, though never fully. Still, it is never too late to get to the gym and start your weight lifting journey!
Want to start lifting but don’t know where to begin? Check out our beginners guide to weight lifting here!
https://www.organicallygrownmuscle.com/a-beginners-guide-to-weightlifting/