There are major benefits that come along with strength training. These benefits are sometimes endless, but things such as increased strength, muscular endurance, power, and tendon and ligament strength. But many people also forget the health benefits involved with strength training, like lowering of blood pressure, improves function of our immune system,better joint functions and can also lower our resting heart right resulting in a more efficient and healthier heart.

This should be used in every-body’s fitness routine. Strength training is the use of resistance or force to contract a muscle, making it work and effectively making it repair and grow. This form of training only needs to be applied 2 to 3 days a week. Proven studies have shown that less is better and the necessity for rest is vital for muscle recovery and also to avoid the effects of over training.

The benefits are not just limited to those wanting to build muscle and gain weight. Here are day to day activities and health problems that can be countered.

Strength training will help with:

– Improve joint function, stability and balance, so for the elderly population this can be vital to a long lasting functional life.

– Increasing bone density, which will help many people, especially for post menopausal women.

– Lower the risk of osteoporosis, diabetes and hypertension

– More added muscle mass and strength. Providing 2 benefits.

1. Added size and strength.

2. Being able to use the muscle built to burn more calories, fastening up your metabolism and losing more weight.

Giving these significant Benefits a lot of people, particularly women are still reluctant to do strength training. Concerns such as muscle gain, or bulking up, being intimidated by men and worrying about the risk of injury.

When starting out i advise you to stick to machine weights and higher reps. This allows for the neurological adaptation to take place allowing our muscle to become accustom to what we are doing. Also machines are more safer and less difficult to use then free weights. Free weights rely heavily on balance, coordination and form. So when beginning strength training you obviously need to consider these and to let the transition become easier.

So never disregard the ‘Benefits of Strength Training’ when your looking at improving your health.