Summer 2021
Cardio and HIIT get all the hype, but there are plenty of reasons to love Strength workouts too. Some people see more change in their bodies and feel better overall when incorporating more of a strength heavy regime and pulling back on the cardio.
Need more motivation to set that alarm for tomorrow’s strength session? We’ve got ten more for ya.
Increased flexibility and balance. Strength exercises force your joints and muscles to work harder than usual. This allows muscle fibers to elongate which increases the size of the muscle resulting in more flexibility. Another perk to building muscle during training is that it assists with balance and may reduce the risk of falls.
Strong Bones. Calcium rich foods aren’t the only thing to help keep your bones strong. Strength training can also play an important role! This type of training can assist in slowing down bone loss and even building bone too. Exercises that put stress on bones call bone-forming cells into action resulting in stronger bones all around!*
Age more gracefully with increased muscle mass. As we age, lean muscle mass naturally decreases. Whomp whomp. But adding strength training into your exercise routine can help preserve and enhance muscle mass at any age!
Reduces risk of injury. Most exercises performed during strength training are smooth movements that don’t involve a lot of impact. A perk to this is that it helps promote an aligned body and reduces the risk of injury.
Enhances Mood. Any exercise (including strength training) can do wonders for mental health. During exercise your body releases endorphins which are chemicals produced by the body to release stress and pain. Endorphins are known to boost your mood and can help fight depression too. One of our favorite reasons why exercising is a must do!
Your body continues to work even when training is through. Similarly to how your body continues to work and burn calories after HIIT the same goes after completion of strength training. The rate that calories are burned after exercise is called excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC). Because of EPOC, your body can burn more calories throughout the day! During the New Fire with Suze we are calling this, the after-burn of F4MLOU!
Better sleep quality. Regular exercise provides three important sleep benefits: it helps you to fall asleep faster, sleep deeper and awaken less throughout the night. Since strength training is exercise, you’re covered. Enjoy those zzz’s tonight!
Can improve heart health. Strength training is more important to the heart than you may have thought. The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends strength training at least twice a week. This type of exercise gives your cardiovascular system places to send blood being pumped. The result? Less pressure on your arteries, helping to reduce the chances of heart-related problems.
Can boost endurance. Strength and endurance go hand in hand. Strength training increases the amount of force that muscle fibers can produce. Therefore, stronger force means greater force production allowing you to be the fastest and quickest you can be!
Improve quality of life. Building muscle allows you to get more out of life. Everyday activities such as lifting pets and children, moving heavy objects and even bending over to pick up a shoe are all things that without strong muscles, can be difficult to do. Continuing to move and build muscle enables you to be the best version of you!
*https://www.health.harvard.edu/staying-healthy/strength-training-builds-more-than-muscles