When most people think of weightlifting, they imagine a group of bodybuilders grunting their way through sets of bench presses and bicep curls in a smelly gym. However, weightlifting more commonly known as strength training has many benefits that extend beyond looking good. And if you’ve avoided it because you think it will bulk you up or make you look like an alien, then we have some great news for you.
You don’t need to spend hours in the gym or adopt a new diet to see positive changes in your body as a result of strength training; it’s one of the best home workouts for fat loss and toning. We won’t go into too much detail here (see the link below), but by focusing on compound exercises such as squats, deadlifts, cleans and bench presses, which engage multiple muscle groups at once, you can create significant change in your body safely and effectively.
1. Toning Your Body
Weightlifting is the best way to tone your body, but it’s not the best way to reduce fat. However, it can be the best way to increase muscle mass and reduce body fat at the same time, which is why it’s such a great way to lose weight. If you have more muscle mass, you will have more metabolically active tissue. This means that your body will burn more calories at rest. If you combine strength training with a reduced-calorie diet, you will have a very effective way of losing weight. You can expect to lose weight and see improvements in your body’s shape by increasing muscle mass and reducing body fat at the same time.
2. Strength and Mobility
Strength training can also improve your mobility and flexibility, especially if you’re lifting heavy and spending a bit of time stretching after your workout. In fact, resistance training is sometimes prescribed to people with mobility issues and joint pain. A proper strength training program should also include some core exercises to help stabilize your spine and prevent future injuries.
3. Stronger Bones
Another often overlooked benefit of strength training is the fact that it can help you build stronger bones (and prevent osteoporosis). This is because your muscles pull on the bones and create tiny micro-fractures that stimulate the formation of new bone tissue. In fact, some studies have shown that strength training can increase bone density by 5% in just eight weeks. This is a significant amount, especially when you consider that most people only lose about 1% of their bone density every year.
4. Fitness for the Long Run
If you’re a runner, you may be interested to know that strength training can actually reduce your risk of injury. This is because your muscles are your body’s primary source of support, and they need to be strong enough to withstand the pressure of impact while you’re running. While cardiovascular fitness is crucial to distance running, muscle strength plays an important role too. In fact, it has been reported that 90% of all running injuries are preventable if you build up your strength with the right exercises.
5. Aesthetics and Confidence
Weightlifting can also improve your overall aesthetics, including your posture and the way you stand. This is because it requires you to adopt a good posture and engage your core muscles to support your spine. As we said earlier, lifting heavier weights will also increase the amount of testosterone in your body, which can help you build more muscle and increase your confidence levels.
Bottom line
If you are looking to get healthier, fitter, and stronger, then lifting weights is the best home workout for fat loss and toning. There is no other form of exercise that can have such a positive impact on so many aspects of your health and well-being. So if you have been avoiding lifting weights because you think they will bulk you up and make you look like an alien, it is time to let go of these misconceptions and give weightlifting a try.