Benefits of Weight Training – A Beginner’s Guide to Weight Training

You would have heard a lot about weight training exercises and watch different fitness experts on Instagram with dumbbells and kettlebells. It seems as if all these exercises are only for gym hunks who are dedicated to building their muscles, but let us tell you: it’s a lot more than that!

WHAT IS WEIGHT TRAINING

In weight training, you add weights during different exercises as a means for producing resistance. The added resistance will help you get more toned and stronger muscles and other benefits discussed in the article. But first, let’s see the essential elements behind weight training that determine the success of this workout type.

• Frequency of training
• Intensity of training
• Session time
• Type of exercises involved
• Correct form

The first three factors vary according to need. However, the types of exercises involved are broadly categorized into the following terms as discussed below:

benefits of weight training

Almost everyone knows weight training increases muscle strength and agility. Furthermore, some other things weight training does to your body are:

Increased Bone Mineral Density – the pressure exerted on the bones when you lift weights stimulate the bone cells to produce structural proteins that strengthen bone tissue. Resultantly, these exercises help in the prevention of osteoporosis and bone fracture.

Around 54 million Americans grapple with osteoporosis and low bone mass? This puts them at a higher risk for potential bone issues. What’s even more eye-opening is that research indicates that about one in every two women and up to one in four men aged 50 and above might experience a bone fracture due to osteoporosis.

It’s a clear reminder that one of the benefits of weight training is the importance of considering bone health and maintaining a strong and robust physique.

Improved mental health – a study reveals weightlifting exercises and strength training improve individuals’ cognitive function to a significant extent. It is due to increased oxygen levels in the body by vigorous exercise, which is not seen in other forms, like stretching, the study shows.

Lowered risks of injury –  weakened muscles increase the chances of getting inflammatory conditions in tendons, such as tendonitis. Strains and cramps become more common in people who don’t do much to strengthen their muscles.

Lesser risk of cancer – reducing the risk of cancer is in everyone’s interest. The extra fat and immobility increase the risk for a person to get cancer. Moreover, if a person has already weak muscles in cancer, muscle wasting can cause serious side effects during chemotherapy. So, it is always essential to have your muscles built up enough, so your body is well resistant to the adverse effects of chronic inflammatory diseases like cancer.

Are there any specific benefits for women?

As mentioned above, bone health is something that women should consider. In addition, it is easy for women to gain excess fat in unwanted areas. Doing weight training can help them remove that visceral fat from areas such as the abdomen and thighs to get the figure they want. As you gain a pound of a muscle, you burn up to fifty calories from the exercise.

Men get bulkier bodies when they try gaining strength from these exercises. This is due to the increased level of testosterone that induces hypertrophy. As women don’t have testosterone levels the same as men, they can gain strength without looking puffed up.

How long may it take to see results?

While there are many benefits linked with doing weight training, as mentioned above, the frequency and session time of these exercises play a critical role in determining fruitful results. Depending on the sort of effect you want, the time varies. For example, doing weight training for losing weight requires at least a week or two for you to lose around a kilogram. If you want an increased muscle size, you would need to do the targeted exercise for at least a month.

What to wear to the gym?

Weight training calls for a lot of sweat, flexion, extension, and hard work. So, you need to wear clothing that doesn’t interfere with your performance. This is why gym wear has gotten a prominent place in the clothing industry, and people are spending a lot of money on making sure they are wearing the right clothing.

For women, athletic shorts, yoga pants, sweatshirts, sports bras, and tank tops are some of the essential gym wear. For men, sweatshirts, shorts, track pants, vests, are typical.

The rule of thumb to follow for both males and females is to stay with the outfit that compliments your figure and is comfortable for you to wear. Wear fabric that helps prevent moisture buildup from sweat.

Why is taking care of hygiene important?

Even though moisture preventing clothing is suitable for the gym, it still doesn’t stop the excess sweating from happening as you work out. To make sure you don’t get rashes on your skin or any bacterial or fungal buildup in your skin, it is essential you take care of your hygiene. This includes clean towels, anti-bacterial wipes and sanitizers, refillable bottles, protective footwear, and others of that sort.

Important things to follow during weight training

• Always remember to start off your exercise routine with a warmup and finish it with a stretch.
• Exhale when you try putting resistance on your body through weights, and inhale as you release the weight
• Choose a pressure that exerts pressure on your muscles while still allowing you to stay in good form. Anything lesser or higher will not give you any desirable results
• Show enough consistency while following your weekly routine. You can either categorize your exercise regime depending on your body and do it alternatively or do the whole workout for a lesser time
• As you increase resistance by adding up weights, your muscles will get prone to injury as they tear. So, it is essential you give them enough time to recover, so the tears knit up to build more muscle mass. Give at least 48 hours before starting the next session.

Final verdict

The benefits of weight training, if done the right way, can help you build up muscles, lose weight, and improve your bone strength. Additionally, it enables you to stay healthy, agile, and resilient against different chronic diseases, including diabetes and cancer. Just make sure to take care of your gym clothing, hygiene, frequency, and time of the sessions, and recovery time as you strive to reap the benefits of weight training.