The goal of strength training is to increase your physical strength by doing exercises that work your muscles. You can see your results and improvement over time by measuring your strength.
In strength training, the goal is not to build muscle size or endurance, even though those effects may occur. If you want to get stronger, you need to lift heavy weights.
Strength training offers other benefits as well. It not only improves your physical well-being, but also provides unique boosts to your mental well-being. A strength training routine can provide many mental health benefits, including improved mood, increased self-esteem, and better sleep. A sample plan is provided below.
Definition of Strength Training
This type of exercise uses resistance to improve muscle fitness. This exercising contains movement that force your muscles to work harder than they are use to. In other words, they are activities that put extra strain on the muscles. Exercises that involve a medium to high level of effort and work the major muscle groups in the body can be considered strength training exercises.
How People Can Benefit from Strength Training
Some benefits of strength training are that it can help improve our bone density, it can help us lose weight, and it can help us avoid injuries. Here are some of the most important ones:
- Muscle mass . As we age, we lose muscle mass. Strength training can help you maintain and fight against the loss of muscle mass.
- Osteoporosis . Strength training can help prevent osteoporosis by increasing bone mass and bone strength.
- Arthritis . Strength training can reduce pain and disability associated with arthritis and slow or reverse bone mass loss in arthritis.
- Heart disease . Strength training can decrease the risk of heart disease by improving cholesterol and lowering blood pressure. It also decreases the stress placed on the heart when lifting or moving objects.
- Overweight/obesity . Strength training can help to lower body fat levels or improve body composition. It can also help us maintain muscle mass during weight-loss efforts.
- Daily activities . Regular strength training lowers the risk of having limitations in daily activities due to a lack of muscular fitness. These daily activities might include carrying children or groceries, climbing up and down stairs, moving furniture or heavy boxes, engaging in sporting activities or hiking, and even standing for long periods of time.
- Blood sugar . Strength training can improve blood sugar levels and improve the use of insulin in the body.
- Psychological stress . Strength training on a regular basis may reduce the symptoms associated with depression and anxiety and may also help reduce fatigue. It can also contribute to improved self-esteem.
- Brain . Strength training can improve memory and thinking skills.
Benefits of Strength Training for Mental Health
The benefits of strength training can vary depending on the person. Some people may see an increase in strength, while others may see a decrease in weight. Some benefits of strength training for mental health include reducing stress, improving mood, and reducing anxiety.
Improves Mood
Strength training can improve your mood in many ways. If you want to feel better, try setting some goals, forming some good habits, and sticking to a regular routine. Not only can strength training help improve your physical health, but it can also lead to release of endorphins, which can make you feel happier.
Many people experience a reduction in depressive symptoms from strength training. If you’re experiencing symptoms of depression or any other mental health issue, it’s important to speak with a mental health professional.
Although there are no negative consequences to participating in strength training or other physical activities to improve symptoms, some people may not enjoy these activities. Before you begin any new exercise routine, it is important to check with your doctor to make sure you are cleared for the activity.
Exercise, including strength training, has been shown to improve certain mental health conditions. However, if you are experiencing symptoms, it is important to seek treatment. You should always speak to your healthcare provider before making changes to your treatment plan.
If you are struggling with depression or anxiety, you can contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-4357 for information on support and treatment facilities in your area.
The National Helpline Database provides a list of mental health resources.
Strengthens Mind-Body Connection
Because heavy weights are used in strength training, there is a demand for a high level of mind-body connection to minimize risk. It is important to be aware of how your body is reacting.
“If you engage in movement with the intention of letting your body guide you—[such as] listening to your body about how much weight to lift, what movements feel good and what doesn’t feel good—we are communicating to our body that it is a trusted and wise guide,” explains Alexis Conason , PsyD, clinical psychologist and author of “The Diet-Free Revolution: 10 Steps to Free Yourself from the Diet Cycle with Mindful Eating and Radical Self-Acceptance.”
Conason warns that strength training can be done in a way that goes against your body’s wishes.
She argues that the “no pain, no gain” mentality, or blindly following an instructor’s directions even when your body is telling you to stop, can lead to ignoring important signals, disconnection from your body, and eventually injuries.
It’s important to be aware of how you’re feeling and to take the time to check in with yourself. Make sure you’re not ignoring any of the signals your body is sending you.
Lowers Stress and Anxiety
Certified personal trainer Kristie Alicea says that strength training can reduce stress and anxiety by lowering the stress hormone cortisol. Alicea is the co-founder of ABC Fit Collective. Not only does reducing cortisol lead to reduced anxiety, but it can also have other benefits.
“Endorphins are released when we strength train, which are the ‘feel-good’ hormones that can help to bring down cortisol levels and make us feel good after a workout,” she adds.
Kristie Alicea, CPT
Strength training can help our bodies maintain hormonal health. The hormones produced by our bodies have a significant effect on every aspect of our physical and mental health, governing our mood and emotions.
— Kristie Alicea, CPT
The anxiety-reducing effects of strength training have been backed up by research, which shows that it can reduce anxiety levels by up to 20%. The researchers believe that the increased feelings of mastery and beliefs in their capabilities led to increased coping skills.
The increase in their abilities likely led to an increase in confidence and self-esteem, which then could lead to a reduction in anxiety. Researchers suspect that changes to both the muscles and the brain contributed to the improvement in anxiety symptoms, but further studies are necessary to confirm this.
“Strength training can help our bodies maintain hormonal health,” says Alicea. “Our hormones affect every part of our body, especially our emotions and our mental state of being.”
Motivation for Exercise
Boosts Brain Health
Strength training not only benefits our physical health, but can also improve our brain function. Regular strength training can help improve our memory and prevent cognitive decline as we age.
According to Alicea, adding strength training to your routine can improve your mental engagement, energy, and focus.
A regular exercise routine, such as strength training, can help protect against memory and cognitive decline. 70 to 150 minutes of weekly physical activity can improve cognitive abilities for older individuals, according to research.
There is evidence that exercising, including strength training, can help protect the brain, reduce inflammation in the brain, and help create new brain cells.
Improves Relationship with Your Body
Some people see exercise as a way to make up for bad eating habits, or as a way to make their bodies look a certain way. For some people, this often means trying to look more attractive by being slimmer or losing weight. If you’re always worrying about your appearance and how you look, you might start to develop an unhealthy relationship with your body. This can lead to problems with exercise, because you might start to see it as a way to burn calories and lose weight, rather than something that’s good for your health.
Alexis Conason, PsyD
Being active can help us burn off the calories from the food we’ve eaten, or make us feel better about our bodies if we don’t feel good about them. Warning signs that someone may have an eating disorder, disordered eating habits, or an unhealthy obsession with exercising, could be:
— Alexis Conason, PsyD
Exercise can become a form of atonement for the ‘sins’ of eating and a way to punish our bodies for not being thin enough.” Some people see working out as a way to make up for the calories they’ve consumed or to make their body look better in their own eyes. For some, it becomes a way to repent for the act of eating and a way to discipline their bodies for not being as fit as they want them to be. Conason says that there are some behaviors which may be indicative of an eating disorder, disordered eating, or unhealthy exercise habits.
Focusing your workout routine on strength-building exercises takes the appearance element out of performing physical activity. As you become stronger, you will be able to see how your body is capable of doing amazing things that you never thought possible. This physical activity can have a positive impact on body image and make you feel happier with your body.
A study found that women who worked out were able to improve their body image significantly, compared with those who did not exercise. The researchers also found that the effect on body image was felt almost immediately and lasted for at least 20 minutes after exercise.
The study found that physical activity can help teens achieve a positive self-concept and promote psychological well-being. Physical activity not only improves your fitness and health, but also can have a direct impact on body satisfaction.
Ways to Do Strength Training
There are many ways to accomplish strength training. The primary methods used are:
- Free weights
- Machines with weights and cables
- Bands, tubes, medicine balls, and other portable tools
- Body weight
No strength training method is better than another. The most important principle is to make your muscles work harder than they are used to. You don’t have to confine yourself to just one way of strength training. You can change the methods you use to workout or even use different methods during one workout. You have as many options as you would like. What method you use to train yourself physically may be based on what you like, what is available to you, how easy it is, or how familiar you are with the options. Choose methods that are safe and practical for you. Machine-based exercises are generally safer for beginners than free weights because they are more stable and rely less on coordination and balance. As you get more fit, you can add free weights to your workout routine.
The major muscle groups that strength training should target are the chest, back, legs, shoulders, biceps, triceps, and the trunk/core. In order to see the most benefit from your workouts, you should mix up exercises that work multiple muscles at once with those that focus on one muscle at a time.
Training all of your muscles evenly helps to avoid any one muscle group from becoming too strong or weak in comparison to the others, which can lead to injuries.
For each exercise:
- Use proper form and technique (be sure that you are in the correct stance or have the right settings on the machine).
- Use controlled movements (do not swing weights or use momentum to lift weights or your body weight).
- Use the full range of motion of the joint (do not stop short of the beginning or ending point of the exercise movement).
- Use proper breathing techniques (exhale during the exertion portion of the repetition).
Recommendations for How to Strength Train
The recommendations in this guide are for adults who want to improve their overall muscular fitness through general strength training. This is not a recommended strength training plan for those who are advanced. The following recommendations are appropriate for people of all ages, regardless of gender. Older adults who are starting a resistance program should start with light weights and high repetitions. As they get stronger, they can increase the amount of weight and decrease the number of repetitions.
Tips for Overcoming Barriers and Incorporating Strength Training in Your Life
- Find a partner to work out with.
- Attend a group fitness class that emphasizes strength training.
- Make the exercises accessible and fun.
- Choose exercises that are convenient and practical in your environment.
- Break up your workout into segments throughout the day if you are at home. It does not have to be done all at one time.
- Do your exercises at home during your favorite television shows.
- Schedule your exercise sessions in your day just like you would any other important appointment.
- Pack your gym clothes ahead of time and have them ready to go when you start your day.
- Download free apps on your phone for body weight workouts. If you don’t do your regular routine, you can always do a body weight workout in 12 minutes or less.
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