benefits of weight lifting
...trength and endurance by twenty-five to one hundred per cent. Several other benefits include the body’s ability to use blood sugar, which helps to reduce the risk of diabetes and increases metabolism, thus reducing fat in the body. Weight training also has more personal and mental benefits, too. It can improve one’s self image, self-confidence and discipline. The physical attractiveness of muscularity can vary greatly from person to person and between sexes. For instance, women tend to want to tone muscles, i.e., saggy triceps; while most men want to increase overall muscle mass specific to the upper body. For each, the workout session is completely different and more specific to their incentives and goals. By being able to target specific muscle groups, people tend to focus better and feel more of a sense of accomplishment. One can even realize that their overall mood tends to be much more pleasurable and calm after a good workout. When it comes to quality versus quantity, many older adults feel that weight training is not important by expressing, “It’s too late for me,” or “I am too old to start exercising.” Believe it or not, muscles do not know age. It is never too late to start weight training. Weight does not have to be heavy to get a good workout. Repetition of a lighter weight, even as light as five pounds, can still prove to be effective. Resistance training is beneficial to older adults because it keeps muscles strong and helps maintain an independent and active lifestyle. It has been known to help many adults walk faster, climb steps easier, improve posture, and increase flexibility. An effective and useful schedule to work out is five days a week using weight resistance. One muscle group a day is worked, allowing a few days rest between sessions. Workout sessions are one to two hours, depending on which muscle group is being trained. For instance, legs will take longer to train because they consist of the largest muscle mass. Shoulders, on the other hand, are generally one of the smaller muscle groups, so a shoulder work out may only last for one hour. The muscle groups to identify and work out are legs, shoulders, arms (including biceps and triceps), chest and back. With consistency and allowing muscles to rest, energy and strength levels will continue to increase. Feeling tired and drained becomes a thing of the past. Weight training can be done anywhere at anytime. Obviously, the most popular choice is to join a gym. With so many gyms available, all fighting to increase membership, a gym membership can cost as little as $20.00 per month. Gyms provide professional experts on weight management, ...