8 reasons why men should strength train
An average young boy flexes his arm in front of the mirror and notices a decent amount of muscle. A fair representation of almost 10 percent of the total muscle mass in his body. But as he grows older, he starts losing those 5 pounds of pure muscle inch by inch and is soon left with nothing but a jiggly mass of skin and fat. Most men start losing 1% of muscle mass every year after the age of 50 and the number doubles after 60. Unless, he does something about it….
Strength training is not just about professional bodybuilders lifting weights in a gym. It benefits people of all ages and can be particularly important for people who want to improve the functioning of their heart, their balance, bone strength and also want to look and feel better. Strength training isn't just for gym rats and Schwarzenegger-wannabes. Regular weight training can benefit just about everyone in a myriad of ways.
Strength training increases bone strength
As you age, your bones lose density and tend to get weaker. One of the best ways to stop or reduce this to a certain extent is by adding strength training to your fitness routine. This will help you reduce the risk of fractures in the future and will also help you prevent posture disorders such as rounded shoulders and dowager's hump by strengthening your spine.
Increases self belief
“I have never met a truly strong person who didn’t have self-respect.”-Henry Rollins
The core aspect of building inner confidence is to set goals that appear to be completely out of your reach and working towards them consistently until you reach them. That’s what strength training is all about in a nutshell. We all start off as weaklings. But once you set yourself up with goals beyond your reach and you work towards them, you can achieve things that seemed impossible in the beginning. And that’s when you’ll look back at yourself and realize how far you’ve reached in this journey.
Automatic wardrobe upgrade
After training consistently for a while, you’ll start filing out into your clothes instead of looking like rags draped around a wire. You’ll also be able to get more years out of your old jeans. This will also improve your self confidence and you know what they say:
“Once you start noticing results, you never stop.”
You’ll amp up your metabolism
A research suggests that men who lift weights two times a week for 18 weeks burn an average of 9% more calories a day than non-lifters. That's enough for the average man to lose 25 pounds in a year without making any changes to his diet. The common myth that fat can only be burned through cardio is utter nonsense. Strength training helps you increase the levels of testosterone in your body which boosts your metabolism and burns fat.
Cultivate discipline and hard work
“Nothing good ever came easy. It takes hard work, pain and sacrifice.”
A part of being good at absolutely anything is to understand the importance of creating habits through discipline, hard work and prioritization. When you incorporate strength training in your daily routine consistently for a long period of time, you understand the divine importance of cultivating discipline for achieving any goal.
Lifting weights is the perfect space for practicing discipline and prioritization.
You’ll be stronger and fitter
OBVIOUS FACT 101: Strength training will make you stronger and at the same time tone up your muscles by contracting them against a resisting force. There are two types of resistance training:
Isometric resistance involves contracting your muscles against a non-moving object, such as against the floor in a push-up.
Isotonic strength training involves contracting your muscles through a range of concentric, isometric, and eccentric movements. An example would be performing a bicep curl. Concentric would be curling the weight up, isometric would be squeezing your bicep at the top, eccentric would be lowering the weight.
Both forms of resistance training make you stronger and help you gain muscle by working different muscle groups.
Boosts energy and improves mood
Strength training elevates your pulse and releases endorphins in your body which makes you feel euphoric and lively. Endorphins have a pain-relieving and anti-depressant effect on humans. Weight training can also increase antidepressant chemicals in the brain, such as dopamine, serotonin and norepinephrine. So if one were depressed, weight training would be an excellent choice. You also tend to sleep better and eat healthier which improves your physical as well as mental health.
It’s FUN
Get through the initial phase of pushing yourself every single day to get to the gym and you may realize that you actually enjoy being there. There’s no better sound than the slapping of a plate against another on a barbells or the sound of iron when it hits the ground. And there’s no better feeling than then thrill of breaking past your previous limitations and plateaus at the gym. Make sure that you enjoy every second you spend strength training at the gym.
If you are truly ready to get started and you just don’t know where to start, I can help get you there. With my fitness and nutrition coaching program I will be with you every step of the way in your journey. Learn more about how I can help get you started by visiting orionsfitness.com/coaching. Email me at orion@orionsfitness.com or call 832-794-2195 to schedule your consultation.
Watch our short video to learn more about our Fitness and Nutrition Coaching program.
Talk to you soon,
Coach Orion
