According to Harvard’s School of Public Health, “A recent meta-analysis found that people who do muscle-strengthening workouts are less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t, adding to previous evidence that strength training has long-term health benefits.”
In the second part of this series, we’ll discuss the other benefits of heavy lifting for your health and mental well-being. In case you missed it, the first part of this series discusses four reasons why women should lift heavy, including:
It Burns More Calories
It Burns Fat
It Changes Your Body Composition
It Gives You Confidence
There are plenty of reasons why women should lift heavy weights, and in this blog, we’ll talk about what it does for your physical body now and as you age. We’ll answer questions like, “how does exercise strengthen bones and muscles?” and why we should care!
Reason #5: Maintaining Muscle Mass
Age-related muscle loss is, unfortunately, just part of getting older. After age 30, we can lose between three to five percent lean muscle mass per decade. Losing muscle mass can mean loss of mobility and weakness, which may increase the risk of falls and fractures.
Gaining strength and muscle mass early on, and continuing a strength training routine throughout life, can help prevent and lessen the muscle loss we experience as we age. In addition, this will help you stay active and agile so you can continue enjoying the things you like to do.
Reason #6: It’s Great for Your Bones
In addition to the benefits of maintaining muscle mass, lifting is also great for your bones! Research from 2017 found that women with osteoporosis (a significant public health threat for Americans who are 50+) improved their bone density over eight months with high-intensity weight training.
Research shows that weight training three times a week can positively impact bone density. You don’t have to be a powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, or even fitness model— simple weight training will do. Maintaining muscle mass and positively impacting bone density are amazing long-term effects for a healthier life.
Reason #7: It Naturally Produces Growth Hormone
Natural growth hormone plays a significant role in both muscle and bone development. The female body relies on growth hormone for change; it improves metabolic function and staves off tissue breakdown. Lifting weights releases growth hormones, which positively affects women’s health.
And there’s one thing we’d like to clear up! A HUGE misconception about what lifting heavy will do to you. Probably the most asked question is,“ Does lifting heavy make you bulky?” Lifting heavy will not make you bulky or huge unless you have decided to drastically supplement your testosterone levels beyond the norm. Genetics plays a major role in how you look physically, whether you look more muscular than someone else. Still, you will not accidentally become the next Ms. Olympia without some serious anabolic assistance.
Basic Strength
We hope these seven reasons help you realize how impactful and beneficial heavy lifting could be for you. Basic lifting can have a positive effect on all avenues of your life. You are the best version of yourself when you’re healthy and strong, both mentally and physically. If you want to start this weight training journey but don’t know where to begin, we have a program called Before the Barbell. We designed that program to help you go from being a complete newbie to being more comfortable under a barbell. If you’re already comfortable with a barbell, Stronger by the Day is more your speed. A body weight and gym training program with progressive overload to help you get stronger!
You can watch Megsquats talk about all these amazing reasons here:
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