Lift heavy!
"The last three or four reps is what makes the muscle grow. This area of pain divides a champion from someone who is not a champion"
Strength training may even help you live longer: A meta-analysis published in February 2022 found that people who perform resistance training are less likely to die prematurely than those who don’t — even if aerobic workouts aren’t part of their routine. At its heart, strength training is based on functional movements — lifting, pushing, pulling — in order to build muscle and coordination needed for everyday activities, explains Ramona Braganza, a Los Angeles–based celebrity personal trainer who is certified by the Canadian fitness education organization Canfitpro. “For some people, the phrase strength training is intimidating, but it’s enhancing your ability to move safely and effectively in your life,” she says. For example: Your ability to lift something and put it on a shelf, carry your groceries in the door, bend down and pick something up, or get up after you’ve fallen down. “Getting up off the floor requires you to recruit muscles in your upper body, abs, legs, and glutes,” Braganza says.
Here's a recent study from Everyday Health8 Ways Strength Training May Benefit Your Health
Besides the well-touted (and frequently Instagrammed) benefit of adding tone and definition to your muscles, how does strength training help? Here are just a few of the many ways:
- Strength Training Makes You Stronger and Fitter
- Strength Training Helps Your Body Burn Calories Efficiently
- Strength Training Helps Keep the Weight Off for Good
- Strength Training Helps You Develop Better Body Mechanics
- Strength Training Can Help With Chronic Disease Management (and Prevention)
- Strength Training Boosts Energy Levels and Improves Your Mood
- Strength Training Has Cardiovascular Health Benefits