The Many Benefits of Weight Lifting

Most people, especially women, discard weight lifting as a good form of exercise because they think that weight lifting will actually make their bodies look like a man. If you are one of those people, then you might be surprised to know that this is not true. This is because the hormones of man and woman are not the same. The hormone testosterone plays a major role in muscular development. Women have very little testosterone and thus tend to "tone up" rather then"bulk-up" with weight training.

Researches demonstrates that resistance exercise, also called strength training, like weight training and weight lifting, has profound effects on the musculoskeletal system, contributes to the maintenance of functional abilities, and prevents osteoporosis, sarcopenia (loss of body mass), lower-back pain, and other disabilities.

Weight lifting also contributes to muscle conditioning. Muscle conditioning is important for the overall stability and strength of the body and it is beneficial until death if it is well maintained. Muscle conditioning is good for the bones because the bones grow stronger and denser with stresses put on the muscles around them.

Moreover, weight lifting makes the muscles, connective tissues and tendons stronger.

The way you sit and stand are influenced by the health of a network of neck, shoulder, back, hip and abdominal muscles. Stronger muscles could help you improve your posture while standing and sitting better and comfortably. You may also notice improved balance and stability.

As you begin to notice the positive physical changes in your body and develop a regular exercise routine, your ability to handle stress effectively will improve. Weight training allows you to sleep better, deeper and faster. Clinical studies have shown that regular exercise tends to be one of the three best tools for effective stress management.

Weight lifting, like most forms of exercise also raises metabolism thus causing the body to burn more calories. This helps in the maintenance of our desirable weight. Boosted metabolism (which means burning more calories when at rest), with reduced body fat. Although the weight may not change, the fat will be replaced by muscle and by time, you should notice decreases in waist measurements and body fat measurement.

Remember the adage "something is better than nothing." Start improving your health today. Even a little start like lifting those grocery bags or rocking your baby to sleep, could mean a decrease in your risk of muscle loss later on in life.

Consult with your doctor if you want to make weight lifting a daily part of your fitness regimen.