Strength Training Exercise: The Benefits of Lifting Weights

It’s amazing to walk into gyms and fitness centers these days. There are so many new types of machines and gadgets that people can use to stay healthy. However, what is truly amazing about these places is not the machines and technology, but the people who use them. People of all ages and lifestyles enjoy the benefits that can be derived from resistance training. Strength training programs are no longer just for the great bodybuilder or football player. People young and old, fat and thin, are learning to lift weights in an effort to live healthier and more enjoyable lives.

The demographic of an average gym member today is very different than it was 20 or 30 years ago. Gyms used to be the abode of the physical elite. Only the huge, strong, full-time athletes traveled to the weight rooms in those days. It was a good bet that people who were on a strength training program back then were very hard on their strength training exercise and took their training very seriously. Over time, however, word spread that strength training exercise wasn’t just for bodybuilders. In fact, if you go to the average weight room today, you will see just as many beginners as experienced athletes. We simply know more about the general health benefits of exercise now than we did a generation ago.

Strength Training Workout Routines for the Rest of Us

One of the great things you see in gyms today is the number of women who are adopting strength training into their fitness plans. There have always been women who lift weights, but there was a myth that women who followed strength training exercise programs would become ‘masculine’ and ‘muscular’. For many years this myth continued to circulate and some women avoided touching weights for fear of becoming manly or gaining too much weight. Fortunately, it’s been shown that doing just one strength training workout won’t make women big and muscular. Even professional female bodybuilders probably won’t get too big or too muscular without intense resistance exercise programs, the right genetics, and other variables present. Simply put, women now know that they can and should include resistance training in their exercise programs.

Women can enjoy some fantastic benefits from incorporating strength training exercises into their fitness routines. The first benefit is increased lean body mass, resulting in increased fat loss. Women can also fight degenerative bone loss later in life by becoming stronger and fitter. Strength exercise is a real health benefit for women of all ages.

Strength training workout routines for seniors

One thing that might surprise you, if you haven’t been to a gym in a while, is how many older people are lifting weights. Doctors recommend that older people engage in strength-training exercise routines as a way to combat the effects of aging. One of the first things that happens as we age is that we naturally begin to lose muscle mass. As lean body mass decreases, our bodies become weaker. Over time, this weakness contributes to many other health risks that can be easily avoided simply by maintaining muscle mass. Doctors have seen the many benefits people get from strength training and are prescribing it to more and more patients each year.

Strength training exercise acts as a preventative health measure for older people. Many middle-aged and older people aren’t so concerned with becoming huge, muscular, or muscular, they simply want to stay strong and active well into their golden years. Adding muscle mass, through strength training exercise, is one of the most powerful ways for these individuals to stay strong, healthy, and vibrant for years to come. Even more older people are likely to start adopting strength training exercise regimens, as doctors continue to see the massive health improvements these types of exercise programs provide.

Strength Training Exercise and Nutrition

Even the best strength training routine in the world won’t increase lean muscle mass without proper nutrition. People who are trying to add muscle mass, whether they are professional athletes, work-at-home moms, or seniors, need higher levels of protein intake to maintain and increase lean body mass. The only nutrient the body can use to build muscle tissue is protein. It is important for people to pay close attention to their diets when adopting a strength training exercise program. If you don’t eat enough protein, you won’t make gains and may increase your chances of injury when lifting weights. For your body to get the most out of a strength training routine, you need to give it the raw materials it needs to build muscle mass. Protein is that raw ingredient your body needs, so make sure you’re getting enough protein to support muscle growth.

There are nutritional supplements available that can help people get optimal levels of protein to fuel their workouts. Profect is one of the most popular protein drinks. Provides a whopping 25 grams of high-quality protein to help your muscles recover from any strength training workout. Adding a protein supplement, like Profect, to your diet can help ensure you’re getting the right levels of protein to get all the possible health benefits from your diet and exercise program. Resistance exercise is for everyone and goes hand in hand with good nutritional practices. Make sure you’re getting the right amount of protein to get the most out of your workouts.