Exercise has been on a steady increase ever since the 60's when the studies went out saying almost 55% of the country was overweight and unfit. But the number of overweight men and women has increased. Why? It's simple really, there has not been enough people using resistance training. The reasons to use resistance training are so many that every person young or old should be using this method as a form of exercise, from the 75 yr old lady across the street to the 25 yr old college student, everyone should be using weights. What I am saying is everyone should be using some form of resistance training to keep him or her healthy.
"How does lifting weights keep you healthy?", you ask. Well when you are lifting weights amazing things are going on inside your body. Depending on how intense you are going your muscles are being microscopically torn. These are called micro tears. When you are resting your body repairs your muscle's tears and makes your muscles bigger and stronger then they were before. This process is called hypertrophy.
When your muscles are bigger and stronger there are many things this can help with in everyday life. When men and women get older their bones get weaker and they are more prone to fractures and brakes in their bones then younger men and women. Lifting weights can actually help increase your bone density and make you less susceptible to injuries from falls, Also the mass that you gained from lifting may help you take the fall easier. Lifting weights can also help your love life.
Remember that hot guy or girl that left you for that toned girl or humongous guy with the six-pack? Through sensible diet and training this could be you. YOU could be the guy or girl with all the attention. Lifting weights can also help your work. Lifting weights can also help you burn fat a lot more quickly and easily then just diet and cardio alone. Remember calories are not just burned while you are lifting but for hours after while your body are repairing your muscles. Ok, So now your convinced that lifting weights will help your love life, make you less susceptible to injury and burn fat. Sound too good to be true? Well it almost is. Without the correct lifting routine you will never get any of these benefits.
When lifting weights there are 2 enemies that could hinder your gains and you have to avoid them. These enemies are cortisol and overtraining. Let's first talk about Cortisol and what it does. Cortisol is a hormone in your body that breaks down muscle. It is usually released depending on genetics during weight training about 45 to 60 minutes after you begin. Knowing this fact you should try to keep all your workouts under an hour. Short and intense is how your workouts should be.
The second enemy in this weight training war is Overtraining. Overtraining is when you train too frequently or for too long for your body to repair your muscles. To allow for this not to happen do not train more then 4 days a week, get plenty of rest and sleep.
"Obsessed is just a word the lazy use to describe the dedicated."
Russell Warren