Why Strength Training is Important for Athletes
Strength training has become a more prevalent part of an athlete’s workout regime. While it has been proven that strength training can help us to build muscle and burn fat, there are so many different factors and reasons why strength training is something that everyone should incorporate into their routines.
Along with muscle building and fat burning, strength training also improves upon a person’s posture and helps to strengthen your bones. As a result of this, the likelihood of an injury among athletes as well as the severity of the injury itself is greatly reduced. In the case of an injury, however, the healing process can also be faster as well. Another added benefit that is associated with strength training is an increase in bone mineral density. According to an article published on Coach & A.D., “in terms of bone material, progressive resistance training heightens protein and mineral content. Significant improvements in bone density have been show to occur after a mere four months of dedicated strength training.”
The results of strength training, however, can go beyond this even. According to Andrew Heffernan of Experience Life, strength training can keep you healthy, and it helps to prevent against and fend off some major chronic conditions. He reports that “a 2012 paper published in the Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation and Prevention reports that muscular strength provides measurable protection against heart disease, cancer, hypertension, obesity, and metabolic syndrome. Stronger kids are not as likely as their less-muscular counterparts to develop type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and metabolic disorders.”
Along with decreasing your risk of certain chronic diseases, strength training also helps a person age well. Through strength training, our bodies and muscles are better able to prevent against muscle loss as a result of weakening levels of muscle-building hormones and a deteriorating ability to convert the food you are eating into usable muscle for your bodies. As you age, it is important to keep your muscles intact to avoid injury and falls. One of the best ways to do this, according to experts, is through strength training!
Our hormones have a delicate balance that is affected by various factors. One of the more effective and natural methods to balance out these hormones is through strength training. According to Jade Teta, ND, an integrative physician in North Carolina and longtime fitness coach, “weight training is the only activity that creates hormonal changes that help both men and women burn fat while maintaining or gaining muscle” (Heffernan). Strength training can be an important factor when it comes to regulating our hormones. It has also been proven to stimulate production of the sex hormones found in both men and women and act as a source of rebalance.
No matter what your reasons may be for wanting to incorporate strength training into your workout routine, it is highly recommended. Not only will it make you stronger and leaner, it will also provide you with long-term benefits that will help your overall health and wellness!
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