The most prominent body-weight exercises include push-ups, dips, leg raises, and burpees. Just to name a few. While it is true that they are great to start with, to get the biggest bang for your buck out of a small workout session, you want to add weight to the moves.
The extra resistance from a weight bar will help your body develop strength, and your cardiovascular system will also improve. This increases your calorie burn throughout the entire workout. Additionally, you’ll build muscle which will help you perform your lifts even better.
Let’s discuss some of the reasons to add weight to your exercises.
- Helps Burn Fat Faster
Weight lifting is the key to burning fat faster. This is because it increases the number of calories you burn, and your metabolism.
Performing these moves does require you to engage in cardio exercises as well, but they are different workouts. Weight lifting can help you get more in shape and leaner while lowering your body-fat percentage.
- Your Energy Systems Improve
There are plenty of studies that indicate that resistance training enhances fat burning. For example, the results of a study from the University of Texas Health Science Center, according to Reader’s Digest, suggest that:
“Activities that strengthen the abdominal and back musculature appear to be as effective as aerobic training for improving metabolism, burning more fat, and feeling more energetic. Both the abdominal and back workouts produced more significant increases in fat burning in a group of sedentary college-aged men.”
- Your Exercise Stamina Improves
Strength training for even just two minutes can improve your exercise stamina. This means you are less likely to quit the workout early or do less of it. This has a lot to do with the fact that you are engaging in moderate stress, which challenges your body.
This also increases your overall quality of life.
- Muscle Builds as Your Body Changes Shape
Training for muscle building doesn’t happen overnight. However, if your body is in the shape you want, you will have to make small changes to your exercises.
Adding weight to your routine will add resistance and help create muscle tone. This results in more muscle. In turn, this means that you will burn more calories throughout your day.
- Your Core Improves
You can’t get significant muscle without engaging in core exercises. Consistency with your core exercises will help you develop a solid core. This will increase your strength and your overall performance.
- Your Lift Time decreases
The longer you lift weights, the more muscle your body will gain. This makes it harder to work out, resulting in you getting less out of your time spent exercising.
By utilizing weights and resistance training exercises, you will increase the time you can exercise. This has a lot to do with the fact that it gives you a total body workout, which makes it more beneficial.
- Your Endurance Increases
When you get tired, your muscles use up glycogen, or sugar, which gives you an energy boost. Endurance training works in conjunction with strength training, creating a beneficial combination for both workouts.
- Your Move-Body Transforms
If you want a sculpted, tight body, it’s time to get moving. Unfortunately, many people make the mistake of exercising every day, hoping to transform their bodies. But too many cardio exercises will not give you a sculpted body.
Lifting weights will not only increase your muscle mass it will also increase your overall strength. As a result, you will develop a moving body that will improve your endurance and cardiovascular fitness.
- It Improves Your Mental Health
Strength training can have a positive impact on your mental health. A study published in the journal Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise found that exercise may have the ability to improve both your physical and psychological health.
For example, Strength training can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke and can help to improve your mood and reduce anxiety. Additionally, the study showed that exercise is good for your overall health and that doing something that makes you feel good is good for your overall health.
So why not give it a shot? We recommend using a weightlifting or bodybuilding workout routine. Pick an exercise you enjoy, and set yourself up to benefit from this sport.
Bottom Line:
If you are serious about making a difference in your health, exercise will be one of your best and most effective weapons against disease. Strength training is something that everyone should consider doing, regardless of their fitness level or gender.
Should you incorporate strength training into your exercise regime? If you don’t do it, then you might not be getting a full-body workout. In addition to having a better fitness routine, you will also improve your overall fitness levels. This is a necessary combination that will help to make you a stronger, healthier, happier person.
If you are interested in getting started with some specific exercises to help improve your strength, here is a short list of the top activities.
- Chin-ups
- Rows
- Side Pull Downs
- Lateral Raises
- Pull-ups
- Bent Over Barbell Rows
- Power cleans
- Lat pull-downs
- Military Press
- Straight Arm Dips
- Hanging knee raises
So what are you waiting for? Get started today.