I know how hard it is to stop watching your favorite TV show on the couch to go to the gym, or just stop doing anything to get you ready and go to the gym. Or maybe you're one of those people whose exercise is based on going for a run and the day you decide to step on the gym you're trembling with muscles you didn't even know existed.
There are many weighty reasons to take away the fear of entering the weight room, even if your goal is not to gain volume in your arms. Strength training has many benefits for our health: it improves physical performance, cardiovascular health, functional independence, cognitive abilities and even self-esteem. It can also lower blood pressure and help lower your chances of developing type 2 diabetes.
Gaining muscle strength reduces the risk of being hurt badly if you have a minor accident such as a fall, bump or sprain. You also increase bone density and increase the strength of the tendons and ligaments, thus strengthening the muscles and avoiding injury.
If your goal is to lose weight and therefore rule out lifting weights, you are very much mistaken. Doing cardiovascular exercise alone does not increase your chances of losing weight or reducing fat. However, several studies have found that strength training a couple of times a week, accompanied by a balanced diet, helps to reduce the percentage of fat. So you can stop focusing solely on aerobic exercise and get rid of your fear of weights.
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