14 Benefits of Strength Training

Strength training is also known as weight training, resistance training, and muscular training.

The general definition of strength training is any physical movement in which you use your body weight or equipment (e.g., dumbbells and resistance bands) to build muscle mass, strength, and endurance.

The main types of strength training include:

• Muscular hypertrophy. Also known as muscle building, this type of strength training uses moderate-to-heavy weights to stimulate muscle growth.
• Muscular endurance. This refers to your muscles’ ability to sustain exercise for a period of time. Training to increase muscular endurance usually involves high reps using light weights or body weight.
• Circuit training. During this form of full-body conditioning, you cycle through various exercises with little to no rest between them.
• Maximum muscular strength. This type of exercise involves low reps (usually 2–6) and heavy weights to improve your overall strength. It’s best reserved for experienced exercisers who have mastered their form.
• Explosive power. This training combines power and speed to improve your power output. It’s usually employed among trained athletes to improve their ability to perform explosive movements in their sport.

Most people focus on muscular endurance, circuit training, and muscular hypertrophy as part of their strength-training routine, while strength and power training are usually reserved for experienced athletes.

Depending on the type of strength training you choose to reach your goals, you can use various equipment (or none at all), such as:

• Body weight: using your own body weight and the force of gravity to perform various movements (e.g., pushups, squats, planks, pullups, and lunges)
• Free weights: equipment not bound to the floor or a machine, such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, medicine balls, or objects around the house
• Resistance bands/loop bands: rubber bands that provide resistance when stretched
• Weight machines: machines with adjustable weights or hydraulics attached to provide resistance and stress to the muscles
• Suspension equipment: consists of ropes or straps that are anchored to a sturdy point in which a person uses their body weight and gravity to perform various exercises

According to researchers, the goal is to put your muscles under tension to allow neuromuscular adaptations and stimulate muscle growth. Regardless of the type of strength training you do, with regular practice, your muscles will become stronger.

Summary

Strength training is any type of exercise that involves your own body weight or equipment to build muscle mass, endurance, and strength. There are many types of strength training, such as bodyweight exercises, lifting weights, or circuit training.

There are many benefits to strength training that can improve your health.

1. Makes you stronger

Strength training helps you become stronger.

According to researchers, gaining strength allows you to perform daily tasks much easier, such as carrying heavy groceries or running around with your kids.

Research has also found that it helps improve athletic performance in sports that require speed, power, and strength. One study found that strength training may increase lean muscle mass.

2. Burns calories efficiently

Strength training helps boost your metabolism in two ways.

According to research, building muscle increases your metabolic rate. Muscles are more metabolically active than fat mass, allowing you to burn more calories at rest.

Second, research shows that your metabolic rate is increased after strength-training exercise. This means that you’re still burning additional calories hours and even days after your workout.

3. Decreases abdominal fat

Fat stored around the abdomen, especially visceral fat, is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases.

According to research, this includes:

• heart disease
• type 2 diabetes
• certain types of cancer

Studies have shown the benefit of strength-training exercises for reducing abdominal and total body fat.

4. Can help you appear leaner

As you build more muscle and lose fat, you will appear leaner.

This is because muscle is more dense than fat, meaning it takes up less space on your body pound for pound. Therefore, you may lose inches off of your waist even if you don’t see a change in the number on the scale.

Also, losing body fat and building stronger and larger muscles showcases more muscle definition, creating a stronger and leaner appearance.

5. Decreases your risk of falls

Research shows that all exercise will decrease your risk of falls, but strength training is especially effective at this. One study found strength training in the legs to be especially crucial in reducing fall risk.

Fortunately, studies have found that many forms of strength training have been shown to be effective, such as tai chi, weight training, and resistance band and bodyweight exercises.

6. Lowers your risk of injury

Studies have found that including strength training may reduce your risk of injury.

According to research, strength training helps improve your range of motion and mobility. This can reinforce strength around major joints like your knees, hips, and ankles.

In fact, one study found that strength training reduced acute sports injuries by one third, and overuse injuries by almost 50%.

7. Improves heart health

According to the American Heart Association, regular strength-training exercise can decrease blood pressure.

Research has found that strength training also lowers total and LDL (bad) cholesterol.

8. Helps manage your blood sugar levels

Strength training may lower your risk of developing diabetes and can help those with the condition manage it better. One study found that strength training can help manage your blood sugar levels.

Research has also shown that skeletal muscle helps increase insulin sensitivity. As a result, greater muscle mass can help improve blood sugar management.

One study found that strength training may also reduce your risk of developing diabetes by up to 30%, compared to those who do not engage in strength training.

9. Promotes greater mobility and flexibility

Contrary to popular belief, strength training can make you more flexible.

According to research, strength training increases joint range of motion (ROM), allowing for greater mobility and flexibility. Plus, those with weaker muscles tend to have lower ROM and flexibility.

In fact, a recent review comparing stretching with strength training found they were equally effective at increasing ROM.

Studies say for best results, ensure you’re completing the full ROM of an exercise. In other words, utilize your full movement potential around a joint. For example, lower yourself into a squat as far as you’re able to go without compromising your form.

10. Improves mental health

Strength training can improve your mental health.

One review of 7 studies in youth ages 10–16 years observed a significant association between strength training and high self-esteem, physical strength, and physical self-worth.

Additionally, a small study involving 12 women from showed a significant link between strength training and positive body image.

11. Makes your bones stronger

Strength training is crucial for bone development. You can reap the bone-strengthening benefits of strength training at any age.

Weight-bearing exercises put temporary stress on your bones, sending a message to bone-building cells to take action and rebuild bones stronger.

According to a 2021 study, strength training can reduce your risk of osteoporosis. However, more research is needed.

12. Boosts your mood

Regular weight training may boost your mood and improve your mental health.

Studies have shown that strength training may reduce anxiety and boost your mood.

One study in adolescent girls found that strength training confers multiple benefits to mood regulation, such as increased self-esteem and self-efficacy.

Research has shown that exercise also promotes the release of mood-boosting endorphins, which can play a role in a positive mood.

13. Improves brain health

Those who engage in strength training may have better brain health and protection against age-related cognitive decline.

Studies in older adults have pointed to significant improvements in memory after participating in strength training, compared with those who did not participate in it. However, more research is needed.

According to research, resistance training has many neuroprotective effects, such as an increased expression of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). BDNF is linked to memory and learning.

14. Promotes a better quality of life

Strength training may increase your quality of life, especially as you age.

Studies have linked strength training to increased health-related quality of life in older individuals, defined as a person’s perceived physical and mental well-being.

What’s more, strength training may improve quality of life in those with arthritis. One review of 32 studies showed strength training significantly improved scores in pain and physical functioning.

Summary

Strength training provides many benefits, such as a lower risk of chronic disease, better self-esteem, and a reduced risk of injury and falls.

You can employ a few strategies to help you get the most of your strength-training routine.

Start with the basics

If you’re new to strength training, you’ll want to master basic movement patterns first. This will ensure you’re performing exercises safely and effectively.

You may wish to start with bodyweight exercises that emphasize balance, core stability, and basic movement patterns (e.g., bend-and-lift, single-leg, pushing, pulling, and rotation actions).

This could include bodyweight squats, single-leg stands, pushups, forearm planks, the bird dog exercise, and plank toe taps.

After you feel comfortable with basic movement patterns, try adding external forces (e.g., weights, resistance bands, and machines). If you’re unsure how to use a piece of equipment properly, speak with a physical therapist or personal trainer.

Choose an appropriate volume and load

The types of exercises you choose will depend on your fitness goals, such as trying to build muscle (hypertrophy) or increasing muscular endurance.

For general muscular fitness, you’ll want to select a weight that allows you to perform 8–15 reps for 1–3 sets while maintaining proper form.

If you’re struggling to perform at least eight reps or cannot maintain good form, the weight is likely too heavy for you (except in advanced lifters with strength goals). On the flip side, if you can easily perform 15 or more reps, you should probably increase the weight.

To gain strength and build muscle, you need to challenge your muscles. Known as progressive overload, you should aim to increase the weight, reps, or number of sets as you become stronger.

Avoid overdoing it

While some soreness is normal the day or two after a strength-training workout — this is known as delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) — you should not be in pain or unable to perform your daily activities.

Aim to end your sets just before failure, meaning you cannot physically complete any additional reps. This will decrease the likelihood of DOMS while still sufficiently challenging the muscle.

Finally, give yourself enough time to rest and allow your muscles to heal and grow. You don’t need to strength train every day. According to research, you can benefit from 2–3 sessions per week.

Summary

To yield the best results, start slow and focus on your form first. As you progress, slowly add more weight or resistance or increase your reps and sets.

Strength training provides numerous health benefits, such as a lower risk of heart disease and diabetes, stronger bones, better brain health and mood, and improved self-esteem.

Fortunately, strength training isn’t just lifting weights at the gym. You can get in a great strength-training workout using your body weight, resistance bands, free weights, or even items around your house.

Whether you’re new or experienced, strength training is for everyone.