Talk to 10 people and you’ll get 10 different opinions on the best way to get fit.
One will tell you to attend an aerobics class. Another will swear by jogging. Yet another will tell you that dance and biking worked for them.
The truth is, there are lots of ways to improve your fitness. I’m slightly biased here, but I’m going to tell you that one of the best ways to get fit and improve your fitness (whether your goal is weight loss, improved strength, or less pain from arthritis) is to do strength training exercises regularly.
Before I get into the details, it’s important that we agree on the definition of ‘fit’.
WHAT IS FIT?
Far too often, “thin” is mistaken for fit, and that’s not what you should strive for.
When someone is thin but has very little muscle tissue, they aren’t truly fit in my opinion! And I’ve trained some “skinny fat” people in my day ;-).
Here’s why thin doesn’t equal fit:
- Their body fat percentage will be higher than ideal—even though you won’t see a lot of fat on them, if their muscle percentage is low, fat percentage will be higher.
- Their resting metabolism will be low, since little muscle is present to burn calories at rest.
- Their body won’t be functionally strong, which will lead to injuries, frustrations and likely more pain from arthritis.
So how does one get truly fit? Here’s my one-stop shopping answer:
RESISTANCE TRAINING
Resistance training is when resistance is used to challenge your muscles in order to gain strength and endurance. You could do this with traditional weights, exercise bands, medicine balls, cable machines, sandbags, kettlebells or even just using your own body weight.
Consistent resistance training has the following side effects…
- Strength and muscle tone
- Cardiovascular capacity
- Speed, Agility and Flexibility
- Resistance to injury and disease
If that’s not enough to convince you that resistance training is one of the top ways to improve overall fitness, read on…
If that’s not enough to convince you that resistance training is one of the top ways to improve overall fitness, read on…
TOP 9 BENEFITS TO RESISTANCE TRAINING:
To Build Muscle and Gain Strength: Don’t worry, ladies. This does NOT mean that you’re going to ‘bulk up’ or look too masculine. What will happen is that your arms, belly and legs will become tighter, leaner and more defined.
To Lose Fat: When it comes to losing size, all that you want to see go is fat, not muscle. Strength training ensures that you maintain and grow those muscles and only lose fat.
To Build Strong Bones: The older we get, the more important our bone density is. A good strength training program is one of your best defenses when it comes to osteoporosis.
To Alleviate Anxiety, Stress and Depression: Sure there are plenty of pills out there that claim to give these benefits, but you and I both know that strength training is a more wholesome and effective way. And besides, who really wants all those pharmaceutical side effects?
To Sleep Better: Here’s another pill you can stop taking once you start strength training. Study after study has proven that strength training improves sleep.
To Improve Chronic Back Pain: If you are one of the millions across the globe who suffer from back pain, you’ll love the benefit of decreased pain.
To Improve Insulin Sensitivity: Today diabetes is a huge threat. Minimize your risk by improving insulin sensitivity through regular, challenging strength training.
To Improve Your Good to Bad Cholesterol Ratio: Here is yet another pill that you could potentially stop taking while on a strength training routine. Blood pressure and heart health are of utmost concern, so why not give yourself the advantage of a strength training routine?
To Raise Your Metabolism: This helps to reduce body fat and to keep that body fat off, even on the days that you aren’t able to exercise. Pretty awesome, right?
TAKEAWAY
A solid resistance training routine will tone your legs, strengthen your core and will result in inches and pounds lost!
So, if you’re looking for the best way to get fit and only have a limited amount of time to work on your health, strength training is your “go to” for the best overall results.