WHY YOU SHOULDN’T RESIST RESISTANCE TRAINING!

WHY WE RESIST

Why should you be resistance training? What does that even mean?

As a coach, I hear all the time why you- as in everyone- CAN’T, SHOULDN’T or DON’T want to participate in resistance training:

”I don’t lift because I don’t want to get bulky.”

“Well it’s been so nice out lately, I’ve just been enjoying jogging.”

“I don’t have enough time for a long weight workout in the gym.”

When I say resistance training, I’m talking about exercise routines that improve muscular strength and endurance, involving any form of resistance: dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, resistance bands, medicine balls - all that super fun stuff you don’t yet know you love!

The reasons you choose NOT to add resistance training to your exercise regimen could go on forever. Maybe it’s because you’re doing your cardio thing and feeling great. Perhaps it’s a mix of not having time between work and your family. Or, you’ve never done it, know nothing about it and think it just wouldn’t be a good fit.

Because of all this, it’s easy to talk ourselves out of anything. There are two reasons why most of reading this may feel uncomfortable when thinking of incorporating weights + resistance:

#1. You’ve never done this before - like ever!

#2. You believe that stuff is for folks of certain ages + experience levels.

I get it . I hear what you’re saying and understand if this is brand new, you may feel uncertain, uncomfortable and heck, not overly confident. That is totally normal and something I can help you with!

As a coach, I see and understand the benefits of resistance training across all ages and all experience levels. It’s notably one of the BEST things you can do for yourself and your health. So today, I want to share THREE very IMPORTANT reasons why everyone, no matter if you are just starting or a seasoned vet, SHOULD add resistance training to your exercise regimen. THREE important reasons that just might help change your mind

THREE REASONS NOT TO RESIST

Coming off of a three-month gym hiatus, you may be thinking you’ve done just fine working out in your living room, basement or going for daily jogs.

However, although those activities provide a great add-on to your workout mix, there are three specific reasons why you should be incorporating some form of resistance training into your regular exercise routine.

1. INCREASE YOUR MUSCULAR STRENGTH :Increased muscular strength aids in your daily activities like picking up your kids or carrying your groceries. With improved muscular strength, your body will use the proper muscles to perform every day movements. This prevents injury and reduces strain on the body, and bone loss.

2. MORE MUSCLE = MORE FAT LOSS = TONE: Getting stronger and increasing your lean body mass which will help you BURN MORE CALORIES throughout the day! Resistance training builds muscle which increases your resting metabolic rate. This means that when your body is at rest, your metabolism is higher so you will burn more calories regularly. Plus, toning up will make you more confident in your own skin!

3. PROTECT YOUR JOINTS FROM INJURY: Improve your flexibility and enhance your muscular stability to be an all-around better human! Increased flexibility and muscular stability, especially as we age, will help us continue doing the things we love without the risk of injury. Think about bending down to tie your shoes. Sounds like a silly and simple task, right? Now imagine one day you couldn’t reach your feet to tie your shoes. Can you imagine how debilitating that would feel? That’s what I mean when I say this type of training will help you continue to be a better functioning human - your quality of movement & life will be better!

Sounds pretty amazing right? SO many reasons to start incorporating resistance not just to live better today but for decades to come!

And, I already know what some of you ladies reading this might be thinking:

“But Coach Laura - won’t I get ‘bulky’ with resistance training?“

This is a great question and something I hear quite often to which the answer is:

No, no and noooooo! YOU WILL NOT GET BULKY!

It’s scary to think you will “bulk up” from picking up heavy things and putting them down, especially if this is new and something you’ve never done before. You have my word and can trust when I tell you bulking up is WAY harder than it seems.

Unless you are training specifically for bulking up purposes, meaning you’re lifting HEAVY weights 4-6 times per week, hitting your one-rep max weight and eating for the purpose of gaining mass, then chances are, you are not going to get bulky. P.S. You have to be doing this for many, many years!

You will, however, develop lean muscle and begin to see positive changes in all areas of your body! Remember, lean muscle burns more calories and when your lean muscle mass increases, your body fat decreases. As you body fat lowers, your body reshapes, your clothes fit differently and you achieve the “toned and defined” look.

One more think about the concern of “bulking up”. A lot of times people can feel like they are bulking up when starting a new workout routine not because of the actual workout, but because of the food they are consuming after the workout. When you finish a workout, you’re going to be hungry! And, if you’re new to resistance training, you will most likely consume more than you even realize. There’s also that mentality of “Oh I just worked out so I can eat all of this and not worry about it”. This is not in fact true - you can NEVER out train your diet.

Similar to how you’d work with a coach to learn the correct way to exercise, it’s equally beneficial to work with a nutrition coach and have a nutrition plan specific to your goals and what your body needs to change. Not having a plan can lead to overeating or eating the wrong foods which can counteract the work you’ve just put in! Nutrition and exercise go hand in hand when it comes to making changes but we’ll save that for another day and another blog!

LONG TERM BENEFITS OF RESISTANCE TRAINING

Consider this the cherry on the sundae! You just learned the THREE important reasons why you shouldn’t resist resistance training. Let’s now take a deeper dive into the long-term benefits. This is the good stuff that gives you quality of life as you age. Super important stuff here!

#1. REDUCE YOUR RISK OF OSTEOPOROSIS

Whaaaat? That’s right, this type of training promotes increased bone density especially as you get older meaning less risk of injury! Training with a coach will enhance this benefit because you can be sure your form is correct, you’re targeting the proper muscle groups and staying on track with a program that is right for you and your specific goals.

#2. DISEASE PREVENTION

Exercise is medicine, with resistance training being a vital component of preventing disease and chronic health conditions like diabetes, heart disease and joint pain. It’s also a major self-esteem booster! Yes, resistance training gives you more confidence not just at the gym, but in every aspect of your life: at home, in your relationships, among your peers, at the office, when you go to slip into you favorite little black dress of your favorite pair of jeans!

#3. REVERSING THE EFFECTS OF BAD HABITS ON THE BODY

In the world we live in, so much of our lives are spent sitting at desks and hunched over computer screens. When you add resistance training into your workouts, the muscles which are not used regularly become activated and stronger and will help with improved posture as well! Preventative care for underactive muscle groups will only help you stay active and injury free in days and years to come. It will help you sleep better and feel better all around!

HOW TO GET STARTED

If you’re new to resistance training, or just coming off of a hiatus from it in general, set a goal for yourself that is achievable. Aim for one to two times per week and work with a coach who can provide you with the skills and workouts to make you stronger. See how that feels and reassess so that you can continue to progress as your body re-adjusts to the new work you’re asking it to take on!

Now, I’m not saying hang up your running shoes and only lift dumbbells for the rest of your life. Like everything in this world, variety can be a great thing! But skipping the weights for fear of bulking up or hitting the gym when you’re happy with your bodyweight workouts could be a big mistake in the long run...or should I say, in the long resistance training .