5 Reasons to Strength Train

 Strength training, it's something not a lot of women look forward to. Many women I know love, or at least, tscles in order to unload the car, and pick up children and do a physically demanding job. Just in case you think some pushy trainer is the only one who thinks you need to strength train, think again! The American College of Sports Medicine makes the rules for strength training, and also has a free list of studies you can read about the positive effects of strength training. http://acsm.org/docs/current-comments/strengthtrainingforbmh.pdf?sfvrsn=4 e

Here's my 5 Reasons to strength train:
1. It cranks up your metabolism - big time. You need muscle to burn fat. Muscle burns more cals at rest than rfast...aka...staying on the treadmill for hours only burns calories for the amount of time one is on the treadmill. Circuits and tabata style workouts even allow one to combine strength and cardio if crunched for time

2. It builds bone density. Did you know that a woman can lose up to 25% of her bone density over a lifetime? Imagine losing 25% of your height.... yeah, you might want to start pumping bands or iron.

3.Muscle is what causes muscle tone, not cardio. Cardio will help remove any excess fat on top, but what we refer to as tone is actually a healthy, defined muscle showing through skin...no muscle, no tone....skinny flab. Ladies, we only have 25% of the testosterone that a mna has. We only have one-fourth the mass-gaining potential...and the average man does not build muscle like Arnold.

4. It provides me with  a means to live life better, with more energy. Because I do push-ups, I can swing my nieces and nephews around. Because I do dead lifts, my back is pain free.Because I
 do planks, I'm not as winded when I hit those high notes in band practice.

5. It helps me get out of my own head, and take time for me. That's not sinful, it's Biblical. I can do something that will allow me to serve others better! If I'm wearing down my body in the name of doing all this stuff for others, but meanwhile, my energy suffers. There will come a day when I'm no longer able to do for others because I didn't invest in myself. This is more of a personal reason for me, but it's practical.


I hope you'll start a new habit, or pick up an old one and try strength training. I feel that at least one of . these reasons applies to everyone, and I know how it has changed my body inside and out!

What's your favorite format? supersets, circuits, tabata?
Comment Below!

 Julie