For years, you would hear the phrase that “cardio is king.” However, over the past 3–5 years, there has been a major shift in the number of people utilizing strength training.
Don’t get me wrong. You need cardio. You should aim to get around 60 minutes of steady cardio in a week. More importantly, though, you need strength training. Yes, I mean lifting weights!
There was a season in my life where I was only focusing on cardio to lose weight. I thought I was doing great. The number on the scale in my bathroom was moving down.
I set up an appointment to get a scan done that would read my muscle mass and body fat percentage. I was shocked by the results, and not in a good way. My body fat percentage was high, and my muscle mass was dropping. Not a great combination.
It wasn’t until I started combining strength training and lifting weights that I started seeing the results I wanted. That was in my 20s.
Now that I am in my 30s, strength training matters more than ever and will continue to as I age. The same applies to everyone.
Strength training has many benefits. Some of the most important ones are:
* Preserving muscle as we age
* Maintaining bone density
* Increased energy
* Supporting independence as we age
Strength training isn’t just for young people. It is for everyone, no matter your age.
We have members at our gym ranging in age from 12 to 71. Guess what? They all strength train in some capacity!
Here is my favorite part about strength training. You don’t have to spend hours and hours and hours in the gym lifting weights for it to be beneficial. Ninety minutes a week, and you will get the needle moving toward your goals. That is three 30-minute sessions.
If you need help starting a strength training program, fill out the FREE INTRO form on our website, and we will handle the rest!