Strength is the basis for all other kinds of physical activity. PERIOD. It is the bedrock your fitness, and health, is built on.
You want more pull-ups? Get stronger...
A higher vertical leap? Get stronger...
Whats that? your a marathoner? Not even elite runners can cover 26.2 at their Vo2 max. The limit of speed in marathon is primarily strength endurance in muscles. Not cardiovascular conditioning, and guess what the best way to improve strength endurance is, that's right, Get stronger...
For those of us who don't measure our self-worth by athletic performance, strength is just as important. It is the basis of your health.
So without further ado, our top reasons to Get Strong
#1 Injury Prevention
Getting, and staying, strong is one of the most important things you can do for yourself, in terms of staying injury free. That alone is reason to lift.
#2 Strong is Sexy
Building and maintaining lean body mass is essential for looking good naked. Muscle speeds metabolism, and is responsible for the overall shape of your body. Frequently lifting heavy also improves hormone production, and gene expression.
#3 Strength training improves endurance, but endurance training doesn't improve max strength
An athletes peak power in a movement typically occurs between 40 and 60 percent of their max lift in that movement. So improve your max and speed, power, and endurance increase with it.
#4 Strength training improves bone density
I'm talking to you ladies. Weight bearing activity is the single best method to prevent osteoporosis.
#5 Long term progress
While cardio-respiratory performance does increase slowly year to year, (assuming smart training) peak levels can only be maintained for short periods, and fall off relatively quickly. This is the reasoning behind the periodization protocols used so successfully by every elite athlete . Weight training on the other hand offers long term progress based on simple linear improvement. Often lasting years, and achieving very respectable levels of strength.
#6 "Strong people are harder to kill, and more useful in general." -Coach Mark Rippetoe
'Nuff said...
As a final note for those weight and bulk conscious folks out there. Intelligent weight training will not give the ladies "man muscles" if it was that easy all the skinny guys at the gym would have gotten HEY-UUGE years ago...
I agree with the bulking theory. A lot of my female clients try to talk me out of lifting weights because they fear they will gain TOO much muscle. Basically, all I have to tell them is "Lets do some steroids and then see how big you get!" Well, maybe not as harsh, but really the female body does not produce enough testosterone to create the bulky look. So if the goal is tight and lean it is imperative that a weight is lifted, not only by men but by women.
ReplyDeletePrecisely! Its a shame that so many girls are scared of the weights.. In my opinion, I do not think that ANY girl needs to be weak to look feminine!! Especially if their goals include health, wellness, functionality, as well as an overall improvement in quality of life. On the other hand if your going for the skinny-fat, waiflike, undernourished look then feel free to run 15 miles a day on the treadmill and avoid that weight room at all costs! :P
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