Are you thinking of giving strength training a go? Not quite sure what it’s all about.

Strength Training, sounds great…..what is it?

It’s a broad subject and probably conjures up images of Eddie Hall towing buses or Arnold Schwarzenegger back in the day.

In a nutshell, it uses resistance-based exercises to stimulate muscle growth, strength and endurance.

Don’t worry, I don’t advocate beach weights and high fives after every set in my sessions -unless that’s your bag!.

Strength training will build muscle and burn fat (i.e. make you ‘toned’). Granted.

But it will also allow you to MOVE properly and correct your POSTURE (both of these issues, I guarantee most of you have not considered before but you will be affected by both of these issues on some level).

Strength Training will improve, alleviate and in some cases even reverse the effects of many degenerative conditions (including cardiac, neuromuscular, skeletal, anxiety, depression etc).

It will make you A LOT stronger.

And let’s be honest, there is LITERALLY no downside to being strong, is there? Not to put too fine a point on it.

Strength training will make YOU a much better version of YOU – than the YOU that you are now (and probably ever have been).  

Why You Should Try Strength Training

Muscles are metabolic MACHINES

The more muscle mass you have, the higher your resting metabolic rate.

The higher your resting metabolic rate, the more calories you burn.

Muscles are living, breathing tissue, which means your body works hard to maintain them – even when you’re sat around doing sweet F.A.

Just 500g more muscle can ‘burn’ an extra 30 – 50 calories a day.

The ‘Afterburn’ Effect

When you go for a run, you burn fat (& glycogen).

No prizes for guessing what happens when you stop? (Hint: you stop burning fat)

Strength training produces what I like to call an ‘afterburn’.

Meaning that after training, your body is consuming oxygen and working hard – to REBUILD and STRENGTHEN following the ‘stress’ you have just inflicted.

The result:

You burn fat whilst LITERALLY sat on your arse.

AND your metabolism typically stays elevated for 24-36 hours.

How good is that?!

Effects of Ageing are Drastically Reduced

I’m not suggesting you be will granted everlasting life or turn into Benjamin Button.

BUT, strength training does reduce skeletal muscle waste (‘sarcopenia’) and atrophy –

Which affects ALL of us as we age.

Many PTs and coaches shy away from strength training for over 60s.

I actively ENCOURAGE it.

In the past I have had 70 year old ladies barbell squatting.

The results have always been incredible.

Still You. Just Much Better.

In addition to everlasting life ; )

Strength training improves cardiovascular health, balance, mobility and increases your bone density.

It helps lower your blood glucose – which we will primarily address through NUTRITION.

More muscle tissue = more storage & burning of muscle glycogen and less blood sugar.

It improves your posture and alleviates back issues and muscular imbalances.

Being Strong Is Cool

Let’s face it, it just is.

None of the guys I have trained have ever come back to me and said;

‘It’s a right pain in the arse being the strongest guy I know’

Everything is easier when you’re strong.

Food for thought.