With an increase in the amount of time Americans spend either sitting at our desk or on electronic devices throughout our day, our body has really taken a toll.
Within the past few years, poor posture and poor mobility have led to a wide number of adults having experienced some type of pain or injury either at work or at home. Strength training can help to reduce the risk of injury or better yet-avoid it completely!
In this post, you’ll not only learn about why it’s essential for you to pick up strength training to help prevent both pain and injuries, but I’ll give you a free core builder guide you can use to kickstart your journey.
Sound good?
Leggo!
Many people thing strength training aka resistance training is solely for reaping physical benefits or to obtain a certain “look”. The truth is strength training has many benefits that are strictly health based and relevant for everyone- whether they are an avid gym goer or not. Here goes.
1.Strengthens bones and joints
Strength training (and or resistance training) is one method of maintaining and increasing our muscle mass. Why is this important? As we get older, we lose muscle mass and our bones and joints become weaker and therefore more prone to injury.
Like the saying goes “if you don’t use it, you lose it”.
This means we must strengthen our muscles through training which helps to increase bone density, tendon strength, muscular strength and endurance, joint stability and mobility. In short, having strong muscles is an absolute must when it comes to avoiding injuries.
Also, by increasing the amount of strength a muscle has through consistent training, this will make normal everyday movements become easier. This includes activities such as picking up your kids, gardening, household chores, even getting off the toilet!
2. Corrects muscle imbalances
If you ask me, this is THE MOST overlooked benefit of strength training hands down. Addressing and correcting muscle imbalances is crucial to not only preventing injuries, but to training properly and efficiently.
Muscle imbalances occur when a muscle or group of muscles is stronger than its opposing muscle. And if I’m being honest, everyone has at least one imbalance.
One example is: having strong quadriceps and weaker hamstrings (which I happen to see all day, every day). This type of muscle imbalance puts you at a higher risk of a lower-body injury i.e., pulling a hamstring.
Another example is: rounded shoulders from slouching which again, I see on the regular. This leads to very tight and overworked chest muscles and weak and underactive back muscles. Low back pain is often associated with thus however that is just one of the culprits.
In any case, without correcting your imbalances, it’s only a matter of time before pain or injury take place. My number one tip is to work with a Personal Trainer to ensure you correct such imbalances and build more balanced strength.
3. Improves Core Strength & Stability
What is core anyway? Our core is the foundation to all movements we perform day in and day out. It helps us maintain good posture and support our body. It also includes mobilization muscles that function to move our body.
Core muscles are made up of a number of muscle groups: the abdominal, pelvic, lower back, and hip muscles. Not only is it what you see when you are doing an ab check, it is actually 360 degrees and wraps around your body to include the front, back, and sides.
When core muscles are weak, this contributes to poor posture, lower back pain, and you guessed it! Injuries. To build a strong core, we need to do more than crunches or sit ups. Core strengthening exercises include movements such as planks, bridges, and weighted carries.
Working your core will help to strengthen the abdominal and back muscles you need to do everyday tasks. A strong core can also prevent injury as you go about the active life you love.
Check out my free core builder guide here: https://www.builtbybrianne.com/corebuilder
Conclusion:
Strength training isn’t just for people that want to get huge or have six pack abs—it’s made for people like you who are looking to improve their posture, have good mobility and prevent unnecessary injuries.
So, if want to have strong muscles to avoid pain and reduce your risk of injury, get started strength training ASAP.
Your body will gain, but not have pain 😊