Why do you need to lift weights?

Simply put, if you want to live a long and healthy life, our modern day environment and lifestyle demands that you do so out of necessity. We live in a world that harbours convenience and comfort. An environment which places minimal physical demands on us, and as a result is the cause of a premature, accelerated and avoidable, physical decline in humans.

Our sit down culture is a far cry from the physical lifestyle our ancestors lived hundreds and thousands of years ago. A lifestyle our body, genetics and DNA thrive under, and decline without. Dare I say, even our grandparents lived a more physically demanding life than ourselves. The impact of our modern day world is making us weaker, unhealthy, and less able. With increased susceptibility to illness and diseases that could otherwise be avoided. We may have a lifespan longer than those of past generations, but our healthspan is falling short of what we require from it, and will require from it in our latter years. People are living longer, working longer, and are more isolated than ever before. It’s a necessity for all of us to remain healthy, independent and capable in every sense, for as long as we possibly can when taking this cultural change into consideration.

Muscle loss (atrophy & sacropenia), loss of strength (dynapenia), obesity, reduced metabolism, type 2 diabetes, lack of fitness, osteoporosis and weak cardiovascular & respiratory output, are all symptoms I routinely observe in new clients who start working with me. All symptoms of a sedentary lifestyle that are evident in the majority of the population. In the elderly demographics of society, some are physically unable to walk, unaided, if at all, and cannot walk on stairs, or get in & out of the bath. All of which will have been impacted by a lack of strength and mobility, caused over many decades, and is something for younger generations to consider now in terms of prevention.

Therefore, it is essential to seek out artificial methods that will physically challenge us, tapping into the physiological requirements our bodies have in order to stay fit, lean, strong, physically mobile and healthy into our latter years. An artificial method we all know in the form of physical training/exercise. And no form of physical training meets these physical requirements aswell as lifting weights (strength training, resistance training), due to the physical, physiological and hormonal responses it creates. The ability to work our muscles, challenge our joints & ligaments over a full range of movement and test our strength through lifting weights is also, unrivalled.

People may prefer yoga, pilates, swimming or running as forms of exercise. Whilst they may have their own benefits, after all no exercise is bad exercise providing it is safe, they all have limitations and will inevitably lead to physical deficiencies that can only be addressed through lifting weights. So whether you enjoy other types of exercise or not, lifting weights must be part of your training week.

In practice, lifting weights has made an invaluable, ongoing contribution in reversing type 2 diabetes, improving insulin sensitivity, fatloss, increasing strength, and improving social mobility in clients I work with, and has done over the past decade. It’s helped them take charge of their health, transform their bodies and add years to their lives. This form of training is the most efficient and effective method in order to staying fit, lean, and healthy for the long-term. It has been invaluable for hundreds of thousands of people around the world for decades, Trainers and trainees alike, and can be for you too if you take action. Routinely, lifting weights 2-3 x per week will be one of the biggest investments in your health you could ever make.