Why everyone should be strength training

I will be honest and straight forward here. You should be lifting weights, it doesn't matter if you are a man, woman, old, young, overweight or skinny. You should be lifting some fucking weights.

Now am not saying you need to be the next Arnold Schwarzenegger, built like a brick shit house or dedicate your life to being the next Crossfit Games champion (tried that didn't work out)

The big reason I train to stay strong and move well, came from when i was a young lad in my army days.

I was in iraq, having a conversation (argument) with an Army doctor about training. In this case about heavy lifting, I was always under the impression in my long life and experience of 23 years, that heavy lifting especially squats and deadlifts are bad for your joints, such as bad knees arthritis from squats, bulging discs and lower back issues from deadlifts.

Now bear in mind I am a 23 year old private, talking to a high ranked Army Doctor about how heavy strength training causes long term medical issues (yep you got it i'm a fucking idiot)

It wasn't till he told me to shut my mouth and listen in!

This was when he broke it down to the simplest of terms that even my simple young mind could grasp what he was trying to explain to me (remember i'm an idiot)

It went a bit like this

Doc: Do you go for a shit

Me: Yes

Doc: That's a squat

Doc: Do you pick your kids up from the floor

Me: Yes

Doc: That's A deadlift

Doc:Do you put medical supplies on a shelf

Me: Yes

Doc That's a shoulder press

He was being very general but you get the point, I know i did.

He then went on to explain that the leading and most preventable cause of older people being put into homes is the inability to take themselves for a shit (nobody wants to wipe your backside for you) among other basic movements that all can be maintained through regular strength training.

Now less storytelling more information.

After puberty we begin to lose 1 percent of our bone density and muscle mass per year. One of the best ways to stop, prevent and even reverse bone and muscle loss is to add in regular strength training sessions to your weekly routine.

Men as we get older we have a drop in testosterone production levels, and it only gets worse as father time keeps slapping us in the face. Heavy compound movements like squats, deadlifts and bent over rows are shown to promote testosterone production.

Strength training helps to maintain good movement and body mechanics as well as improve balance, coordination and posture, which leads to a highly reduced risk of falling, and no one likes falling over especially as we move into are later stages of life where a fall can be extremely detrimental.

Ladies don't believe the lies you are told either about lifting weights. Strength training and lifting weights will not make you look like a man. Testosterone makes you look like a man and you don't and never will produce enough to ever make you “look like a man” not with the addition of strength training.

You burn calories during strength training, and your body continues to burn calories after strength training, a process called "physiologic homework." More calories are used to make and maintain muscle than fat, and in fact strength training can boost your metabolism by 15 percent — that can really jumpstart a weight loss plan.

So there you go guys and girls hope this has been insightful and has inspired you to pick up a barbell if you would like any help with your training or starting training feel free to get in touch.

Tony

TonyparrottPT@gmail.com