Why does functional strength training matter and why is it called functional strength training or resistance training?  It’s called strength training because it makes you stronger and more capable of overcoming life resistance. 

Strength training for youth and vitality

Who doesn’t want an increased capacity for doing life and living out the full number of their days with vigor and vitality?  

When you strength train, the adaptation that follows makes every day that much easier. You spend 30 minutes 3x per week strength training and that makes you more capable every other day of the week. Not only that, but it is compounding on itself.  Every training session is building off the previous training session. 

Strength training isn’t something you do to lose weight. 

Strength training is what you do if you want to feel younger, be ready for any challenge and straight-up enjoy life more. Will it cause fat loss?  Sure. 

In fact, a study of 12,000 individuals demonstrated that strength training was considerably more beneficial than aerobic exercise at clearing abdominal fat and keeping it off.

Strength training for health

Strength training is a big deal for your heart and blood vessels as well, as it decreases triglycerides, increase good cholesterol (HDL) and improves blood pressure.

And say you have anxiety, nothing works better than a full-on strength training session, especially when you push muscle fatigue right up to failure. 

If your mood is less than desirable, go create some adaptation with strength training.

You lifted more weight, you did your first pull-up, you did a strict push-up, you deadlifted 300lbs, you finished a circuit in 15 minutes that normally takes 20 minutes. 

All of these accomplishments push that reward response and give you a hit of dopamine. Your body knows that the only way it hit that new personal record was via consistent effort. 

This personal accomplishment is like rocket fuel for your well-being and can catapult you into stepping up other areas of your life that you let slide or feel like a failure in.

Yes, strength training is really that powerful.  I have seen it happen time after time with patients and have witnessed it in my own life journey.

Strength training for anxiety

How about fear, can strength training decrease our sensitivity to fear and worry?  Yes it will most definitely help your nervous system manage fear and the sensations that come along with fear much more efficiently. 

Strength training is like exposure therapy to help your body recognize that the physical sensations it gets when worry, anxiety, and fear show up are reasonable because it has already felt the shortness of breath, the rapid heart rate, the muscle tension countless other times when you were putting your body through resistance training.

You don’t need to start strength training 5 days per week.  Start by choosing one day for 30 minutes or less.  Schedule it and don’t miss your health opportunity session each week because you are literally training your body to be more capable for life both physically and emotionally.

Want some tips on how to maximize your efforts in the gym? Check out this blog post.