Many people don’t like the gym.  They don’t like the testosterone, the attitude, the spandex or the whole idea of artificial exercise.  It seems much healthier to go for a walk in the woods or just go for a run.  For millions of years, although we have had to use our muscles in order to survive, our ancestors never really lifted weights. All of this is true, it is clear that lifting weights has very powerful effects on our bodies that no other form of exercise can do.  

Everyone knows that exercise is good for you.  It has been shown to prevent and treat a wide range of diseases – from heart disease to cancer, from depression to diabetes.  It is easy to assume that it is enough to keep an active lifestyle or take time for walking, jogging or other aerobic exercise.  Although these kinds of activity are definitely good for the body, there is no substitute for resistance training – basically, pumping iron.  You may be surprised to find out how many benefits this kind of activity offers.  It is an incredibly powerful way to slow aging and prevent disease.  Lifting weights is good for our bodies.

Diabetes is gradually becoming the single most important illness in the modern world.  Most diabetics have no problem making insulin – their problem is getting their cells to use that insulin.  Glucose fuels everything your body does, but first it has to be shuttled inside your cells.   Insulin is the trigger for this shuttle.  Diabetics have no problem with insulin – the problem is with the shuttling system in the cells.  

When you lift weights, you stimulate muscle – and muscle needs fuel.  This forces the body to whip the shuttling system into shape, and the end result is a powerful reversal of the disease.  Research has clearly shown that lifting weights has a unique effect on diabetes and insulin resistance.  The conclusion is simple: every diabetic should lift weights.  The effect is so dramatic that lifting weights can reduce your need for medication, so you should closely monitor your blood sugar when you do this.

You should also lift weights if you have osteoporosis – or if you are worried about it.  There are many reasons for this.  If you are still relatively young, lifting weights will dramatically increase your bone density.  The stress of the added weight sends a signal to actually thicken your bones.  If you are older, the bone part may not thicken, but you will still improve the scaffolding that the bone is built on – this is a meshlike network of proteins that strengthen bone, and lifting weights will make it stronger.

The main reason to worry about osteoporosis is the fear of breaking your bones when you fall.  What better way to prevent a broken bone than to prevent a fall?  When you lift weights, even before your muscles improve, there are changes in the way your nerves and muscles interact.  This makes you stronger, but it also improves your balance and reaction time.  Research clearly demonstrates that lifting weights prevents falls in the elderly, and this leads to fewer fractures.  What does this mean?  Women – especially older women – should lift weights.

Anti-aging has become a huge, multibillion-dollar industry.  There is a slow, gradual decline in muscle mass as we age.  In fact, sarcopenia – meaning a deficiency of muscle – is one of the most commonly used markers of aging in scientific research.  When you have more muscle, the body changes in hundreds of ways that lead to a reduction in biological age.  Not only do you look younger or feel younger – you actually become younger.

These are a few of the most important benefits of lifting weights.  But there are others.  Increasing muscle mass raises your body’s metabolic rate, which makes it burn calories faster – every minute of every day.  This makes weight lifting an important part of any weight loss strategy.  Developing the positive habit of resistance training improves discipline and your ability to set and meet goals you have set for yourself.  Many studies have shown that lifting weights can improve self-esteem, energy levels, concentration and memory, and in many other ways it is just as good for the mind as the body.  What this means is simple:  everyone should lift weights.
 

Do you own exercise equipment that is gathering dust?  Do you have a gym membership that you barely use?  Have you ever started lifting weights and simply stopped going?  Perhaps you have thought about going to the gym but never got around to it.  Many people will agree that the hardest part of working out regularly is simply getting to the gym.

It is not so easy to just skip a workout if someone is expecting you.  Having a training partner has many advantages – including motivation, friendship, friendly competition  and a helping hand when you need it – but at the very least, you are more likely to go.  A personal trainer, if you can afford one, is even better.  These people are trained to help you become better.  They can teach you proper form, monitor your progress and motivate you to work harder.  It is possible to do anything on your own – but it is usually easier if you have a teacher to guide you.

Some people start lifting weights because it is good for them or they want to look better – but those who persist often find themselves going because they love it.  Pay attention to how good you feel after a workout.  See if you notice the spring in your step or the confidence with which you move through the world.  This can become addictive.  So can the joy of achievement; if you write down what you lift at every workout, you will be able to see yourself getting stronger.  If your gym offers the service, get your body composition measured, weigh yourself (not too often) and watch yourself change.

Lifting weights can place a lot of strain on ligaments and tendons, so it is important to warm up before your workout.  A warm up is as simple as it sounds – your goal is to increase your body temperature.  This makes muscles more supple and loose and has been proven to reduce the risk of injury.  Jogging, cycling or climbing stairs on machines are a good way to do this – or you can ride a bicycle to the gym.  Five or ten minutes is enough to warm up properly, but an aerobic workout takes longer.  

How to lift, how much to lift, how often and how hard are the subject of a lot of controversy.  Everyone has their own ideas, but no single strategy has emerged as a clear winner.  The miracle of the human body is this: if you subject a 10-horsepower engine to a 12-horsepower load, it will break down.  If you subject a 10-horsepower body to a 12-horsepower load, it will become a 12-horsepower body.  Push yourself, but don’t overdo it.  Beginners commonly make the mistake of overtraining.  This can lead to injuries, immune system weakness, depression and is counter-productive.

Make sure you are well-hydrated before you start and keep drinking during and after your workout.  Consider bringing music to keep you motivated – it also allows you to move to a rhythm that can be powerfully hypnotic.  Energy drinks have been proven to improve performance and focus, but they are no better than any other rapid source of glucose – such as fruit juice.  Caffeine has the same effect before a workout.  Eating a vitamin and mineral-rich meal within one hour of your workout is an excellent idea – this so-called golden hour is a time when your body absorbs nutrients much more efficiently.

The science of sport is sophisticated and constantly changing.  There are hundreds of books and dozens of magazines that can be very motivating, but also very confusing.  The suggestions in this article are distilled from my own personal interest in and practice of this powerful discipline.  The most important thing to remember about lifting weights is simple - remember to do it.