Even if you don’t currently lift weights, here’s why I think you should consider dipping your toe.
In the past I’d have measured my worth based on what’s on my barbell... but the days of punishing myself with gruelling programs in the hope of adding an extra kilo to my lifts are long gone, now I lift for fun and for the benefits I am about to share for you.
I lift to feel my muscles working
I lift to feel strong
I lift to maintain and build muscle mass
I lift for bone health
Most importantly, I lift weights so that my body is not the heaviest thing I move.
Weighted lunges now build a foundation for me to still take the stairs when I am 80!
Here are 10 benefits to lifting weights, whether that’s Barbell, Dumbbells, Kettlebells, medicine balls... even a heavy back pack! (And below I go into a bit more detail on some of my favourite reasons why you should lift weights!)
1. Increased Muscle Strength
Weightlifting helps build muscle strength, making everyday tasks easier
2. Muscle Growth
It stimulates muscle hypertrophy, leading to muscle growth and improved muscle definition
3. Bone Health
Weightlifting can increase bone density, reducing the risk of osteoporosis and fractures
4. Improved Posture
Strengthening muscles can help improve posture and reduce the risk of back and neck pain
5. Increased Endurance
It can improve muscular endurance, allowing you to sustain physical activity for longer periods
6. Injury Prevention
Strong muscles and joints are less prone to injury, and weightlifting can help address muscle imbalances that contribute to injury risk
7. Longevity
Regular strength training is associated with increased longevity and a higher quality of life as you age
8. Increased Resting Energy Expenditure
Muscle tissue requires energy even at rest, so having more muscle can lead to a higher resting metabolic rate
9. Balance and Coordination
Weightlifting can improve balance and coordination, reducing the risk of falls and injuries, especially as you get older
10. Increased Mood
Lifting weights, like most exercise, has been shown to increase your mood and energy levels, making the rest of your day feel so much better!
Well, if all that doesn’t want to make you go and lift something heavy, I don’t know what will! But I just want to get a little deeper into my favourite benefits to lifting weights.
It can be really hard to feel if a muscle is working or not, if I asked you to engage or Lats or your Hamstrings right now, could you do it?
By using a weight, you feel your muscles in a more obvious way which helps increase your body awareness, and you start to learn what positions feel you strongest in. These two combined teach you how to move better day-to-day, stopping you from tweaking your back doing simple stuff like unloading the dishwasher or pulling a muscle in your arm lifting the kids.
Learning proper lifting technique for any equipment (Dumbbells, barbells, etc.) lasts you for the rest of your life. You only have to learn once, but that ability to use the right muscles at the right time in the most efficient ways will serve you any time you exercise, try something new or go on a crazy adventure. You will have a body that can adapt and cope with anything you throw at it which I find pretty exciting!
I always notice a difference with older people who have lifting experience compared to those that don’t, even if they don’t lift anymore! The years they put in previously help them tremendously as they age.
One surprising benefit to challenging your muscles with weight is an increased level of muscle relaxedness. It’s almost counter intuitive, but if your body never experiences any stress above normal levels, you’re always at its perceived “max stress”. If you challenge your muscles regularly, its max stress level also increases, so normal life suddenly doesn’t feel so bad!
Not only does lifting weights allow you to use your muscles more efficiently, it also allows you to rest more completely!
I’ve felt what it is like to be in pain every day, to feel truly weak and like my body is falling apart…No one ever regretted feeling too strong, but feeling weak is a truly awful experience that I wouldn’t wish on anybody.
When you regularly challenge your body with weights it makes you feel so much stronger!
Lifting weights as a part of your weekly routine carries over to real life too. You’re more confident in your body’s abilities, and if something heavy needs moving or lifting, you can be the person to help. I can’t fix your WiFi, but I can help you move a sofa, lift your suitcase, or get your car rolling!
Don’t worry, to get these benefits you don’t need to be maxing out a deadlift, or squatting heavier than everyone else in the gym, or slapping yourself silly while bathing in chalk, it’s simply lifting a bit more than you would normally. Whether that’s just doing one extra rep with a weight that you are not used to, or even going for a training session even when you have limited energy. You just want to show your body that it can do more, and to teaching it how to adapt.
The cool thing is that the more you do, the more you become capable of doing!
We all know someone that was a lazy couch potato that “suddenly” changed their life completely is super active all the time (and is now pestering you to do a marathon with them…). No matter where you’re at now, it is possible to create a whole new you through getting stronger.
When you’re training you want to have that little bit of a push that gives you that rush of feeling proud of yourself and your body! Remember to treat your body like a great friend that you want to look after, rather than resenting it for how it feels or looks - it’s doing its best with what you give it, and it’s never said a bad word about you.
Lift Weights to Increase Muscle Mass & Bone Density
Muscle mass typically begins to decrease gradually after the age of 30. This is known as sarcopenia, it becomes more pronounced as people get older, especially after the age of 50.
But happily, how you eat and how you work out can influence the rate at which muscle mass declines! AND it’s ALWAYS changeable, there have been studies that suggest weight training can slow, even reverse some symptoms of sarcopenia! It doesn’t matter what age you are, by adding weight to your body and being consistent you can always increase your muscle mass.
The gloriously big biceps you get as well are just a bonus.
Bone density tends to peak around 30’s. After this, bone density gradually begins to decline with age. In men, the decline typically occurs gradually, but for women, the decline in bone density can become more pronounced after menopause due to hormonal changes. So it’s not just super important for men, but it’s super-duper important for women!
Regular exposure to weight-bearing exercises help maintain healthy bone density throughout life and reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
I’m ok with “getting older” generally, and I’m ok with the fact that some things will get harder, but what will truly upset me is when I can’t do the things that I want to do because my body is limiting me, the longer I can stave that off the better.
I meet incredible people in their late 60’s and 70s who have better movement & capabilities than many people I meet in their 20’s. They show me that getting older doesn’t have to mean losing my body’s abilities. I like to model my habits after the things they have done which ALWAYS includes the gym or training with weight.
Just yesterday I was on a call with someone who I thought was in their mid-forties, then they casually threw into the conversation that they turn 60 next week! Yes, sure there’s “good genetics” but it’s strange how those with good genetics also seem to have the good lifestyle habits too…
Lifting Weight So You’re Not the Heaviest Thing You Move
This was the most important realisation for me, especially for those with back pain.
I’ve gone through many different forms of training in my career, and I only understood just how important using external load (weights) was when I went through a calisthenics (bodyweight only) phase. I was doing a lot of handstands and muscle ups, advanced movements that require a tonne of core activation, balance etc. I was training for hours at a time, challenging my body like crazy….
My back pain didn’t come back, but I just didn’t feel as confident in my spine day-to-day. It wasn’t until I started back up with weights again that I really realised the difference it makes. That deep core stabilisation only comes from picking something heavy up, and trust your body LOVES to feel that!
Lifting extra weight in my training means I’m able to carry my kids and not get tired, I can lift my wife if I need to, bring the shopping in with one trip, walk around Disneyland all day and stand in cues for 45 minutes while being napped on, it means if I get invited on a paintballing trip I can go and not worry about how physical it’s going to be. All this work means I’m able to cope with all the extras life throws at you because I’m practicing lifting more than I need in my training sessions.
I always want to do more so that sitting, standing, and walking don’t become a challenge for me. If your body is the heaviest thing you lift, eventually it’ll start to become a real task to move.
So, How to Start Lifting Weights?!
1. Get some weights at home (or join a gym)
Get adjustable dumbbells for home! Then they’re always super handy and you can do quick 15 minute sessions to easily fit into your lifestyle.
Or alternatively, if you’d prefer to get out of the house, the first step is to find somewhere with weights and join it!
2. Find some Follow Alongs or Program (or a trainer)
YouTube is an amazing resource for follow along sessions, with many options of beginner dumbbell or strength training at home, just have a little search and see which videos look good to you!
If you can afford it, getting a personal trainer or strength coach to teach you proper technique for around 8 sessions is a great investment in yourself!
3. Set some goals!
As you get to know some movements, pick 1-2 goals that will be your main focus for about 12-16 weeks. Set a weight or rep scheme that you can’t currently do and write it down as a goal to achieve. It can be anything from a deadlift, a Benchmark Workout or a Bottoms Up Press, make it something you enjoy and can get excited about!
Even if weights seem scary to you, I encourage you to give it a go. Once you get over that initial beginner learning phase, you’ll wonder how you ever lived without the rush of feeling invincible!
