To many people, the thought of weight training conjures up images of young bodybuilders with bulging muscles, grunting as they bench press the equivalent of a baby elephant.
But this is far from the truth for 90% of people. Whether you’re 11 or 77, lifting weights is proven to have a hugely positive impact on your life.
And yet… many of us don’t do enough of it. Only 36% of men and 29% of women do the recommended two sessions of muscle-strengthening a week, according to a 2021 NHS report.
Why is that? Some people don’t know about its importance or lack the confidence to train with weights. Others are worried that weight training makes you look too bulky (this is only true if you loft really heavy weights and eat like a horse). Others may worry about getting injured.
But don’t worry. After reading this article, you’ll see why weight training is so beneficial at every stage of life, and feel ready to make it a part of your healthy lifestyle - whatever age you’re at.
Weight training in childhood and adolescence - strong young bones
Fears abound among parents about the impact of weight training on young bodies. It’s often thought that weight training puts too much strain on developing bones, causing problems and even stunting children’s growth.
But there’s no scientific evidence to support this idea. It’s a myth. Weight training increases bone density and strengthens the muscles around joints, meaning kids are less likely to develop injuries as they grow. Getting them into weight training also helps them form fitness habits that lay the foundation for lifelong health and wellbeing.
Weight training has great psychological benefits for kids in particular. Studies have shown a link between weight training and good mental health, and it’s possible that lifting weights can stave off symptoms of anxiety in children. It can also build their resilience and boost their self-esteem as they work towards and achieve their goals and see their physical capabilities improving. At a time when mental health problems among young people are at record levels, weight training could be the perfect stress reliever for your child.
While injuries can indeed occur from improper use, this is true at any age. Problems can arise from trying to lift much (yes young lads trying to impress your mates, we’re looking at you) or using incorrect technique. It’s important that children using free weights or weight machines are supervised by someone who knows the correct way, whether that’s a parent who’s experienced with weights or a gym professional. Kids can do pretty much the same exercises as adults. Just make sure the weights are appropriately light and if using weight machines, make sure they are the right size for your child.
Weight training in young adulthood - boost your performance
Young adulthood is often a time of high activity, before family and work commitments take up more of our time and energy. It’s often when people feel ‘in their prime’ physically and can enjoy being active.
Whatever activities you engage in, whether it’s running or cycling, football or netball, tennis or golf, weight training will help build your strength, power and endurance and give you the edge.
Not only that, it’ll help you avoid injury. Any sport that involves running impacts crucial joints like your knees, ankles and hips. Without strengthening the muscles around these joints, repeated impacts can lead to injury. Strong thigh, hip, hamstring and glute muscles project your knees, while strong core and shoulder muscles protect your back.
The great thing is there are plenty of simple exercises you can do at home to strengthen those key muscles. One of our favourites is squats. These strengthen those key muscles in your upper legs. They’re easy to do and there are plenty of variations that work your muscles in different ways, such as sumo squats and split squats. You can also add dumbbells or barbells as you get stronger, or even use the squat machine at one of our gyms.
If you’re training for a specific activity or you really want to maximise your strength, it’s best to work with a professional trainer as they can help you get the most out of your workouts and avoid getting injured.
Weight training in middle age - lift weights to shift weight
As we get to our 30s, 40s and 50s, our busy lives can take over and our exercise levels tend to drop. This, coupled with a slowing of our metabolism, can add an inch or two to our waistlines.
With the invincibility of youth behind us, we can no longer take health for granted, and people in middle age often make more of an effort to lose weight. However, many people make a huge mistake…
They only focus on cardio exercise. They’ll do lots of running or cycling because they think this is the best way to burn calories. But while cardio is a vital part of an active and healthy lifestyle, doing cardio without any strength training is a bad idea. In addition to the benefits we’ve previously mentioned around performance and injury prevention, strength training also supports weight loss.
Muscles have a higher metabolic rate than fat, which means they burn more calories. The more muscle mass you have, the more efficient your exercise will be and the quicker you’ll lose weight. Muscles actually burn more calories even when you’re not exercising. What’s more, strength training speeds up your metabolism for up to 72 hours after a workout, increasing your calorie burning for days afterwards.
If you spend a lot of time sitting, then you’ll start to lose muscle mass and your joints will stiffen up. This leads to problems such as bad back and knee pain. Maintaining muscle mass through weight training reduces strain and stiffness in these joints and eases the pain.
Sometimes, day-to-day activities like carrying shopping or even playing with your kids can become a challenge. Regular strength training ensures you’ll be able to manage these things better and live a fuller life.
You should do muscle-strengthening exercises on your legs, hips, back, abdomen, chest, shoulders and arms at least two times a week. If you don’t have much time to exercise, do compound (multi-joint) exercises rather than those that only engage one muscle. These include things like squats, deadlifts, shoulder presses and lateral rows. We love glute bridges, as these strengthen muscles in your glutes, abs and legs that are crucial for stability, posture and movement. They also increase flexibility in your hips, which will help to ease back pain.
Weight training in old age - grow old gracefully
Falls and brittle bones (osteoporosis) are two very common worries as people reach their 60s and beyond. Thousands of elderly people have falls every year, which can lead to distress, loss of confidence, injury or worse. This is mainly caused by muscle wastage in key areas such as the legs, core and hips.
But the good news is that weight training can counter these problems and maximise your chances of staying upright and living a full life.
Weight-bearing exercise leads to stronger bones, as doing so sends signals to bones to repair themselves. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis, so that even if you do fall, you’re less likely to sustain a serious injury or fracture.
Now, some bad news… The NHS states that over-65s should ‘aim to be physically active every day, even if it's just light activity, AND do activities that improve strength, balance and flexibility on at least 2 days a week.’ However, only 17% of men and 14% of women over 65 meet the recommended amount of strength and balance exercise.
But there’s more good news. It’s extremely simple to build strength and reverse the loss of muscle that can occur if you’ve been inactive. The NHS suggests some straightforward exercises you can do at home, such as mini-squats while holding a chair for balance, and pushups against a vertical wall.
But you know, there’s no reason why you can’t exercise just like someone half your age. We have several regular gym users in their 70s who would tell you that pumping iron is the key to a long and happy life. Our gyms are incredibly inclusive and supportive places enjoyed by a diverse mix of people. They’re always staffed and our gym professionals are always happy to help you exercise in the right way.
Stop drifting, start lifting…
So, to sum it up, weight training doesn't just make you stronger. It supports weight loss, helps you perform better in athletic pursuits, helps you stay injury-free, promotes good mental health and increases your chances of living a longer, fuller life.
And it’s super simple to start benefiting from it even if you don’t have much time or equipment available. You can achieve so much even in a ten-minute weights session and there are plenty of options for exercising at home. Search YouTube for exercise routines using bodyweight, resistance bands, and dumbbells (if you don’t have dumbbells, you can use bottles of milk or even tins of food).
However, for best results, we recommend popping into one of our gyms where we can get you started with the correct techniques and exercises to suit your needs. Gym members also benefit from a personalised exercise plan that you can track through our app.
If you have any questions about getting started with weight training, feel free to drop into one of our centres and speak to our team, call us on 01582400272, or drop us a message on social media or at info@activeluton.co.uk.