I still remember the first time I walked into a weight room. I was completely, totally and utterly overwhelmed by all the metal pieces and noise machines. I was a run-on-the-treadmill-and-duck-out-asap kind of person. A sometimes pilates girl. But I thought I’d at least take a look. A friend was with me and they walked me through a few devices, but I still left feeling like weightlifting wasn’t the right space for me.
Fast forward a good decade – many HIIT, boxing and barre classes later – and I was forced to find a new gym when mine suddenly closed. This was a few years ago, right at the height of the weight training boom (especially among women), so I signed up for a circuit-style weightlifting-meets-cardio studio called F45. And I liked it. My confidence grew around all the bells – dumbbells and barbells and kettlebells. I became stronger. And it inspired me to venture into what I now call “the big gym”.
Surprising side effects of weight lifting
With this new self-assurance, I decided to start experimenting with heavy compound lifts, especially deadlifts and squats. The first time I did a weighted squat, I remember experiencing a feeling of pure power, followed by a curiosity to see what else my body could do.
Since then I’ve been slow and steady in the ‘big room’, this time pairing it with classes at my F45 studio. In the last 18 months in particular, I’ve really focused on perfecting my form and gradually increasing my weight. Today, I routinely squat 245-pound sets, which, when I really think about it, seems wild. That’s more than my husband weighs and breaking twice my weight! But more than strength and power (and more than the beauty of focused alone time), the lessons were actually quite profound for me.
I’m performance driven, not body obsessed
Lifting weights changed my relationship with my body from being focused on appearance to much more performance oriented. Yes, I still want to look good and feel confident in my clothing, but my priorities now are to feel stronger and amaze myself with new Personal Bests (PRs). It also made me think more about my internal health. My recent blood work has improved significantly from years past, and I credit consistent strength training with the improvement.
“Muscle is responsible for glucose metabolism, maintaining blood sugar balance. It’s important to build as much muscle mass as possible to combat the insulin resistance that occurs during estrogen decline,” explains Wendie Green, LPTA, clinical director at Bethesda Physical Therapy. She adds that building muscle can even prevent disease processes and slow down problems commonly associated with aging, including heart disease, osteoporosis, type 2 diabetes and even cognitive problems.
That said, weight training quieted my physical critics and helped me see my body as something to nurture, nurture, and build (not shrink or torture).
I think of my grandmotherly self
One of the first reasons I got into weight training was because I knew it was important for longevity. Strength and independence in old age are inextricably linked. A strong body with strong stabilizing muscles, joints and tendons will make everyday tasks – such as walking, carrying things, getting off the floor, lifting a suitcase into the overhead compartment – manageable (maybe even easy?) as you get older.
It’s something I’ve thought about especially going into midlife as a woman, as hormone levels change dramatically and affect things like muscle mass and bone density.
“We are finally acknowledging the research that demonstrates positive outcomes associated with strength training in midlife: easing the transition from menopause to the myriad of side effects women experience during this transition,” says Anna Aiken, a certified women’s strength and endurance coach. “It can benefit cognitive function, bone density, muscle preservation, mood stabilization, anxiety reduction and mobility.”
My posture is better
I didn’t even notice this one until other people started commenting on the way I carried myself. I thought maybe it was just a little more confidence in my step, but it turns out that strength training is one of the best things you can do for your posture.
Basically, consistent strength training strengthens your postural muscles in your upper back, core, and glutes. It can also correct muscle imbalances in the chest, hip flexors and core. And improves endurance so you can stay in good posture for longer.
Posture is something I’ve always been conscious of and I’ve tried all sorts of tricks to improve. Better office chairs, more walking, little devices that beep when you start to bend over (so annoying). Who knew that working the muscles that keep you upright is the key?
Courts of injury are much lower
In my super duper HIIT era, I had injuries all the time. It was mostly back problems and sometimes kept me sidelined for two to three weeks at a time. It was really frustrating.
You can still injure yourself with strength training due to poor form or unsafe overloading, but I haven’t had a back problem since starting heavy compound squats and deadlifts. And the injuries I sustained were minor and quick to repair. Several factors are at play here. First, there is a lot of emphasis on excellent form in strength training. You look in the mirror, slowly and carefully working your way up to a heavier weight and maintaining proper technique along the way. If you bring a friend, you even have some friendly spotters keeping an eye on you.
Another factor is that stronger muscles, tendons, and ligaments better absorb and distribute force, which better protects joints and connective tissue. This improves movement mechanics, stability and coordination, which generally decreases the risk of strains and overuse injuries.
I learned to embrace failure
This was one of the hardest concepts to learn at the gym, but failure is a good thing in this sweaty space. You i want to get to this point of controlled progressive overload where your muscles literally can’t go any further. When you reach this point, it means that your muscles have been pushed to their furthest limit and the fibers have broken and will rebuild stronger.
There is obviously a parallel you can make here for everyday life. Often failure means you tried something and it didn’t work. You might chalk it up as embarrassing or an excuse to stop going, but here’s the thing: you still learned something from the experience. You pushed yourself to the edges of your comfort zone. And when you try again, you’ve cataloged the data to move forward smarter, more stable, and stronger. It is invaluable to me.
Read the original article on Real Simple