A lot of people question the reasons for strength training, so I thought I would list the top 5 benefits which apply to everybody – not just athletes.

1. Strength training prevents muscle loss. Adults who do not strength train lose between five to seven pounds of muscle every decade. While cardio exercise improves our cardiovascular fitness, it does not prevent the loss of muscle tissue.

2. Strength training will increase your metabolism. Research shows that adding three pounds of muscle increases our resting metabolic rate by seven percent, and ups our daily calorie requirements by 15 percent. The average adult experiences a two to five percent reduction in metabolic rate every decade of their life, so strength training can help make up for that loss.

3. Strength training will reduce your body fat. Increasing your muscle mass will increase your calorie burn, thereby reducing the likelihood of fat accumulation. Researchers found that strength exercise produced four pounds of fat loss after three months of training, even though the subjects were eating 15 percent more calories per day.

4. Strength training will increase your bone mineral density. Studies show that four months of strength training can result in significant increases in bone mineral density, which is important because we naturally lose bone density as we age. In this way, strength training helps protect against fractures, "shrinking" and osteoporosis.

5. Strength training will relieve lower back pain. Years of research on strength training and back pain show that strong back muscles are less likely to be injured than weaker back muscles. In a recent study, lower back pain sufferers had significantly less discomfort after 10 weeks of strength exercise for the lumbar spine muscles. Because over 80 percent of Americans experience back problems, it is advisable for all adults to strengthen these muscles properly.

One of the myths that I hear everyday, and that puts most people off giving it a go, is that strength training will make me “muscly and big”. I can tell you that in my experience, this is not true. It requires very hard, specific, mass gaining training plus a huge excess of calories to “bulk up”, and in a females case, “extra testosterone” may be required.

When strength training is done in a regular manner, with the goal being to maximise the benefits listed above, you may notice some toning but you will not be bursting your shirts with your biceps any time soon.

Thanks to my great training partner Brett for requesting the article.

Safe training.

Steve