College of DuPage Nursing Student Abdullah Syed shared with Healthy Lombard that one of the most common fears for those who are beginning weight training is the aspect of injury. Moreover, it may be a significant deterrent for some. However, it can make a significant difference in one’s physical lifestyle when performed properly. According to Raquel Garzon, a Registered Dietician (2020), strength training is an exercise that improves muscular fitness by utilizing resistance to the muscle; it  involves making your muscles do more work than that involved in usual performance.

Bone Health

One of the benefits of weight training, when it is done responsibly, is the fact that it strengthen bones and prevents osteoporosis (Garzon, 2017). Osteoporosis occurs when bones break down more quickly than new bones are formed (Banasik & Lee Ellen Copstead, 2019). This is similar in osteoarthritis (OA); OA is a progressive disease that contributes to the loss of articular cartilage (Banasik & Lee Ellen Copstead). However, if one injures a ligament, there is little evidence to support the effectiveness of preoperative rehabilitation through strength training (Carter et al., 2020). Therefore, it is preferable to supplement strength training with medications to improve bone mineral density rather than relying merely on strength training (Zamoscinska et al., 2019).

Heart Health

Another significant benefit of strength training is the observed benefit of cardiovascular health; lower blood pressure and stress on the heart is relieved from weight lifting (Garzon, 2017). According to Harvard Men’s Health Watch (2019), individuals who weight train at least one hour per week (using free weights or weight machines) have a 40% to 70% lower risk of heart attack or stroke compared with those who did not exercise. In a recent article called Effects of Resistance Training on Arterial Stiffness in Healthy People: A Systematic Review, which was published on August 13, 2020 , resistance training twice per week for at least four weeks was not found to impair cardiovascular health as measured by altered arterial stiffness (García-Mateo et al., 2020). Read more