Lifting Can Make You Live Longer: Benefits of Weight Lifting

Living a long healthy life and remaining mobile for a long time is something we all strive for. We can all agree that there are many factors at play that can contribute to our longevity.

There is some recent research that shows that lifting weights can actually lift up your life expectancy, boost energy and lift up your overall mood and serotonin levels.

It is time for you to get that gym bag and start lifting your way to longer life and richer experiences.

Benefits of Lifting Weights for your Longevity

Weightlifting is associated with a lower risk of death from any cause, including cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The research Resistance Training and Mortality Risk: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis was published on May 19, 2022, and it offered us some really interesting insights.

This health research review included a group of studies examining what happens when adults engage in resistance training. The researchers looked at the relationship between different types of exercise and all-cause, cardiovascular disease, and cancer mortality. All studies reviewed were conducted among non-clinical adult populations over the age of 18.

Most interesting takeaways from this research:

Decreased risk of cardiovascular mortality by 19%.
Decreased risk of death by cancer-specific mortality by 14%.
Only 60 minutes of resistance training per week can decrease the risk of mortality by a staggering 27%!

Resistance training also reduces the risk of getting sarcopenia. The risk of muscle wastage, or sarcopenia, starts as early as 40 years old. This makes simple tasks like walking tough, but we can combat this with resistance training. For the elderly, progressive resistance training is best to help keep their muscles strong and healthy (and keep them mobile). But other types of exercise can also help. And aerobic training alone isn't enough to maintain a high bone density, so it's important to include resistance workouts regularly. Regardless of age, it's beneficial to start looking after your health and focus on building muscle mass early--fighting sarcopenia when it has already set in is much tougher.

Once you collect all beginner's gains, you have a long way to go to keep on progressing.

Also, what about the cardio? In one study, trained runners had a 30% and 45% lower adjusted risk of all-cause and cardiovascular mortality, respectively, than untrained individuals. Non-runners had a 3-year life expectancy benefit. Even 5-10 minutes of running at less than 9.6 kilometres per day can lower the risk of death. So the treadmill is indeed your best friend.

Does More Muscle Mean Longer Life?

Yes, more muscle can mean a longer life. The benefits of resistance training have been shown to extend far beyond the gym and into overall health and longevity.

Some researchers have shown that resistance training can help improve cognitive function and even slow the progression of Alzheimer’s disease. Researchers have found that six months of weightlifting can help protect brain areas particularly vulnerable to Alzheimer's disease up to a year later. So, not only can lifting weights makes you look better, but it can also make you live longer and better.

Less Stress When You Lift Weights

It's no secret that exercise can help you live a healthier, longer life. But did you know that lifting weights in particular can be especially beneficial? Studies have shown that people who engage in regular strength training have lower rates of heart disease, arthritis, diabetes, and obesity.

But the benefits of weightlifting don't stop there. Strength training has also been shown to improve mental health by reducing stress and anxiety. Remote work and stress are thanking their toll on our mental health.

And research has found exercise to create less stress in many populations; as extreme as veterans suffering from PTSD, athletes, and everyday people who are simply feeling stressed.

So if you're looking for a way to reduce your stress levels and improve your overall health, consider adding some weightlifting to your routine.

Another Benefit Of Weight Lifting? Burning Fat!

Australia has an obesity epidemic. Over 14 million Australians are overweight or obese. Obesity is not healthy, and it can lead to very serious health complications.

Having a higher ratio of lean muscle to fat can have amazing health benefits, such as a decreased risk of cardiovascular diseases and cancers, fewer diseases caused by obesity, and so much more. Reducing body fat and building up a higher percentage of muscle will drastically improve the quality of your life.

How Strength Training Helps as You Age

As we age, our bones become more fragile and our muscles start to waste away. This process is called sarcopenia, and it can lead to falls and fractures, as well as a general decline in quality of life.

By stimulating muscle growth, strength training can help you maintain your muscle mass as you age. And because muscle is denser than fat, even a small amount of extra muscle can go a long way in terms of improving your body composition.

In addition to preserving muscle mass, strength training can also help improve bone density. This is especially important for women, who are at greater risk for osteoporosis than men. A study in the Journal of Sports Science and Physical Fitness found that full-body strength training was an effective way for premenopausal women to maintain bone density.

By strengthening the muscles and bones, strength training can help reduce the risk of falls and fractures.

So if you're looking for ways to stay healthy and active as you age, lifting weights should be high on your list. Not only will it help you maintain your current level of fitness, but it can also improve your long-term health prospects.

Plus if you need additional help with finding proper equipment and weights that will help you remain healthy for years to come, you know that you can count on Flex Fitness Equipment. We are a team of experts that will help you get the most out of your weightlifting training while performing it safely.