You may have noticed fitness instructors pointing out the importance of lifting heavier weights. While strength training is essential in building muscle mass, it is also important to know that improving your performance requires a program that is progressive. It means that you should not settle for comfortable weights as this will keep you from improving and getting the results you want. Failing to add challenge to your training sessions may also lead to plateau, which you surely will not want to happen!

Let’s look at some of the reasons to progress to heavier weights when doing regular resistance training.

7 Reasons Why Lifting Heavier Weights Is A Good Thing

1. Helps you torch body fat

It is true that cardio will help you burn calories and fat. The only disadvantage is that the burning effect largely goes away once you step off the cardio machine. If you want to continuously burn fat, even after your workout, then build more lean muscle mass through weight training. Weight lifting can boost your lean body mass, increasing the number of calories that you torch during the day.

2. Builds your muscular strength

When you go heavier, you will be amazed at how much you will improve in just a few sessions. Resistance training is one of the exercises where progress can happen from session to session and the more weight you lift, the stronger your muscles get.

3. Helps improve bone health

Your body becomes at risk of losing muscle and bone mass as you age. Postmenopausal women, in particular, are at a greater risk because their body no longer produces estrogen. Weight training provides a great way for people to delay bone and muscle mass loss, reducing the risk of osteoporosis. The earlier you start to lift weights, the bigger your chance to enjoy healthy muscles and bones for a longer time.

4. Makes you look more defined

When you have more muscles, your body becomes more defined. It gives you the right curves at the right places. It does not only apply to women, as men can also benefit from having more muscle definition. In order to achieve those curves, it is essential to lift progressively heavier weights as you progress to achieve greater definition.

5. Allows you to burn more calories

It is true that you can burn more calories during your one-hour cardio session than you would in lifting weights for the same amount of time. However, studies have revealed that people who lift weights can burn more calories during the day than those who only did cardio. After weight training, your body continues to burn calories to fuel and repair muscles, even after your weight training session, and this is something that your cardio machine cannot give you.

6. Gives you a slimmer tummy

Spot reduction is not true. Your body knows where it wants to store fat, and this varies from person to person. You are either heavy on the upper, mid, or lower-section of the body. For some people, their fat storage is more proportioned. Scientists found that people who lifted weights can lose more deep-belly fat than those who simply do cardio. Strength training not only helps you lose the belly pooch, but also reduces your risk of many illnesses as lifting weights is a great way to exercise!

7. Helps prevent injury

Weak muscles mean weak bones. Your posture is also affected and habitual slouching or hunching can cause back and joint pains. When you have adequate muscle mass, maintaining proper posture becomes easier and the possibility of injury becomes less likely to happen.

Also read: 8 LITTLE-KNOWN HEALTH BENEFITS OF LEMON