Health Benefits of Weight Training

An accomplished educator and administrator with extensive experience, Bill Morones currently serves as director of the Clayton Valley Charter High School District in Concord, California. Outside work, Bill Morones is an avid fitness enthusiast who regularly rides his exercise bike and lifts weights.

In addition to toning and defining muscles, weight training provides multiple other health benefits:

Strengthens Bones
Weight training boosts bone development. The temporary stress it exerts on bones activates bone-building cells to rebuild stronger bones. Multiple studies, including a 2017 study published in the Journal of Science and Medicine in Sport, have shown that weight training helps maintain strong bones, which in turn minimizes the risk of falls and related fractures, as well as osteoporosis.

Helps Burn Calories More Efficiently
While all types of physical activity boost metabolism (the rate at which a resting human body burns calories), weight training does so quite efficiently. Muscles have higher metabolic efficiency than fat. Thus, the more muscles an individual has, the higher their metabolic rate will be. In addition, a 2014 study published in the European Journal of Sport Science revealed that people’s metabolic rate remains higher even 72 hours after weight training.

Boosts Cardiovascular Health
An extensive body of research, including studies published in renowned peer-reviewed journals such as Hypertension Research, the official journal of the Japanese Society of Hypertension, and the Journal of the American Heart Association, has demonstrated that regular weight training strengthens the heart and blood vessels. The result is better blood circulation, as well as lower blood pressure and lower levels of total and LDL (“bad”) cholesterol.