Why You Should Lift Weights
Many people who exercise regularly focus exclusively on cardio.
In the past, I was one of those people. For more than a decade, I worked out just about every day, but my workout always consisted of a 30-minute run in the morning.
This daily run produced terrific mental and physical benefits, and I assumed it was all I needed to maintain my health.
I thought lifting weights was only for gym rats and muscle heads obsessed with vanity.
I was mistaken.
Now, don’t get me wrong — aerobic exercise is incredibly important for health and longevity, benefiting everything from your cardiovascular system to your immune function to your brain power.
But cardio alone is not sufficient for optimal health.
A recent study involving nearly half a million US adults investigated the link between physical activity and mortality. The study looked at both aerobic activity and strength training to determine the association between exercise and lifespan.
After 9 years of follow up, the study determined that the greatest survival benefits were seen in people who engaged in both aerobic exercise and strength training.
