Strength training is important, especially if you’re seeking to take your athletic performance to the next level. Here are the top 4 benefits of how weight training can enhance your athletic performance.
Muscle Gains and Power
It’s a fact that lifting weights makes you physically stronger. But it isn't just your muscles gaining strength, it’s also your ligaments, tendons, and your entire central nervous system. Consistent weight lifting and training can directly increase the power and strength of your muscles. This translates to athletic performance for speed, power, and any fast twitch motion that you may want to improve. Building strength always leads to greater peaks of performance.
Motor Skills and Coordination
Taking joints and muscles through their full range of motion during weight exercises helps train your brain and your body to have better coordination, since your joints and muscle groups are fully connected. The different and versatile movements that are involved with weight training increase your flexibility, which is very important in every athletic performance. There are so many variations of weight training that can be individualized for any sport or activity; sports such as sprinting or power lifting that involve fast twitch muscles often benefit from lifting a heavier load, executed with shorter repetitions. Sports that are more endurance based, like cycling or skiing, usually mean a lighter load with more repetitions will bring you to top performance.
Injury Prevention
Studies show that stronger bodies are less susceptible to injury, especially when weak areas are targeted in a particular sport. Weight training strengthens muscle and tendons while also increasing overall flexibility, decreasing the risk of straining or tearing any ligaments. As weight lifting increases strength in muscles, and ligaments, it also increases bone density, which can lower the risk of potential bone fractures or bone disease.
Mental Strength
Mental health is one of the most important aspects of all physical performance. Strength training has obvious benefits, physical gain and muscle strength, but it also benefits mental health. Within moderation, a stronger body will create a healthier mindset towards your athletic performance. Weight lifting, along with most physical exercise, increases your energy levels. Energy and endurance are not only important for physical performance, but also for mental performance. Being able to compete at the highest level requires mental strength and toughness, and lifting weights has been proven to help build the confidence and strength athletes require to reach their goals.
Weight training is one of the most powerful practices you can do towards being the best version of yourself, both physically and mentally. Since weight training is limitless, there’s always something different you can do. If you haven’t started already, get yourself to the gym and start lifting some weights, then come back here and tell us what goals you’re setting for yourself as you continue to develop a strong and healthy wellness practice.