Did you know, a study published in the journal “PLoS ONE” showed marked improvement in depression symptoms among women who performed resistance training thrice weekly?
Also, strength training has shown to have anxiolytic effects, meaning it has proven to reduce anxiety. According to this research, resistance (or strength) training at low-to-moderate intensities (namely <70% 1 max. repetition) produces reliable and robust reductions in anxiety levels.
This blog will explore the manifold health benefits of strength training for women and men. Based on his experience, Coach Arvind Ashok (The Quad, Chennai) will further help you understand how physical health can influence mental well-being and boost confidence levels.
Strength Training & Mental Health: Coach Arvind Ashok From The Quad Connects The Dots
Here are some key takeaways about the importance of mental health that Coach Arvind Ashok (also one of the founders of The Quad) shared through an official YouTube video.
You can listen to it fully after reading some of his core points, as provided below:
- Good mental health is NOT about feeling happy all the time.
- It’s about being able to function individually and socially. It also means feeling good about yourself through acts of self- and interpersonal reliance.
- Strength training equips you to handle the ups and downs that life brings your way every day. Thereby you are a few steps closer to taking care of your mental health
- With good mental health, you gain control and freedom in your life, providing much-needed peace of mind and infusing you with self-worth.
Physical Strength & Mental Health
Let’s explore four scientifically proven ways in which strength training can benefit your mental health.
|1| Reduced Anxiety & Stress
Strength training has been proven to reduce anxiety by lowering the stress hormone Cortisol. Moreover…
- When you exercise, your brain releases endorphins. These are your “feel good” hormones, and they directly reduce cortisol levels. This is why you feel great after a workout session.
- Strength training, if done right, can have you feeling a sense of accomplishment. It increases self-confidence and your capacity to cope with different exercise challenges.
With the rise in self-esteem, your anxiety levels drop even further. This is not magic but biology. Your muscles and brain work together to create this feeling.
Also, with good strength training comes better hormonal health. Hormones, as we know, are vital to mental health, mood, and emotional well-being.
|2| Brain Boosting Potential
Part of the reason why fitness coaches in Chennai and abroad recommend strength training regardless of age is its proven benefits to the health of a person’s brain. More on this…
- Strength training gradually improves brain functions and thus prevents cognitive decline.
- It also boosts memory potential, mental energy, focus levels, and learning-related engagement.
- Older individuals have proven to benefit from strength training in particular. Performed consistently, it can lead to enhanced cognitive abilities regardless of seniority.
- Neuroprotective growth factors also stand to benefit from strength training. Regular strength training exercises encourage the formation of brain cells and reduce inflammatory markers.
|3| Mind-Body Connection
Considering how strength training routines and exercises demand the use of various weights, especially kettlebells, your mind and body should work together to achieve positive results over time. Here’s more…
- Only if you are aware of what is happening with your body can you make the needed changes to your physical strength training routine.
- How many weights can you lift? Are you lifting them properly? How does your body feel after spending a few minutes with your coach-approved kettlebells?
- It is a great idea to pay attention to what your body tells you. However, it would help if you also remembered that strength training is designed to go against your body’s comfort levels. So don’t confuse the two.
- Coaches at The Quad have ample experience in helping men and women of different ages accomplish their strength training goals. So if you choose a coach from outside The Quad, ensure your body stays attuned to their strength training regimen. This will help you avoid injuries.
|4| Self-Love
Most people have a tendency to judge themselves too harshly or carry negative feelings about their body image. With proper strength training, you can relight the fire of self-esteem and build a healthy relationship with your body.
- Strength training is not merely compensation for bad eating habits. Sure, it can help you lose weight and maintain a nutritious diet, but it can also help you love yourself and what your body can do regardless of age.
- This is one of the reasons why fitness coaches at The Quad focus keenly on health and strength.
- Gaining a clear indicator of how your body performs various tasks can make you feel confident and fulfilled.
- This is invaluable for older individuals who want to be able to perform daily tasks and help themselves and their kids and grandkids. Strength training can help them achieve this.
- As an added benefit, strength training is an important fitness regimen, so the more you do it, the better your body will look. Because you will be naturally slimming down and shaping up as you go.
Personal Testimonial From An Active Quad Member
We want to conclude this blog with a few special words from one of the people who greatly benefited from The Quad’s approach to mental health via strength training.
Here’s Gukan sharing what he felt about his experience with us:
“I was introduced to The Quad when I was going through a difficult time mentally. I had anxiety and some physical problems that worsened my mental health. Little did I know that being part of a fitness regime would help me cope with my mental health.
I’ve consumed my share of popular media to form the impression that lifting weights would help me overcome depression. But those projections are all about working out like crazy and overcoming something negative by borderline pushing ourselves to the limit.
However, The Quad helped me surmount my mental problems in the most holistic manner by making me understand my strengths and limitations and working out accordingly. They helped me discover my self-confidence, and I found the time and mental space needed to appreciate my fitness journey and growth.”
Reach out to us, and let’s get you started on a personalized strength training regimen that can uplift your mood and elevate your mental health.
