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Weight Training and Exercising Article

Top Ten Reasons to Get Hooked on Weightlifting 
By Garrett J. Braunreiter, GHF Success Coach

Why do some men and women, in the effort to improve their fitness, 
still resist weightlifting? Here are some motivating ideas for building 
weight-room confidence and helping you understand why this method 
of exercise is so very important to your success…

1. Lift weights to lose fat: One of the biggest mistakes people make 
when starting an exercise and nutrition program is not including a 
weightlifting program with their cardiovascular exercise and low-fat 
eating regimen. This is unfortunate because when we cut calories 
without exercise, we can lose muscle as well as fat. And when 
you lose muscle, your body becomes a lot less efficient at burning 
fat. However, when you gain muscle, you can actually condition 
your body to burn fat more efficiently...24 hours a day!

2. You feel strong and fit: It's a great feeling when you look in 
the mirror during your workouts and see your back muscles, 
biceps, shoulders, and legs flexing. If you're unsure about proper 
lifting technique, hire a personal trainer for a few sessions. The 
money you invest is well worth it, as is the time and energy you 
put towards an effective program. And weightlifting can definitely 
increases your confidence. It's a wonderful feeling to feel strong, 
especially after a workout. You look forward to looking in the 
mirror, and actually like what you see. 

3. You have more energy: Even if you're just starting out with a 
few basic weightlifting exercises, very quickly you won't believe
 how fantastic you'll feel. Instead of making an excuse to skip 
your workout, you'll make excuses to do just one more set. 
Plus, with the excess fat you're going to lose, there will be 
less of you to lug around and therefore less fatigue.

4. You’ll finally see the results: Knowing what to do makes all 
the difference. Many people go to the gym for months – even 
years – and wonder why they're not getting any results. Well,
 it's because they're doing the same darn workout every time. 

This is a critical point: you can either quit out of frustration, or 
you can become a sponge for knowledge and get some help. 
Get your hands on fitness magazines, books, the trainers at 
the gym, ask other successful exercisers, or hire a coach. 
Learn what you need to do to make your program successful. 
Acquiring the knowledge and getting help is all you need to 
get hooked.

At first you may question what you're doing: are you going to 
get too big, are you wasting your time, how do you know this 
will work? But then you see other men and women who have 
been weightlifting for years and they look terrific. Here's the
telltale sign that your program is working: you start to see 
definition and feel firmness in muscles you never thought you had.

5. You won't get bored: I suspect many people don't lift weights 
because they think it will be boring. Just remember to change 
your routine every 3-4 weeks to keep things fresh and your 
body responding to your training. Change the reps, the sets,
the weight, the rest period, the exercise order, etc. Training 
only gets boring if you allow it to.

6. You have everyday, functional strength: Weight training does 
wonders to help you with activities of daily living: Housework, 
yard work, moving furniture, and carrying bags of groceries without 
gasping for air and pooping out within minutes. If you have a medical 
condition such as arthritis or multiple sclerosis, lifting weights can be 
a godsend. You can rely on weightlifting to keep you strong where 
once all your strength was gone.

7. You have a stronger back: Juggling a 30-pound toddler and 
a few bags of groceries while pulling out the stroller can put your 
back in a compromising position. When you lift weights, you 
strengthen your upper and lower body, which reduces strain on
your back when you're forced to lift heavy loads. Plus, don't you 
think it would feel really good to walk around knowing that your 
back is as tight and toned as your legs?

8. You can train at home: Have you been putting off getting started 
with your weightlifting program because you felt you had to belong 
to a gym? You can implement a very effective weightlifting program
 no matter where you are. Invest in some dumbbells and an adjustable
 bench and you're set. Get some exercise videos or books that focus 
on strength training; now you can lift weights on your own anytime 
you like.

9. You can get rid of pain: Do you have limited range of motion in 
your joints? A bad knee? A wrenched neck? Bum shoulder? 
Weightlifting promotes strength in your joints so you have ease 
of movement. That old knee problem improves enough for you 
to can go hiking in the mountains for days without pain. No pain, 
more endurance. You can do more outdoorsy things - and have 
fun while doing them!

10. You build stronger bones: Bone responds to weightlifting the 
same way that muscles do, by becoming stronger and denser. 
Building strong bones can be the best defense against osteoporosis. 
You're more active, more mobile, and without lower back pain. 
And age doesn't matter; you can start when you're 65 and still 
experience tremendous benefits from a weightlifting program. 
IT IS NEVER TOO LATE TO START A 
WEIGHTLIFTING PROGRAM!

This article was provide by Garrett J. Braunreiter, CSCS, 
Global Health and Fitness Success Coach. Please visit his site at 
http://www.worldpeakperformance.com