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What is Strength Training? How do you Benefit?

Posted by Cindy P.

Our great, great grandmothers naturally applied their muscles to their chores and daily necessities which benefited their body. Today, we use our muscles to varying degrees, but most of our lives are sedentary unless we commit to an exercise program.

Strength Training â€“ Balance of the Force

Strength is the ability of a muscle or group of muscles to generate force. Your muscles are the force that moves your body. In order to maintain and increase muscles endurance and strength, we must work them and challenge them; otherwise, the muscles atrophy (decrease). They do nothing (they’re pretty lazy when not needed), yet extremely efficient when called upon. They need YOU to apply the force. Before delving into the benefits of strength training, here’s some interesting facts about your muscles:1

  • Muscles are the body’s largest tissue, accounting for approximately 45% body weight in men and 36% in women.strong-woman.jpg
  • The human body has more than 650 muscles
  • Muscles are efficient normally using about 35-50% of their potential energy.
  • By age of 65, individuals who haven’t engaged in strength/exercise programs on a regular basis may incur a decrease in muscular strength by as much as 80%.
  • Muscles are divided into three categories: skeletal, smooth and cardiac.
  • Approximately 70-75% skeletal muscle is water, 20-25% is protein (what’s the other 10-0%?)
  • Muscle and fat (adipose) are two separate and distinct tissues that do not have the capacity to change from one type to another.

Top 10 Benefits of Strength Training

Answers (3)
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Wow! While I know some of these benefits, I didn't know them all, at least not the specific details behind them.

I undestand you're a personal trainer. In your training for your certification and your experience since becoming certified, I wondered what you have learned have been the most frequent requests of clients. I'm about to sign up for three sessions with a personal trainer, and I know the parts of the body that I want to improve.

I know that three sessions won't do the trick-so here's my question: is it ok to ask her to teach me exercises that will help me reach my goal after our sessions have ended? I wish I could sign up for more sessions, but it's not possible at this time.

Any other suggestions about what else I might ask her, or expect from the experience, are welcome. Thanks!

Hi Kristen,

Your questions are excellent. It's more than okay for you to ask about specific exercises beyond the sessions you'll have. What you're probably going to hear from her first, though is that you can spot reduce specific body parts (if your intention is to shed fat). Now, you can counter with the desire to get stronger for certain body parts. For instance, Abs is probably the number one question from clients. She should be able to show you a variety of workouts to focus on the different aspects of your abs.

She should give you some sort of groundwork for a 6 week type program. I'd recommend that you speak with her in the first session and explain that you are looking for a comprehensive program/outline. Part of her goal is for you to be satisfied and when you can come back for more sessions or refer your friends, then she has achieved more business.

I hope that helps.

Every personal trainer is going to be slightly different, but I imagine your first session is going to be a health analysis and goals and she'll run you through a couple of Fitness tests on flexibility, cardio and strength. 2nd and 3rd sessions probably jump into your "program." Don't be shy to ask her what your program looks like.

Very interesting!
Also here are some general main benefits of strength training.


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