If there is one method of training that I feel most everyone should prioritize, it’s strength training.
In this edition of our “Best Equipment of 2020” series, we’ll be discussing the many benefits of resistance/strength training, which you can reap if you have a quality home gym setup, and what we consider to be the best home gym in 2020 is the Inspire Fitness FT-2.
There are many different things we call it nowadays. Some say strength training, some say resistance training, others will say weight lifting. Regardless of what you call it. Lifting weights has been around for a long time, and there is a reason. It is the one method of training that can offer nearly any benefit you are looking for. Want to build a faster metabolism? Lifting weights can help you do that. Want to improve your muscular endurance and cardio? Weight lifting can do that. Want to gain muscle and/or increase your strength? Weight lifting can do that. Nope, I’m not done yet. Do you want to become more functional so you can play with your kids, go on hikes, and pick up weird objects without throwing your back out? Weight lifting with one of the best home gyms of 2020, like the Inspire FT-2, can do that.
As much as I’d like to spend my entire day talking about all the different benefits, I thought it would benefit you (see what I did there?) to talk about the top three reasons you should prioritize weight lifting, and how having one of the best home gyms of 2020 can help with that.
Benefit #1: A Faster Metabolism at a More Convenient “Cost”
In order to lose weight, we need to be expending more calories in the day than we take in. This is called a caloric
We often give too much of our attention to the amount of fat we want to lose now, rather than thinking more on how we’re going to keep the fat off once we lose it. Building a faster metabolism is one of the easier ways to keep the fat off once it’s lost, as it doesn’t require more and more exercise.
Benefit #2: Muscular Endurance and Cardio
One of the biggest misunderstandings is that weights are only for strength and treadmills are only for cardio. The truth is, cardiovascular benefits can be achieved using weights. In fact, you can improve your cardiovascular fitness as well as your muscular endurance. This means you’ll be able to last longer before reaching fatigue. You can use weights to get ready for obstacle course races and increase the amount of time you can play with your kids and grandkids before you get gassed out. All that needs to be done to achieve this benefit is shortening your rest periods. This is where circuit training can come into play.
Benefit #3: Improve Function
You don’t absolutely need weights to improve the way you move. Mobility work is best for this. However, combining mobility sessions and strength sessions into your weekly routine can greatly improve your quality of life and decrease your risk of injury.
In our everyday life, we move strange objects, and we move in multiple planes. We twist and turn as we pick up the kids, move the couch, and get out of the car. Too often the exercises we choose in the gym benefit up and down movements (squatting, curling, etc.). There’s nothing wrong with that at all. We just need to remember that weights can help us create strength as we move in other directions. When we gain strength in many different planes of movement, we improve our functional fitness which can improve the quality of our lives, and reduce our risk of injury. Weight lifting isn’t only about muscle. It benefits many aspects of our lives, more so than any other form of exercise. If you are looking to improve your weight training, take a look at what we feel is the best home gym of 2020, the Inspire FT-2.
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