10 Reasons to Strengthen your Body that are NOT about Health or Appearance

10 Reasons to Strengthen your Body that are NOT about Health or AppearanceStrength training is an important part of a well-balanced exercise regimen.  Many of us like to have toned muscles and it’s also good for our health.  But there are more practical reasons than pure health and aesthetics.  Today we’re sharing 10 reasons to strengthen your body that you may not have thought of before:

 

 1)  You can enjoy nature.

Visiting the oasis of a waterfall and climbing back up again, hiking up a mountain to enjoy beautiful views and creating a garden in your yard are a few of the wonderful parts of nature and spending time outdoors that are enhanced when your body is stronger.  Climbing, hiking and gardening require great leg strength, flexibility and balance.

 2)  You can walk better in heels.

Strong calf muscles and solid glutials are essential for walking in heels.  They support your foot on an elevated plane and allow the fluctuations required for stride.  If you wear heels daily and suffer the pain every night, strengthen your calves and bottom for a more comfortable experience.

3)  You can play harder with your kids.

As you know, your kids are non-stop.  And nothing is more fun than when mom plays too.  Playing chase, climbing on the jungle gym, crawling through forts and rolling around on the ground for a tickle match takes a lot of agility and stamina.  Plus, the normal bending over, squatting and kneeling to help your kids with school work and play takes strength as well.  Be the “down on the floor” kind of parent that meets your kids at their level.  All it takes is a little muscle and a lot of love.

4)  You will be better at sex.

Sex can be a heart-pumping workout but it is easier and perhaps more fun when your body is stronger.  Flexibility and stamina both come into play to enjoy a variety of positions for you and your partner.  This includes your legs, arms and core, especially the pelvic floor.

5)  You can stand longer.

Standing for a long time is hard work and takes strength.  And while you may not see the joy in standing in line to renew your license or to checkout at the grocery store, you probably do enjoy the standing and walking required to go shopping.  Bottom line here, with more strength, you can be a better shopper!

6)  You can eat more.

Building muscle helps burn through calories and fat all day long.  As we’ve all heard, muscle burns more calories than fat.  Strengthening muscles not only tones but revs the metabolism for a steady churn, even while at rest.  This resting metabolic rate is the energy you burn while not even moving…and the higher, the better.  With more muscle, you can eat more and indulge more without even noticing the effects on your body.

7)  You can dance better.

Whether you frequent dance clubs, attend a lot of weddings or enjoy partying in front of your mirror, dancing requires strength and stamina.  If you don’t want to get winded after one song, work on your lower body and core muscles.  For more advanced dancing like ballroom, ballet and break-dancing, you’ll need your upper body strength too.

8)  You can get there faster.

If you are the one who is perpetually in a hurry or running late, you are probably always trying to get somewhere fast.  Running into your office, your kids’ school or a doctor’s appointment will be quicker if you have more leg strength and cardio stamina.  You might not change your proclivity to run late but at least you can speed up your arrival with body strength.  Plus, you won’t be huffing and puffing when you get there.

9)  You can defend yourself.

Self defense is one of the most important reasons to keep your body strong.  Although it’s scary to consider, being approached by an attacker requires some quick thinking and body strength.  Attackers are most often males, and probably stronger than you, so knowing how to use your body to shield yourself, deliver a defensive blow and run away is crucial.  Whether or not you take formal self defense classes, you need body strength to protect yourself in emergency situations.

10)  You can squat hover over a toilet seat.

We’ve all been there:  you’re in dire need of a toilet and the only option looks like it could give you a serious disease.  So we employ the age old tactic of squatting over the toilet seat.  Guess what?  You need lots of quad, glute and hamstring strength to hold a static squat for that long.  Keep your bum clean by building those upper leg muscles.  You will surely be glad you did next time you do the toilet hover.

The post 10 Reasons to Strengthen your Body that are NOT about Health or Appearance appeared first on Leading Lady.

Shop now

You can use this element to add a quote, content...