Effect of Weight Lifting
Weight lifting is a common pastime that most people engage in for various reasons. In the modern world, most people engage in weight lifting as a form of exercise. Weight lifting has significant positive impacts on muscular growth, bone density, body composition, rate of calorie burning, and other effects. Weight lifting has positive effects not only on the body but also on the mind. Nonetheless, there are a number of drawbacks associated with weight lifting, such as the risk of injury. This paper examines the weight lifting and its impacts on the health of individuals.
Positive impacts of weight lifting
One of the positive impacts of weight lifting is increased strength of bones. People who engage in weight lifting have a higher bone mass compared to those who do not engage in weight lifting (“Lera Blog,” n.d). Studies indicate that people who exercises are stronger compared to others in the same age group. Another benefit of weight lifting is in building of muscle strength. Weight lifting helps people develop strong muscles. Strong muscles are important since they help protect internal organs and prevent joints from wearing out. Muscles and ligaments connect the bones that make up joints. During exercise, the muscles produce a pull effect on the bones, leading to more strength.
Weight lifting can help in burning excess calories since it is a form of physical exercise and requires strength (“Lera Blog,” n.d). This helps in keeping the body lean. This prevents the accumulation of fat in the body. Conversely, this is important in preventing heart diseases and obesity. Some studies suggest that exercise can boost the immune system. This occurs through various mechanisms, for instance, by increasing the circulation rate of white blood cells in the body. This helps in detecting diseases earlier. Weight lifting promotes a long healthy life and thus reducing the burden of dependence during old age. This is because weight lifting slows down the natural process of muscle decline associated with aging. As such, a person can lead a more active life without depending on others.
Weight lifting reduces stress among individuals. This is because it lowers the rate of stress hormones release (“MedlinePlus,” 2016). This also reduces the chances of developing illnesses. High stress levels are associated with increased risk of disease. Weight lifting improves self-esteem. People who work out regularly are able to maintain a lean body, which makes them feel good about themselves. Weight lifting improves flexibility. Studies indicate that weight lifting has a positive impact on static stretching and body flexibility. Weight lifting also makes people feel energetic. People who work out regularly often feel energetic and healthier.
Weight lifting drawbacks
There are a number of drawbacks associated with weight lifting. Weight lifting exposes an individual to a considerable risk of injury. Weight lifting may lead to harm especially if a person over trains. Training too much may result to fatigue, joint pain, muscle strain, and diminished muscle mass (“Lera Blog,” n.d). Lifting heavy weights may lead to back problems such as disc slips and dislocation. Using a wrong posture during power training increases the risk of joint and back injury, which could affect one’s health in the end. An individual can avoid this by lifting lighter weights and using the correct posture. Weight lifting can aggravate a preexisting condition. This can also be avoided by having a medical check to examine the risk of an injury.
Weight lifting leads to an increase in blood pressure (Domonell, 2014). This can be dangerous to people with heart conditions and including those with high blood pressure. While training, individuals hold their breath from time to time, causing an increase in blood pressure. This is because the heart is required to pump against more resistance. Proper breathing techniques can help in moderating the risk of high blood pressure. Weight lifting is not appropriate to persons planning to undergo liver function tests because it can alter results. According to Pettersson et al. (2008), men who are not used to working out on regular basis have increased risk of experiencing exercise-related effects on the liver function tests. The findings indicate that exercise increases clinical chemistry parameters such as aspartate aminotransferase (AST), lactate dehydrogenase (LD), myoglobin, creatine kinase, and alanine aminotransferase (ALT). The impacts can last for 7 days, leading to an elevation of liver function tests.
Weight lifting can also be expensive. Weight lifting requires individuals to commit resources in a gym. In addition, weight lifting is time consuming. One has to spend many hours in the gym, which may take up time for family or work. There are also concerns among women that weight lifting may make them look bulk or muscular. However, it is worth noting that moderate weight training cannot lead to bulking up, but can only promote healthy muscular development (Domonell, 2014).
In conclusion, weight lifting is a good form of exercise that can help in keeping fit. Weight lifting improves bone mass, leading to stronger bones. Weight lifting increases muscle strength, which is critical for a long healthy life. Weight lifting also helps in burning excess calories in the body. In general, weight lifting improves health and helps in toning the body. However, it is important to consult a physician before engaging in weight lifting. This can help in determining whether one is suitable for weight lifting.
References
Domonell, K. (2014). The 8 biggest myths about Weightlifting – debunked. Retrieved from http://dailyburn.com/life/fitness/weightlifting-myths-debunked/
Lera Blog. (n.d). Pros and cons of weight training. Retrieved from http://lerablog.org/health/sport/pros-and-cons-of-weight-training/
MedlinePlus. (2016). Exercise and immunity. Retrieved from https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/007165.htm
Pettersson, J., Hindorf, U., Persson, P., Bengtsson, T., Malmqvist, U., Werkström, V., & Ekelund, M. (2008). Muscular exercise can cause highly pathological liver function tests in healthy men. British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology, 65(2), 253–259. http://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2125.2007.03001.x
Applying Phase 3 of the writing Process. Synthesis paper with abstract page
