Go Heavy

​I am not saying that going lighter on your weights doesn’t have any benefits. Both have their own rewards but today I want to explain why you should “Go Heavy”.
 
If you are wanting to lower body fat, strengthen your bones, improve cognitive function, have better self-confidence, and feel stronger then you may want to consider going heavier on your resistance. I can hear it now “I don’t want to bulk up!” There is a difference between toned muscle definition and bulking. Women we don’t carry as much testosterone as men do, so unless you are on a very specific diet and training you will should not bulk up.  How about I do simple breakdown of those benefits to help you decide if you want to go heavy.
 
Studies have found that for each pound of muscle you gain your body burns 35 to 50 calories more per day and here is an additional fact, lifting heavier weights will have you burning those calories longer due to the metabolic stress you placed on those muscles.
 
When you overload with heavier weights you are strengthening your bones by producing osteoblasts, which are cells that are responsible for the formation of bone.
 
Cognitive function is improved due to the increased production of IGF-1 hormones, which assists in stimulating the growth of neural pathways.
 
Who doesn’t feel more confident when they prove to themselves that they are physically capable of lifting or moving something heavy? By lifting heavier, it pushes you out of your comfort zone and mentally you must face it. This not only becomes a physical challenge but a mental one too and once you defeat them your confidence level will rise.
 
While lifting heavier weights, you are recruiting those large type II muscle fibers which are responsible for muscle appearance and allows you to become capable of generating high levels of force therefore making you stronger.