While I’m off enjoying the sandy beaches of Bermuda, some of my phenomenal fellow bloggers are stepping in with some pretty sweet guests posts for you all.
Introducing Angelena from On Fire Fitness Healthy Living. Angelena is a mom, personal trainer, and fitness nutrition specialist. Check out these letters that come after her name: Angelena Riggs, NASM, CPT, FNS, and MOM. Yup, this gal’s legit. She lives to inspire others, and that in it self is inspiring. She believes healthy living is contagious and wants to spread the message to others. She’s here on Fitful Focus to chat about the benefits of strength training (which I’m totally into since completing p90x) and provide you all with a strength workout. Consider her your personal trainer for the day J. I’m drinking your juice, Angelena! I hope she and her blog inspire you. Oh, and don’t forget to check out her Facebook page!
When someone asks me what the best thing they can do for their overall health and appearance is my answer is always the same…start strength training regularly. Why you may ask? There are so many benefits to strength training. I hope that I can inspire you to pick up some dumbbells and get some reps in!
Here are the top 5 benefits to get you pumped up, pun intended, for strength training:
- Lose or maintain weight: Wherever you are in your fitness journey, strength training can help you lose body fat or maintain the weight you worked hard to get to. When you add lean muscle your metabolism is revved up and helps to burn more body fat even when you are not working out.
- You will look lean even if the scale doesn’t change. Muscle weights more than fat, but takes up less space. For example a woman who works out with weights may weigh 150, and her friend who doesn’t also weighs 150, the woman who strength trains will look leaner and fit. A better measure is your body fat percentage, which you can get checked at your gym by a certified personal trainer.
- It maintains or improves your bone density and muscle mass. Studies have shown that weight bearing exercise is the best way to increase or maintain your bone density and muscle mass as you age. Both of these tend to decrease with age. The best way to slow this loss? You guessed it: strength training! This will improve your quality of life as you age.
- It is important for your mental and emotional well being. When you workout you are releasing endorphins which improve your mood. The more consistent you are with your workouts the more benefits you will see. Exercise is also a great anti-depressant and helps to improve your quality of sleep. Have you ever finished a workout and felt like you can take on the world?
- It reduces your risk of injury and illness. Strength training helps to increase the strength of your connective tissue, muscle and tendons which improves your range of motion in every day life, thus leading to less injury. Regular strength training also helps to strengthen your immune system. Who doesn’t want fewer sick days?
Here is a quick total body strength training workout:
Bench chest press- 15 reps
Standing hammer curl- 20 reps
Dumbbell triceps kickback- 20 reps
Squat to shoulder press- 15 reps
Good mornings- 20 reps
Bent over dumbbell row- 15 reps
Plank hold- 30 seconds (no weight)
*Complete one round of all exercises, rest 2-3 minutes and repeat 2-3 times. Choose a weight that is challenging but allows you to complete all reps.
*As with any new exercise program be sure to check with your doctor to get the green light!

I don’t use weights, but I strength train with body-weight moves. Does this give me r same benefits, or should I incorporate weights?
You will get some of the same benefits, however using weights will give you a wider range of exercies and you can target a specific muscle like a bicep curl or shoulder press. The goal is to change up your workouts to keep your body challenged. Try out a few workouts with weights and see what you think!
Love strength training! Ever since I started, I was so happy to have found this is what I love!
Kammie, Me too! I have been strength training since I was 15. I truly feel so healthy and strong when I get done with a workout. I am glad to hear you love it too! What is your favorite body part to train?
I think it might be chest, surprisingly!
Great. I love your quick workout regimen, and I’ll be trying to discipline myself more and follow it throughout the year. Maybe even add an activity or two.
Thanks for sharing.
Thanks, Richard!
Your quick workout regimen is great! I should probably try it and see if it works great to me too.