Some people looking to lose weight may enroll in cross-training classes in South Jersey because they are interested in a dance style or want to learn a little self-defense while burning calories. However, few may realize that there’s a benefit to cross-training that makes it far better for losing weight or maintaining a healthy one than other forms of working out.

Cross-training both in classes and individually can help reach fitness goals because it integrates cardio exercises into strength training movements. As a result of this, you get to enjoy the benefits of a high heart rate as well as the toning and muscle building that comes with strength training exercises.

But why is strength training so important? Here are the main benefits of strength training:

It Can Help Make Weight Maintenance Easier

Everyone knows cardio burns calories, but weight training plays a significant role in helping you maintain a healthy weight.

Cardio exercises raise your metabolism while you run, row, bike, or perform other activities that require a high heart rate and respiration, but this effect disappears once your workout is done. When you do a couple of cardio exercises with strength training, however, you’re raising your metabolism in the moment while building muscle that will continue to burn calories after you leave the gym. This increase in resting metabolic rate will help you lose the weight you want to and keep it off in the long term.

It Can Help Improve Confidence

Strength training can help improve your overall confidence because it helps build an overall better body. By increasing your muscle mass, toning your existing muscle groups, and losing any weight that’s making you self-conscious, strength training can help you feel comfortable showing off your hard work to other people.

Beyond increasing self-confidence through cosmetic changes, strength training can aid your body in reducing stress and increasing positive emotions. By releasing endorphins, you reduce the amount of stress your body experiences, leading to improved overall well-being.

Finally, because of what strength training’s focus on building your musculature, you’ll also be more confident moving through the world. Especially as we age, balance and stability become an issue that can make moving around something that produces anxiety, which can lead to more health problems down the line.

You Can Use Our Gym Now!

Kennedy Fitness: A Jefferson Health Affiliate’s gyms are back open and ready for you to experience the benefits of strength training! However, in between visits, you can also do exercises like push-ups, squats, and other bodyweight exercises to help tone your body and increase your stability.

To find out more about strength training’s benefits, or about our kickboxing classes available in Camden County, contact our team today!