8 Reasons to Lift Heavier Weights

It's a shame, but many people waste a lot of time at the gym using little tiny weights. There is an unfounded belief that lifting heavier weights will result in huge, bulky muscles that belong on the stage of a fitness competition. In reality, it takes a ridiculous amount of work and dedication to get large muscles. Whether you're a man or a woman, by skipping the heavier weights, you're missing out on a multitude of benefits that lifting heavy can offer.

  1. Get Stronger

    • One of the most obvious reasons to lift heavier weights is to get stronger. Using lighter weights with higher reps will improve your muscular endurance, but if you want to increase your strength, heavy weights are the only way to go.

    Boost Your Metabolism

    • Muscle is a metabolically active tissue, which means it requires energy to maintain itself. The more muscle you build with heavier weights, the more calories you'll burn at rest, not to mention the extra calorie burn you'll experience after your workout as your muscles repair themselves.

    Drop a Size or Two

    • Training with heavier weights will build muscle, which in turn will burn fat. The National Strength and Conditioning Association, or NSCA, notes that resistance training can increase fat-free mass and reduce body fat by 1 to 9 percent. Muscle is more compact than fat, so even though your scale may read the same, your pant size will definitely drop a number or two.

    Build Strong Bones

    • Working with heavier weights will not only make your muscles stronger but will strengthen your bones as well. The American College of Sports Medicine suggests that women who may be at risk for osteoporosis should strength train with higher resistance for fewer reps to improve bone strength and even stimulate bone growth.

    Prevent Injury

    • Injury prevention is another reason to lift heavier weights. Regular strength training will keep your muscles strong and conditioned to soundly support your joints and may also strengthen tendons and ligaments to improve the overall integrity of the joint. This results in fewer, or at least less severe, injuries.

    Improve Performance

    • Heavier weights can improve your performance in other areas of physical activity. For example, according to the NSCA, resistance training has been shown to increase running economy, vertical jump, sprint speed, swinging and throwing velocity and kicking performance.

    Shorten Workouts

    • Lift heavier weights to slash your time at the gym. Because you're using a higher resistance, it takes few reps to work your muscles to fatigue. Fewer reps means less time at the gym and more time for more enjoyable pursuits.

    Gain Confidence

    • Nothing will boost your confidence like being able to bench press your bodyweight or getting a PR on your back squat. Strength and confidence go hand in hand -- get the most out of both by lifting heavier.