12 reasons to do bodybuilding for the rest of your life –

Resistance exercises—weight training, free weights, weight training, and yoga, among others—are just as important to your health as walking, cycling, and swimming. Surprise? Despite the above statement being endorsed by the world scientific community, bodybuilding is still a victim of preconceived ideas. One of the most persistent says that the practice is not safe. “Research done by top universities across the United States proves that well-targeted weight training benefits everyone from teenagers to people over 90,” he says. Jose Maria Santarém, coordinator of the Center for Studies in Physical Activity Sciences (Cecafi), at the Faculty of Medicine of the University of São Paulo. In addition to having a much more beautiful body, his health will be amply rewarded:

1.You will look prettier
It is the muscles that give shape to our body, since fat, the other filling tissue we have, is misshapen. Modeling the body is synonymous with working on them. Women who show off a great body know this very well! The butt becomes plump, the thighs plump, the belly firm… The curious thing is that they grow to defend themselves from aggression, as Santarem explains: “Exercise produces enzymes that destroy the proteins in the muscle itself. The recovery process, however, tends to overcome wear and tear to avoid future deprivation”. Nature is generous: replacing a little more than was spent, increases the volume of that fabric.

2. You will get stronger
Increased muscle size equals increased strength. But not only that. It doesn’t just depend on the volume, but on the ability of the brain to recruit the largest possible number of muscle fibers for, for example, you to lift a suitcase off the floor. The fibers are there, in the muscles, but the nervous system that commands them may not summon them in the best way. When training, you will be exercising not only your body but also your brain, which becomes more efficient in commanding muscle mass.

3. You will have a healthier heart
The classic version that only aerobic activities are beneficial for your heart health has gone down the drain. Strength training trains the heart for intense exertion, while aerobics prepares it for gentle, prolonged activity. Scientific work has documented that when people strengthen their muscles, heart rate and blood pressure rise less with exertion. “Any exercise prevents coronary disease”, concludes Santarem.

4. You will become more flexible
Getting out of the backseat of a two-door cab gets harder with age. Here too bodybuilding is a great ally. A recent study has shown that weight training is effective in increasing flexibility as well.

5. You will have stronger bones
Bodybuilding stimulates the production of bone cells. No wonder it has been used to combat osteoporosis. Impact activities, such as running and stepping, also provide this benefit. Exercises with weights, if well directed, are safer for your joints.

6. You will have better posture
By developing musculature, you improve posture, as it is the muscles that support the bones. This is why very skinny people are hunched over, even though they are young. It is not only an aesthetic issue, but also a health issue. A survey done in the United States clarified that work with weights is the best form of treatment in most cases of back pain.

7. You will have high self-esteem
Being more beautiful, agile and healthy are facts that contribute to raising your self-confidence and making you feel good about yourself. Best of all, the aesthetic benefits you get are fast.

8. You will stay young longer
Here nature is stepmother: we lose 10% of muscle mass between 25 and 50 years old and 30% between 50 and 80 years old. The best thing is to try to gain muscle early on to ease the condition. Studies carried out with the elderly in several countries have shown that muscle loss is greatly alleviated with resistance exercises.

9. You will get thinner
The consensus that any type of physical activity — and not just aerobics — leads to weight loss is recent. “The scientific community has finally recognized the importance of bodybuilding in weight loss”, says Santarem. An important study by the American College of Sports Medicine (the largest association of fitness professionals) proved that all exercises lose weight because of caloric expenditure. Over the long term, it has been hypothesized that those with weight are even more efficient, as the basal metabolic rate increases when we gain muscle.

10. You will be cellulite free
“Cellulite is a question of too much adipose tissue and too little muscle”, guarantees Wayne Westcott, director of research at the Young Men’s Christian Association of Quincy, in Massachusetts (USA), and responsible for a study on the subject. The role of muscles in the war against the problem is the big news. “If you build muscle mass, your skin will be smoother over it,” explains Westcott. And for that, the recipe is to work with a heavy load. Decreasing fat tissue—with exercise and a lower-calorie diet—is not enough. “Fat reduction does not necessarily improve the appearance of the skin. It can become flaccid and full of holes, because there is still little substance to fill it, “he says.

11. You will sleep better
Studies reveal that people who practice physical activity frequently sleep better. And, let’s face it, after a long day at work and weight training, staying awake will be a challenge. After all, you’ve already spent a lot of your energy.

12. You will send the stress away
You can train for 10 minutes or 2 hours. Time doesn’t matter! You will definitely feel relaxed after the gym. That’s because physical activity stimulates the release of endorphins that are linked to the feeling of pleasure and well-being.