Most of us play sports of some kind on the weekends or
after work. Unfortunately, the vast majority of us weekend
warriors fail to make weight lifting a priority. Although
weight lifting should be a part of everyone's life whether
they play sports or not, it often goes by the wayside.

Many falsely believe that weight lifting is only for those
that are professional weight lifters, professional athletes
or those who just want big, bulk muscles. This is not the
case. Weight lifting is for everyone. This is especially
true when you reach your 25th birthday. At this point your
metabolism tends to slow down which can hinder your athletic
performance.

In your mid twenties your lean muscle tissue tends to
decrease. This trend continues for the rest of your life
years. Our body then switches to a higher fat ratio then
muscle. A higher fat ratio can cause a range of problems.
These health problems can be minor or major like the
potential for Coronary Heart Disease.

Lifting weights allows you to convert fat tissue into
muscle. Calories are burned by muscle tissue faster than
in any other part of your body. While sports are a great
means of keeping your cardiovascular system healthy, they
rarely build muscle.

Athletes, both professional and casual, benefit from weight
lifting because it increases endurance and helps to lower
the fat content in your body composition. Not only that,
building muscle will increase your strength and power and
this cannot help but aid you in your quest to win.

If you are passionate athlete then you should add weight
lifting to your training routine. You also need to
incorporate proper nutrition into your routine to see the
most benefits from weight lifting. Your nutrition plan
should include protein, carbohydrates, and fatty acids.
If you don't have the fatty acids in your diet your are more
prone to injury and decreased muscle gain.

When you weight lift you need to make sure you have enough
energy to do it properly. Add 500 calories to your daily
caloric intake to help supply you with the apporpriate
energy. This energy helps to maintain any muscle growth
and keep you going strong. If you don't eat enough your
body will deteriorate your muscles for energy.

Whenever you add weight lifting into your routine, it is
best to keep a log of both your diet and exercises. In
this log you can track your body fat percentage, calorie
intake, and the results from your weight lifting. Only by
tracking progress will you be able to know what is working
and what needs adjusting.

Weight lifting should be a part of your exercise regime.
This is especially true if you have seen your 25th birthday
already. Nearly 60% of Americans are overweight. This
harmful condition can be overcome by weight lifting and
proper nutrition.

Playing sports will benefit you physically, but adding weight
lifting to your routine will take you to new athletic heights.
Begin your weight lifting program today and witness the
pounds drop off your waistline.


About the author: Gwen Webcke writes exclusively for
FX for Sports.  There's a wealth of knowledge on the website,
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