why everyone should make time for strength training
Your Wellness Secret Weapon: Part 1
There is a key component to achieving overall better health and long-term wellness, and it’s not a fad. If you are interested in burning calories more efficiently, reducing body fat, and increasing your lean muscle mass for stronger bones, good old fashioned strength training is for you. Even though we naturally lose some of our lean muscle mass as we age, it’s never too late to start (or restart) a strength training regimen, and Body & Soul® Fitness offers many options to assist you in your wellness journey! Whether you lift weights with us, use elastic bands, or prefer exercises that only use your body weight, all these methods fall into the resistance training category and offer the following important benefits:
- Preserve and enhance your muscle mass at any age
- Muscle burns calories – more lean muscle equals more efficient calorie burn – helping to maintain a healthy body weight
- Maintain and even increase your bone density, likely reducing the risk of osteoporosis
- Improve your ability to do everyday activities without injury
- Better balance, reducing your risk of falling
- Reduce the signs and symptoms of chronic conditions such as arthritis, heart disease, diabetes, and depression
Now that you have several great reasons to focus on strength training, let’s consider how to make it happen! As with any exercise program, listen to your body. Choose a weight size or resistance level light enough to complete a set of 12-15 repetitions using proper form. To avoid injury, stay focused on your posture and positioning during strength training, making certain that you are doing each exercise properly and therefore efficiently to achieve your goals. Finally, make time in your schedule to complete your strength training workout 2-3 times per week, taking time for a recovery day between workouts. With live in-person classes and virtual class options, Body & Soul® Fitness is your partner in your pursuit of better health and overall wellness. Join us today by visiting www.bodyandsoul.org/classes
by Amy Stafford
Panama City Beach, FL

Body and Soul® Fitness is an international Christian fitness organization that trains and equips instructors to lead a variety of group fitness programs including choreographed aerobics-style Cardio Strength & Flexibility™, cardio sance style Dance Blast™, free-weights-focused Power Strength™, boot camp style FIT360™ and Longevity FIT360™, and GOLD™ - lower impact programming for participants that are pregnant, have weight challenges, injuries, or other medical conditions. These exercise classes meet in church gyms, community centers, gymnasiums, parking lots, schools, etc. across the United States, Europe, and Africa. In-person and virtual fitness classes are available.
Key words: Christian fitness, women's exercise classes, group fitness, dance aerobics classes, Christian group fitness, Christian fitness app, FitTV, Body & Soul, Body and Soul, fiitnss instuctor training, low impact exercise