3 Research-Based Mental Health Benefits of Strength Training

When we discuss the many benefits of strength training, we commonly focus on the physiological benefits: Increased muscle strength, enhanced resting metabolic rate, improved bone mineral density and reduced resting blood pressure to name just a few.  The aforementioned benefits are augmented by the equally important psychological benefits associated with strength training.  The oft heard and almost clichéd expression, “My workout just makes me feel better” actually has significant scientific credibility.  An ever-growing body of research points to three mental health benefits of strength training.  Researcher Wayne Westcott Ph.D. recently authored an article examining the mental health benefits of strength training.  I have included selected quotes below.  This is fascinating:

1. Cognitive ability
   • “In an excellent review titled, ‘Strength Training as a Countermeasure to Aging Muscle and Chronic Disease,’ Hurley, Hanson, and Sheoff described four studies that demonstrated an inverse relationship between muscular strength and mental decline/Alzheimer disease.”
   • “O’Connor, Herring, and Caravalho’s comprehensive review of the mental health benefits of strength training identified four studies that attained significant improvements in memory as a result of resistance exercise.”
   • “A 2012 study by Nagamatsu and associates actually found resistance exercise to be more effective than aerobic activity for improving mental performance in 70 to 80 year old woman with mild cognitive impairment.”
   • Lastly, and article out of the New York Times highlights a study by Dr. Teresa Liu-Ambrose on the effects of strength training on the brain. Link to article here
2. Self-Esteem
   • “Research has revealed enhanced self-esteem resulting from resistance training among younger adults, older adults, women, and cancer patients.”  
   • “Based on their research review, O’Connor and colleagues concluded that ‘strength training alone is associated with improvements in overall self-esteem.’”
3. Depression
   • “Strength training alone is associated with both large reductions in symptoms of depression among depressed patients with moderate reductions in depression symptoms among patients with fibromyalgia.”
   • “More than 90% of the initially depressed elders in the resistance exercise group no longer met the criteria for depression after 10 weeks of training, compared to 40% of those in the health education group over the same time period.”