We all have very personal reasons why we do this. It might be yoga, resistance training or running. Whether it’s to look good, feel more confident or destress and release whatever tension you have built up throughout the day at work. Do we ever considered our joint health a key reason for training?

How is it some of us can run for an hour without stopping or Bench Press 100kg. Do we take for granted how our body’s get us from A to B? When the benefits of resistance training not only help us look dam good or destress from a tough day at work – but can also keep our joints in good health.

Lifting weights or resistance training offers numerous benefits. Exercise keeps muscles around the joints strong, decreases bone loss and helps control joint swelling and pain. This becomes increasingly important as we get older.

Tips: If you’re new to the gym, master body weight exercises first. Don’t attempt to lift too much weight and make sure you’re doing it correctly.

Stretch. Spend a couple of minutes before bed and/or when you wake up. Stretching and mobility becomes even more important prior to exercise. Consistent stretching will ensure your muscles are limber and will allow your joints to move more freely.

Stay hydrated, water is necessary for the body to fight inflammation and heal damaged tissue. A dehydrated joint in more susceptible to injury.

Eat Healthy Fats – The first step to recovery is to reduce inflammation. This will in turn allow our body’s to start repairing tissue. Healthy fats such as Olive Oil, Nuts, Wholes Seeds and Avocado’s are also known to help.