Great news: The myths and anxieties of women and strength training are long busted. You can no longer lament that “I’ll get big if I start lifting weights” without being quickly shot down. More and more women are championing the mantra of “strong is the new beautiful.” We now know how effective strength programming is for speeding up our metabolism, lowering abdominal fat, and boosting the immune system. However, an unfolding trail of research has begun to yield some astonishing new findings about the benefits of strength training for brain health.

We’ve all heard about the robust bank of research surrounding cardio and how it benefits healthier brain function. But it’s harder to find information on the effects of resistance training on the mind. Major institutions are now turning their attention to the key benefits of strength training for brain health. Key research areas have found that working on our muscles might slow cognitive decline and memory function.