How can strength training impact metabolic rate?

Strength training significantly impacts metabolic rate primarily by increasing muscle mass. When individuals engage in strength training, they stimulate the growth of muscle fibers, leading to hypertrophy. Muscle tissue is metabolically active and requires more energy for maintenance than fat tissue. As a result, an increase in muscle mass elevates the resting metabolic rate, meaning that the body burns more calories at rest.

This elevated metabolic rate can contribute positively to weight management and overall energy expenditure, providing a long-term benefit for individuals looking to improve their body composition or maintain a healthy weight. In addition to the increase in resting metabolic rate, strength training also has a metabolic cost associated with the exercise itself, contributing to additional calorie burn during and after workouts through the afterburn effect, known scientifically as excess post-exercise oxygen consumption (EPOC).

In contrast, decreasing muscle mass would lower metabolic rate, and stating that strength training has no impact on metabolic rate or that it reduces overall energy expenditure does not align with established research on the benefits of resistance training for metabolic health.