What is strength training and what do you get from it? Strength or resistance training is a great way to build muscle while burning fat. It also has a large number of other benefits like more energy, less anxiety and stress, and an overall improved mood. In fact, doing weight training every day offers health benefits related to heart disease like high blood pressure, cholesterol, and obesity. Here’s everything you need to know before beginning your weight training.
What Is Strength Training and How Do You Get Started
What is Strength Training?
Strength training is a form of physical exercise where you use resistance to build the size, strength, and endurance of your muscles. Basically, any exercise where your body moves against resistance classifies as strength training.
How to Do Strength Training?
You can use resistance bands, barbells, dumbbells, or even your own body weight as resistance for your strength training. There are different exercises you can use to create different workout routines.
Here are three common types of strength training:
- Circuit Training: This workout routine combines cardio and resistance training for a total body workout. For example, after every 3 to 5 sets of weight training, you mix in 3 to 5 minutes of cardio.
- Split Routine: The split routine is commonly used by bodybuilders, so they can focus on which muscle to target every session. For example, on the first day, you target your chest and biceps. On the second, you can do your back and triceps. On the third day, you exercise your legs.
- Powerlifting: Powerlifters often focus on function rather than form. If you want to learn how to lift barbells twice your weight over your head, then you should learn powerlifting.
Tip: With all the different exercises available, we can create an infinite number of routine combinations. To avoid wasting time, you should follow a workout plan created by professionals backed by scientific results. Check out the 90-Day Clean Bulk program by V Shred. It’s a proven bulking program used by many clients worldwide.
How to Start Strength Training
Contrary to popular belief, strength training isn’t restricted to experienced gym-goers and fitness buffs. There are plenty of easy strength-training exercises beginners can do at the gym.
The first exercises you should definitely try are deadlifts, bench presses, and squats. Take note that these comprise to make the king of all compound strength-lifting movements.
- Deadlift: To do a deadlift, you lift a loaded bar off the ground until it’s up above your knees then lower it back down. It’s an exercise that targets your legs while strengthening your lower back.
- Bench Press: The bench press is probably a favorite among many gym rats. By doing the bench press, you’re targeting your pecs while exercising your lats, triceps, biceps, and even quads.
- Squats: We cannot stress how important it is to never skip leg day. Building a strong pair of legs is important for both form and function. Squats exercise your hams and glutes with a focus on your quads.
What Is a Rep in Strength Training?
A rep or repetition is one complete motion of an exercise. For example, one rep of a deadlift is when you lift the loaded bar up past your knees and successfully lower it back to the ground.
What Are Sets in Strength Training?
A set is the cluster of consecutive reps. Take note that the number of reps in a set depends on what the exercise is and what your fitness goals are. Gym-goers use the words sets and reps to measure the intensity and duration of an exercise.
Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training offers multiple health, psychological, and physiological benefits. Some of these include:
- Lower body fat levels
- Leaner muscles
- Increased energy
- Boosted strength
- Prevents many diseases
- Improves health
- Enhances mood
- Lowers stress
How to Strength Train at Home
Do you often stay at home? Strength training can still be an option for you. Most people are under the misconception that you need to be at a gym to workout.
However, there are actually plenty of at-home weight-training programs you can do, both with and without weights. If you have the budget, it may be more efficient to invest in a good set of workout equipment.
If you don’t have the equipment yet, you can start by doing bodyweight exercises and calisthenics. Once they become too easy for you, you can amp it up by doing some variations on how you execute them.
Weight Training for Women at Home
To maximize the results of your workout, you need a routine designed to suit your specific needs and goals. For example, women and men have different needs in order to achieve their goals. Women can’t follow a male-centered routine and expect results.
Female gym rats looking for a solid fitness program should check out Customized Diet and Training Plan for Her by V Shred. It’s a comprehensive program that tells you what to eat, what to lift, and when to exercise.
What is strength training and how is it different from bodybuilding? Check out our video to find out:
What is strength training? It’s any exercise where your body moves against an external force or resistance. The key to achieving your fitness goals is consistency. Make it a habit to do at least 30 to 60 minutes worth of exercise every day. Remember: slow and steady wins the race.
What are your favorite strength-training exercises? Share your routine with us in the comments section below!
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