How To Begin a Strength Training Program
To understand how to get strong you need to know How to Begin a Strength Training Program. You need to figure out which method is right for you, how often to do it, and just how hard you need to work to get results. Which Method of Strength Training is Right for Me?Weight Training is perfect for getting stronger, building lean muscle, improving bone density, and increasing your metabolism. It can be done using machines, cables, bands, barbells, dumbbells, objects around your house, your own bodyweight, and more. You will want to do a variety of exercises that will work the entire body. Do each exercise with proper technique for maximum results. Pilates is another strength training method that you can do to not only get stronger but also improve your flexibility and posture. The great thing about pilates is that the exercises are simple to do, very effective, and gently work the entire body. By practicing regularly you will notice that soon you are stronger, standing taller, and have greater body awareness. Yoga will strengthen and balance your body. You do not need to be flexible to do yoga. When you practice yoga poses you are able to increase your overall strength and stamina, improve your flexibility and even relieve stress. Like everything, the more regular that you practice, the more you will get from it. You will find it beneficial to try different methods of strength training. When you combine weight training with pilates or yoga it creates a cross-training effect that improves your overall results. When you do your exercise routine regularly you will be able to feel yourself getting stronger after just a couple of weeks! How Often Should I Be Doing My Strength Training Program?This means that if you do weight training exercises for your legs on Monday you will want to wait until Wednesday or Thursday for your leg muscles to recover before you work them with resistance again. On Tuesday you could do exercises for your upper body or a cardio workout while your leg muscles get ready to go again. Pilates and Yoga are gentle enough to do everyday. Although, when you are starting out and your body is adjusting to a new activity level, I would suggest taking a moderate approach and practice three or four days a week. When you begin your Strength Program it can be normal to feel the muscles that you have worked the next day. As your muscular strength and endurance improves it will be possible to expand your strength training by lifting more weight and doing more sets. How Do I know How Much Weight I Should be Lifting?Here is a simple way to know if the weight you are lifting is safe but will still be effective. You want to choose a weight you can lift 10-12 repetitions (reps) while still keeping good form. By the end of the last couple reps your muscles should feel challenged. If you are able to easily do more than 15 reps of an exercise you could safely lift a heavier weight. On the other end of the spectrum, if you are unable to do 8 reps with good form your weight is too heavy. As you get stronger the weight that you are lifting will get easier. Continue to challenge how many reps you can do. Once you can do 15 reps easily it is time to add a little more weight until it is challenging to perform fewer reps. How Many Weight Training Sets Should I Be Doing?When you are first starting out, less is often more. Doing too much too soon can lead to injuries and strained muscles. Aiming to perform strengthening exercises for the whole body twice a week will get your body going and soon you will be ready for more. Learn How to Begin your Strength Program with a FREE sample workout. You can also benefit with the help of a personal trainer to get you started. Check out how to get your own custom online Fitness Success Program started TODAY!
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