Strength training, also known as resistance/weight training, can help you achieve your goals of becoming fitter, increasing muscle mass, or having a more toned body. The benefits of strength lifting are not limited to teenagers; it can also help fight mobility loss and muscle mass as you age, as well as promote your psychological well-being. So, even if you’ve never done straight training before, it’s never too late to begin. In this post, we’ll show you how to get started with straight training as a beginner.
Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training, which incorporates some form of challenge to challenge and grow your muscles, should be a crucial part of your exercises no matter where you are on your fitness path. Strength training can help you with a variety of things, including the following:
- Burn More Fat: Strength training can cause you to burn fat. As muscle is more metabolically vigorous than fat, it can help you burn more calories throughout the day.
- Avoid Injury:Strong muscles imply strong connective tissue and well-supported bones. All of this contributes to a body that can handle more stress than people who do not engage in weight training.
- Stay Young and Healthy:Strength training has been shown to improve blood pressure, bone health, cholesterol, low back pain, heart health, sleep, bone density, and symptoms of fibromyalgia and arthritis.
- Improve Mood:According to research, weight exercise can help lower anxiety and even battle depression by releasing feel-good endorphins.
Choosing the Right Workout
If you’re new to strength training, try to work with a personal trainer to help you get started, watch a video online, or take a class. A list of muscle groups and sample workouts is provided below. If you’re a novice, you simply need 1-2 exercises for each upper-body muscle group and 3-4 motions for the lower body.
- Biceps: Concentration Curls, Biceps Curls, Hammer Curls
- Abdominals: Reverse Crunches, Crunches, Pelvic Tilts
- Shoulders: Lateral Raise, Overhead Press, Front Raise
- Triceps: Dips, Triceps Extensions, Kickbacks
- Lower Body: Squats, Lunges, Leg Press, Calf Raises, Deadlifts
- Chest: Chest Press, Push-Ups, Bench Press
- Back: Back Extensions, One-Arm Row, Lat Pulldowns
Most experts recommend beginning with your larger muscle groups and working your way down to the smaller ones. Large muscle groups execute the most rigorous workouts, and smaller muscles can help you get the most out of these motions. Having said that, you can perform your workouts in whatever order you desire.
Strength Training Equipment
There are numerous weightlifting tools that may be utilized for strength training, each of which challenges your muscles to gain strength while also delivering distinct benefits. A well-rounded weightlifting routine will incorporate various types of resistance equipment to get the benefits of each. While this is not an entire list, here are some of the most typical types of strength training equipment:
- Barbells
- Dumbbells
- Kettlebells
- Medicine Balls
- Resistance Bands
- Sandbags
- Suspension Training Straps
- Weight Machines
- Weighted Vests
It’s worth noting that your own body weight can also be used as resistance during a strength training exercise. Bodyweight exercises, especially when you are just getting started, can be a fantastic method to focus on technique and form while also exercising your muscles.
Top Strength Training Exercise for Beginners
There are several strength training exercises out there, which is one of the reasons that beginners frequently feel overwhelmed. However, learning a few fundamental resistance exercises in the first few weeks will provide you with a solid foundation from which to learn other adaptations and advanced routines. Here are some of the top strength training moves you should practice as a beginner:
- Bird Dog
- Bulgarian Split Squats
- Calf Raises
- Chest Fly
- Chest Press/Bench Press
- Curls
- Deadlifts
- Dips
- Farmer’s Carries
- Forward and Reverse Lunges
- Hamstring Curls
- Overhead Presses
- Planks
- Pull-Ups
- Push-ups
- Reverse Fly
- Rows
- Squats
- Step-Ups
Strength Training Tips for Beginners
Learning how to lift weights correctly is essential for ensuring that your workouts build strength and improve your fitness. Some strength training tips for beginners include the following:
- Use a Spotter: When lifting weights, keep safety at the forefront of your thoughts at all times. If you’re going to attempt heavy lifts with barbells, dumbbells, or other free weights, work with a trainer or find a partner.
- Focus on Your Form: Proper form is not only important for avoiding injuries when strength training, but it also guarantees that the exercise is successful. Technique and form should always take precedence over weight and reps. Reduce the weight you are using if you can’t maintain proper form for all reps in a set, and stop if your form starts to break down throughout the set.
- Mix It Up: You’ll get the most out of your weightlifting sessions if you mix up the exercises, the type of resistance you employ, and the volume. Variety will help keep you entertained and engaged, preventing burnout and boredom.
- Be Consistent: Remember that even the strongest guys in your gym were once novices; be patient and take time to develop strength and technique. You’ll make it.