Steps to Starting Strength Training or Resistance Training

 

We all have some sort of goal we’re trying to achieve, whether it’s losing weight, building muscle, or increasing our endurance. In order to get there, you have to build a solid foundation through strength training (or resistance training). But where do you start? How do you get started? This article will give you the information and tools you need to get going with strength training (or resistance training) successfully so that you can make continuous progress toward your goals. The three steps are as follows...

1) Decide What You Want

There are a few things you want to decide before starting strength training. First, what is your goal? Is your goal to lose weight, get stronger, build muscle mass, or all of the above? Weightlifting is a great way to increase lean muscle mass and burn calories. But it can be challenging if you're just starting out. If you're new to strength training, start with light weights and high reps while focusing on technique. Once you've gotten used to how the exercises feel, gradually move up in weight as well as intensity by adding more sets. As for resistance training, use machines that work multiple muscles at once so that you can keep good form throughout the exercise. For example, on an incline chest press machine, push against two pads that apply resistance as opposed to pushing against just one pad in an isolation exercise like bicep curls. And if you're looking to lose weight, focus on cardio rather than resistance training because cardio burns more calories per minute than resistance training.

2) Choose What Type of Exercise You Will Do

I'm no expert, but I can tell you what's worked for me. Here's what I do: 

-Lift heavy weights two times per week. 

-Do a high intensity interval training workout three times per week. 

-Do a full body strength training workout one time per week. I also focus on the major muscle groups by including exercises like squats, pushups, deadlifts, pull ups, bench press and so on in my workouts. You may find that your workouts are different than mine; however there are some basic principles that will apply to everyone: 

-Train hard with intense effort for a short period of time (less than an hour). 

-Work out your whole body in each session. 

-Use free weights or weight machines at the gym and not just machines or cardio equipment. 

-Focus on compound movements (i.e., those that work more than one muscle group) rather than isolation movements (i.e., those that work only one muscle group). 

-Add variety to your routine by changing the order of exercises from day-to-day, vary the type of reps you do, try different sets and reps ranges, change up tempo, alter rest periods between sets etc. Once again this is all just what has worked for me, it's not gospel! Just get started with something and then tweak it as needed based on how your body responds.

3) Learn the Basics

The first thing you'll want to do is learn the basics. Start with a weight that's easy enough for you to lift, but not so light that it doesn't challenge your muscles. Next, perform one set of eight repetitions of an exercise like a bicep curl or a chest press. Rest for about two minutes and then repeat the set. If you're still feeling strong, add weights and/or reps until you feel challenged again. For example, if you were doing bicep curls at 10 pounds for 12 reps on your second set, try adding five pounds and see if that's too much. You can also try going up in sets of five pounds instead of ten in order to make sure you have more chances to recover before hitting failure. Exercise Tip: Make sure to move slowly through each movement and don't rush it - this will help reduce injury risk while also maximizing muscle gains! To start off, use the rule of thumb no pain, no gain as a guideline when determining how many repetitions you should be performing per set. Your strength training routine should be intense but manageable; always listen to what your body is telling you when it comes time to increase weight or reps. As long as you're listening and understanding your body's needs, all roads lead to muscle growth!