How to Get the Most Benefit From Strength Training
Strength training increases muscle mass and, over time, helps you to get stronger and improve your performance. It also helps reduce your risk of injury when used to help with recovery from sports injuries or illness. However, if you are new to exercise or have any health concerns, consult your doctor or physiotherapist before beginning a strength training program.
Before starting your program, it is important to warm up for about five minutes by doing some light cardio activity such as cycling or rowing, and stretching for the muscles you are about to exercise. This helps prevent injury by getting blood flowing to the muscles and making them more pliable.
A trained fitness instructor or gym staff can help you with your strength-training programme. They can guide you through the correct technique and demonstrate how to use equipment safely. They can also help you to learn the best exercises for your needs, including those that address specific sporting goals or conditions.
In a strength-training session strength training Orland CA, the goal is to do as many repetitions of an exercise as you can without fatigue or pain. Your trainer will help you to set a target number of repetitions for each exercise, known as your one-repetition maximum (1RM). This is the heaviest weight that you can lift for just one repetition with good form. This is a useful measure of your current strength and can be tracked as you progress through a strength-training program.
To get the most benefit from a strength-training session, you should aim for about two to three sets of 8 to 12 repetitions per exercise. However, the optimum range varies from person to person.
Generally, you should aim to do a few sets of each major muscle group two to three times a week. For example, a chest, shoulders and triceps workout in session one, a back, biceps and abdominal muscles workout in session two and a leg-based workout in session three.
You can make your sessions more challenging by gradually increasing the amount of resistance or the number of repetitions. The optimum weight for each exercise differs, but the general rule is to choose a weight that tires the targeted muscle or muscles by the last few repetitions. It is also important to maintain good form when working with weights and varying the exercise tempo (for example counting to three while lowering an arm and then counting to three to return it to its starting position).
You can level up your workouts at home by adding equipment such as free weights, hand weights, a suspension trainer like a TRX and/or resistance bands. These are easy to store and can be used in the privacy of your own home. You can also find a range of free weights and suspension trainers at most fitness retailers. For safety, always use equipment under supervision and never exceed the recommended maximum loads for each exercise.
