Being physically fit comes in many different forms. Some people enjoy doing cardio by going on runs, biking, or engaging in similar types of high-energy exercise. Others enjoy doing exercises that focus on meditation and flexibility, like yoga or tai chi.
However, there’s another category that sometimes gets left out of the conversation: weight training. Weight training is a key exercise regimen to improve muscle strength and build muscle mass when you’re working out. Finding a good workout program and the right resistance trainer equipment can be rough at first, but when you’re finally able to figure out what works best for you, then you’re on your way to being a weight training pro!
What is Weight Training?
In short, weight training is strength training, but it’s a kind of strength training that uses weights for resistance. Weight training helps you build up your muscles to help you get stronger so that over time, you can lift heavier and heavier amounts of weight as you go.
Think of weight training the same way you imagine long-distance running. When you first start out running, you may only be able to run a mile before you aren’t able to continue anymore. However, the more you run, the longer and longer your runs will become and the easier it’ll be for you to complete them. Weight training is much the same. As you work and build your muscles, you’ll be able to do more with more weight as you go.
Good resistance trainer tools are different weight machines, free weights, barbells, dumbbells, and more. You can even do weight training using unconventional tools like sandbags, medicine balls, sledgehammers, and more! Just be sure not to bring your sledgehammer to the gym, because that might just get you kicked out… no matter how cool it looks.
There are a few different ways to incorporate weight training into your workout routine, like HIIT weight training and boxing weight training, but you don’t need to start there. Working up to do more intense workouts is just fine if you’re just getting started.
Why is Resistance Training Important for Your Workout?
Just like with other types of exercise, weight training is beneficial to your health overall. By incorporating weight training into your daily exercise regimen, you’ll be able to reduce your body fat, promote good heart health, and increase your strength. You’ll be surprised at how much you’ll be able to lift once you’ve been doing strength training exercises for a while!
Plus, adding weight training or a resistance trainer to your workout can just make your everyday life easier. You’ll be amazed at how some of your most basic tasks like carrying groceries, changing your cat’s litter, or carrying your children around are so much easier once you’ve built up strength and more muscle mass.
Additionally, strength training is the ideal exercise regimen to follow if you’re wanting to tone and sculpt your muscles. Once you’ve lost enough weight and have been practicing weight training exercises for a solid amount of time, you’ll notice that your legs, arms, and other muscles will start to become sculpted. Nice!
Good Weight Training Techniques
When you’re just starting, you need to make sure that you’re learning from someone who knows the ropes. A resistance trainer or a weight trainer is a great place to start. Before you start going it alone, a resistance trainer is going to be able to show you the proper technique so that you know what you’re doing, what your goal should be, and how not to injure yourself. Doing exercises wrong can cause you more harm than good!
Warm Up
Before you get started with any workout, you should always warm up to loosen your muscles and get them ready for exercise. If you don’t warm up, you have a higher chance of injuring yourself, and nobody wants to deal with that. Warming up doesn’t need to be difficult–five minutes of jumping jacks or power walking on the treadmill should be enough.
Start Slowly
When you’re just getting started, or even if you’re a pro starting a different move, you should always start slowly. In the beginning, you may be able to only do one repetition or only lift a few pounds at a time. And that’s okay!
Any progress that you’re making is still progress, no matter how slow it may feel. You don’t want to work your way up to lifting heavier weights or struggling through more repetitions if you still find the small weights challenging. Don’t feel embarrassed or discouraged. You’ll get there in no time!
Know How Much Weight You Should Use
The weight that you use when doing weight training should be enough to wear you out, but not enough to cause you harm. The weight you use should be difficult to pick up, but shouldn’t strain you as you try to lift it. Trying to lift too much weight too early can cause serious injury, so be careful. If you aren’t sure you know what you’re doing, a personal trainer can help.
Rest
When someone talks about exercising, have you ever heard them say something like “it’s leg day” or “it’s arm day”? That’s because these gym-goers know that taking a break between exercising each different part of your body is important!
Taking a rest day doesn’t mean that you can’t go to the gym. If you like being active, then getting out and going to the gym for a run can be a great way to clear your head. What taking a “rest day” means is taking a rest from working out that particular part of your body. For example, many people will focus on their arms one day, and their legs the next, to give themselves a day of rest in-between to not overly strain their muscles.
Rest days are just as important as workout days. Switching up the body parts you focus on is a great way to ensure that you’re not accidentally causing yourself too much harm by being a little overzealous.
Who Should Do Resistance Training?
Interested in resistance training? Getting started is easy! Whether you’re young and love going to the gym and being active, or a mom who feels like they need a little extra help to carry their kids, or an older who wants to improve his mobility to make getting his groceries easier, resistance training is for everyone.
Weight training can look different for everyone. If you’re a big cardio person, then you might enjoy something like HIIT weight training, which combines cardio-heavy HIIT (high-intensity interval training) training with aspects of resistance training. Or, if you’re wanting to try something new, then boxing weight training might be your thing.
Whatever it is that you want to do, the important thing is getting up and being active, and resistance training is a great way to do this.
Pulse Boxing and Fitness
If you’re interested in getting involved with weight and resistance training, then Pulse Boxing and Fitness have an excellent array of activities and classes to choose from to get you started. We’ll be able to hook you up with a resistance trainer to help you learn the ropes, or you can join one of our classes to help you get a taste of what to expect. Whatever you do, we’re just glad that you’re deciding to get up, get active, and get healthy.