Strength training is necessary for everyone to be truly fit, but it may not mean the same things to all people. Strength training can be accomplished by lifting weights, using resistance tubing, flipping tires, dragging or pushing heavy objects, using
Strength training is necessary for everyone to be truly fit, but it may not mean the same things to all people.
Strength training can be accomplished by lifting weights, using resistance tubing, flipping tires, dragging or pushing heavy objects, using resistance exercise machines, cables or kettle bells. I’m sure that there are other ways to train strength, as well — shot-putting, for example — but these are the main ones that we might think of for general application.
Strength training activities can be done in a gym, a specialized gym facility, at home if you have some type of equipment or some tubing, hotels or while traveling if you brought your resistance tubing along.
You can quite literally get a great strength workout in your own hotel room with just a 6-foot length of resistance tubing, while on business or while traveling. Rolls up easily to fit in your shoe while packing and you are ready for a workout anywhere!
Strength is an aspect of fitness that is important for function and daily activities of living. By lifting weights or using resistance tubing, you will not only improve your overall strength but also improve your balance and optimize your lean/fat body mass ratio.
Anyone who has ever had a broken bone or a limb that needed to be stabilized and not used for a time can vouch for the fact that muscles atrophy when not used and both size and strength need to be rebuilt.
It doesn’t take long to rebuild strength and size because it appears that “muscle has a memory.” However, if you have never worked on building your strength then you will be surprised how soon your strength will develop with a well-developed plan of action. The World Health Organization states that in addition to everyday aerobic exercise, people should practice strength training at least twice a week to be fit. Most people do strength training for fitness three or four times a week. Those who practice for ultimate strength usually train two or three times a week and only train specific muscle groups each session, so that they can recover and gain maximum strength.
For most of us, doing aerobic exercise and combining that with some weight training in the same session works well. You can train with weights up to six days a week but you just focus on fewer body parts each session.
For those of you who have never attempted to do resistance training before, there are some terms with which you may wish to familiarize yourself. Repetitions are the number of times you lift a weight in a set.
If you remember your grade school math you will remember the integers in a set. Same idea. The number of times you lift a weight in a given group is the repetitions, or reps, and the number of groups is the sets.
A good starting place for most people is to try to do 12 to 15 reps for one or two sets. That will limit the weight that you use. You don’t want to start too heavy.
Of course, if you have any medical condition or muscular issue you would want to talk to your health care practitioner about weight training first. It is always a good idea if you are new to the game to get a certified and professional fitness trainer who has experience in resistance training modalities.
Most people think that the contraction of the muscle while lifting weights is the important part of the exercise. Actually, it is the stretch phase that does the real work and that’s where your focus should be. Always lift or contract your muscles smoothly and rhythmically without a bounce or lurch, and allow the resistance to smoothly stretch out your muscles on the eccentric phase.
Warm up before resistance training by doing range of motion exercises. Mimic the moves you are planning to do during the main training.
Stretch out completely at the end of the session allowing your muscle to relax and stretch smoothly for at least 20 to 30 seconds in order to gain the most from your strength workout. No bounce. Just hold the stretch.
Looking forward to seeing a stronger you!
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Jane Riley, M.S., B.A., C.P.T., Certified Nutritional Adviser, can be reached at janerileyfitness@gmail.com, 212-1451 or www.janerileyfitness.com.
