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Start Weight Training Today, You'll Be Glad You Did!

Most of us are aware of the need to exercise.  Most of what you hear about exercise is focused on aerobic training, which leads to fat burning.  I’m a strong believer in aerobic exercise and love to sweat, but have recently added weight training to my routine.

Unfortunately, lean muscle decreases as we age.  If nothing is done, i.e. adding strength training, the lost muscle gets replaced with fat.  This is just part of the natural process of aging.  Weight training can reverse the trend, regardless of your age while at the same time making you stronger, increasing your flexibility and bone density while also helping you lose or maintain your weight.

Weight training, strength training or resistance training are all terms used interchangeably to refer to the use of weights for resistance.  This type of training challenges your muscles by breaking down the fibers and building them back up, stronger.  The use of weights typically includes free weights, weight machines, barbells, resistance bands and dumbbells.

People often think starting a weight training program is time consuming and complain they don’t have the time.  Truth be told, strength training doesn’t take hours of time and if done correctly will show great results in less time than you think.  For most folks, 20 to 30 minutes, three times a week is sufficient to see significant results.

How can you best make use of the time you spend strength training in the gym?  I’ll let you in on a one-word secret – “technique.”

Weight training can be a waste of time if not done properly.  Not only that but improper technique is the leading cause of injuries such as sprains, torn ligaments, strains and fractures.

Here are some basic principles to guide you to the best results possible:

Take the time to learn the proper technique.  If you’re new to strength training, hire a professional fitness trainer.  With just a few sessions with a personal trainer, you can learn proper technique that will make your workouts count and prevent injury.

Do fewer repetitions, and make everyone count.  Proper form is the most important part of strength training, not the number of reps.   Fewer reps with more weight, done correctly is the recipe for success.

Use the correct weight.  Use a weight that when you’re done with your set of 12 to 15 reps, you’re just able to finish the last one without muscle failure.

Take your time and start slow.  This is a marathon not a sprint.  Give your muscles time to get used to this new form of exercise.  Whatever you do, don’t go all out the first day, you will be sorry tomorrow and even more sorry the next day and may end up never returning to the gym.  Begin with lifting only a small amount of weight.  Once you can easily do 12 to 15 reps with a particular weight, gently increase the amount you lift.  You will be surprised how quickly you gain strength.

Be sure to rest.  Your muscles need time to recover; depriving them of rest will do more damage than good.  Take one full day of rest for each major muscle group.  I tend to work upper body every other day and legs the other day.

Change it up.  I like doing different exercises, not sticking with the same old thing day after day.  I will occasionally work with different personal trainers to get ideas on different ways to work the same muscles.  Go online or buy a book that has different types of exercises for specific muscle groups.

Take it outside.  I live in a part of the country where it snows from November to May so once the snow melts I love to get out of the gym and do my workouts outside.   Grab a couple of dumbbells and use them outside.  Use low cement or brick walls to do step ups for your legs.  Do pushups on walls or rocks, find a neighborhood playground and do pull ups or play on the monkey bars.  You’ll be surprised how easy it is to compensate for the equipment you use in the gym and how a change of scenery can motivate you to workout harder.

One thing is for sure; you’ll be happy tomorrow that you started today!