Strength training is gaining notoriety online as a popular fitness strategy for weight loss and building muscle mass. While you may have heard the term strength training, do you actually know what it is and how it can help you achieve your fitness goals? There is no one way to strength train, which means you can find the type of training that works for your body and your lifestyle. In this blog, we’ll explain the basics of what strength training is, some ways you can strength train, and how strength training can benefit you!
What Is Strength Training?
Strength training is a form of exercise that builds strength in your muscles through the use of weight or resistance. This resistance can come from your body weight, weight machines, medicine balls, resistance bands, or dumbbells. A common misconception about strength training is that the only way to strength train is to spend hours in the gym lifting free weights with the goal of looking like a bodybuilder. While that is one way to strength train, there are a variety of ways to execute it and there is no one appearance for someone who strength trains.
What Are The Benefits of Strength Training?
Bone & Joint Health
Strength training can help improve and protect bone and joint health by improving bone density and taking pressure off of the joints. Strengthened muscles take pressure off of joints and can relieve pain and improved bone density can help prevent injuries and osteoporosis.
Heart Health
Not only is strength training great for your bone and joint health but it’s great for your heart health as well! Strength training can help reduce your risk of heart disease and lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels.
Weight Management
Any physical activity can help with losing weight and preventing weight gain, especially when paired with a healthy diet. Strength training in particular builds muscle mass which can increase your metabolic rate thus leading to better weight management.
Reduces Risk of Injury
Strength training can help you avoid injury in a variety of ways. Strength training can improve your core and back muscles which can help reduce your risk of back injury. It also strengthens your muscles and tendons which can reduce your risk of general injury, as well as falls.
Daily Activities & Tasks
As you grow stronger through strength training, daily activities start to become easier. Whether it’s picking up your toddler, carrying groceries, working in the garden, taking stairs, or even just getting up from the couch, strength training can help make these activities easier. Strength training can help prepare your body for daily living tasks as you age, helping you continue to live an active and fulfilling life.
How Can I Strength Train?
As we’ve mentioned, there are many different ways to strength train. Everyone’s training routine can look different, but there are a few things to consider when looking at how to start strength training.
- Always warm up before you start
- Distribute your training evenly throughout the week
- Incorporate enough rest days into your training
- Choose exercises that reflect your goals
- Try more heavy sets with fewer reps for strength
- Try fewer moderate weight sets with higher reps for endurance
- Try more total reps with moderate to heavy weights for hypertrophy
- Try unilateral training, which focuses on single arm or leg movements
- Always take the time to stretch and recover after a workout
Can A Personal Trainer Help Me With Strength Training?
Yes, absolutely! At Advanced Kinetics Physical Therapy we offer personal training services to help you achieve all of your fitness goals! We offer these services at our locations in Falls Church and McLean, Virginia. You’re able to schedule your personal training sessions on our website via Vagaro or through the Vagaro app! If you’re interested in learning more about how our personal trainers can help you, please get in touch with us!
