Essentials of Strength Training Routine

Article by Bill Burns

Strength training is not just for body builders and weight lifters, but for everyone who wants a healthy body. But first, what is strength training? It part of a balanced exercise routine which includes aerobic activity and flexibility exercises. Strength training increases muscle mass by making the muscles work harder than they’re used to. It can provide significant functional benefits and improvement in overall health and well-being. A lifelong training program is one of the best insurance policies for a better quality of life.

It is a progressive type of training where the force output is increased through incremental increase of weight, elastic tension or other resistance and the use of a variety of exercises and equipments to target specific groups of muscles. It should not be confused with bodybuilding, weightlifting and power lifting because these are sports and not forms of exercise although it is interconnected with these sports. Always remember to warm up before you start your routine and tone down after to prevent injuries to your muscles and bones. Do the most taxing exercises first in your routine and progress to the easy ones later as you finish your routine.

Essentials of Strength Training Routine

In developing a training routine, you have to take note that it is one of the trickiest part of a fitness program. The first rule is don’t strength train in successive days. Allow at least 24 to 36 hours of rest because strength gain is made during the rest time and if you do it in consecutive days, you will only strain and injure your muscles. While you can’t do strength training in consecutive days, it must be regular and consistent for the results to be seen. Second rule is you can’t spot reduce but you can spot tone. You can reduce overall body fat and you can spot tone a muscle group because it is possible to do target training on specific muscle group.

Next rule is to change the routine every 4 to 6 weeks. This will minimize boredom and also to prevent your body from developing a plateau. Make sure that every strength training workout is a challenging one. You can increase the intensity level every workout. Another rule is to make your routine according to your specific goal because specific goals have different sets and methods of exercises in order to produce optimal result. Know your specific goal before you make your routine. Make sure that the routine that you have made works out all the major muscle groups because leaving out even one muscle group will create an imbalance.

By following the above guide in making your routine, you should be able to draw up an effective routine that will be easy for you to follow and adjust accordingly. Having a routine that is made for your specific goals will produce maximum results and will maintain your muscle mass and strength throughout your active years.

Bill Burns is the author of this article on Essentials of Strength Training Routine Find more information about Strength Training Routine here.