It is not the fountain of youth, but the benefits of lifting weights comes close by delaying some of the effects of aging. Strength training builds and tones muscles, which enhances appearance and improves self-esteem. If you are beginning a weight lifting program, you also can expect several other perks: strong bones, reduced risk of disease or sustaining injury and the ability to burn calories more efficiently.
Get the Fundamentals
One of your first tasks when beginning a weight lifting program is to understand the fundamentals of strength training. These principles will explain the importance of proper form, why you need to train several times a week and why you must gradually increase the amount of stress on the body during exercise to get results.
Professional Guidance
Most fitness clubs offer members one free consultation in which a personal trainer teaches you how to use weight training machines. You should take advantage of this offering because it will give you the basics of weight training, and using weight machines is a good place for beginners to start. If you want to learn free weight exercises, you may have to hire a personal trainer. But the cost is worth the benefits of learning correct technique.
Develop a Routine
You will need to train each major muscle group two or three times a week in order to get the health-related benefits, according to the American College of Sports Medicine. Plus, a muscle group needs to rest 48 hours before you train it again. Developing a routine is beneficial and the options are numerous. With a whole body workout, you train all muscle groups--chest, back, abdominals, legs and arms--in one session. A split body workout divides the body into select muscle groups so that you train only a few of them in each session.
Compound Exercises
Focus on multi-joint or compound exercises because they affect more than one muscle group, ACSM advises. This will shave time off your workout and reduce the risk of over training. Examples of these exercises include the bench press, leg press, dips and shoulder press. You also should include some single-joint exercises, such as biceps curls, triceps extension, knee extension and leg curls. To improve muscular fitness, ACSM recommends training each muscle group for a total of two to four sets, with eight to 12 repetitions per set. You should rest two to three minutes between sets.
Keep a Log
Do not depend on your memory; instead, keep a weight training log to record your exercises, the amount of weight you lift and the number of repetitions. This will give you a constant baseline to evaluate your workouts. Over time, your motivation will explode as you chart your progress.
References
- American College of Sports Medicine: The Basics of Starting and Progressing a Strength-Training Program
- "ACSM's Guidelines for Exercise Testing and Prescription"; Walter R. Thompson, Ph.D., Neil F. Gordon, M.D. and Ph.D., and Linda S. Pescatello, Ph.D.; 2010
- "ACSM'S Resources for the Personal Trainer"; William R. Thompson, Ph.D., Barbara A. Bushman, Ph.D., Julie Desch, M.D., Len Kravitz, Ph.D.; 2010
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