Weight training strengthens your muscles, which better supports your bones and joints. If you choose to lift weights to build muscle, you can use dumbbells or weight machines. This allows you to overcome resistance to tear muscle fibers, which the body repairs with new fibers to increase your strength and muscle size. Whether you are a beginner or advanced at weight lifting, use a basic routine to work the body's major muscle groups. Be sure to check with your physician before beginning a weight-training program to ensure you are not at risk for any health problems.
Time Frame
Your weight lifting routine can last anywhere from 20 minutes to one hour, recommends Kids Health. Start with a five-minute warm-up of stretches and walking or jogging. The best weight lifting routine is one that trains two to three muscle groups with each session. This allows you to alternate your weight lifting routines. One day, you can lift weights for your chest, shoulders and triceps, and the next day, you can lift for your back and biceps. Because you should rest one day between workouts, alternating muscle groups helps you avoid muscle injury and strain. Finish with at least a five-minute cooldown.
Arm Exercises
Georgia State University recommends lifting each weight 8 to 12 times for two to three sets. The best arm exercises include bench presses, in which you lie on a weight bench with a weighted bar over your chest. Lift the bar and lower it toward your chest, then straighten the arms. You may wish to have a spotter to watch you in case the bar becomes too heavy to lift. With a lat pulldown, you sit on a weight machine and pull a bar down toward your shoulders. Other recommended exercises include the overhead press and bicep curls, which are performed with free weights.
Leg and Abdominal Exercises
Weight lifting exercises for the legs should work the quadriceps, hamstrings and buttocks muscles. Squats can be performed holding a dumbbell in each hand and bending the knees to lower the buttocks toward the ground. Leg extensions can be performed on a weight machine and involve overcoming weight to straighten the legs. A leg curl involves lying prone on your stomach on a leg curl machine, lifting the heels and overcoming the weight to lift toward the buttocks.
Lie on your back and place your hands behind your head to prepare for an abdominal crunch. Contract your abdominal muscles to lift the head and shoulders off the ground. Slowly lower yourself to your starting position -- you can hold weights in your hands and reach upward to increase the exercise's intensity.
Tips
Perform arm and leg weight lifting exercises at least three days per week, on nonconsecutive days, to experience the best muscle-building results. Consult a personal trainer or physical therapist to advise you on proper form and injury prevention, if needed. Watching your technique in a mirror or even observing other advanced exercisers at a gym can help you learn proper techniques. The right amount of weight is that which you can perform to failure, or muscle exhaustion, by repeating an exercise 8 to 12 times.
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