Taking up weight training as part of your effort to lose weight is a smart way to help you reach your goals. Not only does weight training help tone your muscles and increase your overall strength, it also burns more than 270 calories per hour for a 200-lbs. person, for example. Before you hit the weight room, familiarize yourself with some weight-training fundamentals to make your experience effective and enjoyable.
Weight Room Etiquette
If you work out at a gym or fitness center, where you share the space with others, take certain things into consideration during your workout. Always carry a towel with you. After using a machine or piece of fitness equipment, wipe down its seat or bench, as well as any handlebars or grips. When using free weights, avoid dropping them after finishing a set. Place them gently on the floor instead, and return the weights to their proper slot on the rack. Limit the amount of time you take on a machine when someone else is waiting to use it. If you still need the machine, allow the person to work in, switching between sets. Finally, never bring your mobile phone into a workout space. Save personal calls for when you're alone.
Lifting Technique
Using poor form when lifting weights could keep you from reaching your weight-loss and fitness goals. As a beginner, focus your attention on proper form more than on the amount of weight or number of sets and repetitions. Take the time to execute every exercise perfectly, and learn when to inhale and exhale during push or pull motions.
Never use momentum when weight training. Engage weight only through the contraction of your muscles. Relying on momentum to help complete a repetition could lead to injury. Use less weight in the beginning, and work your way up.
Range of Exercises
The weight room offers a host of machines and workout stations. Each is designed to target a set of muscles by isolating a body part. This benefits you as someone who wants to lose weight. Get to know what each machine does and whether the exercise contributes to your objective. For instance, if you are looking to tone your midsection, you would want to incorporate exercises such as machine abdominal crunches and cable crunches rather than squats or calf raises.
Personal Trainers
Newcomers to weight training often turn to personal trainers to help guide them in the right direction. Most fitness studios have several personal trainers. A trainer will first assess your overall fitness and review your medical history. He can then tailor a weight-training program to your specific goals. The trainer also teaches you how to lift weights using good form. Before signing an agreement, be sure your personal trainer is certified by a reputable health and fitness organization and is able to provide references.
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