Weightlifting exercises incorporate multiple body parts to work together, often coordinating movement between your lower and upper body. Moving multiple body parts together also increases intensity, which helps you burn more calories than just isolating one muscle. Weightlifting is often performed from a standing position, which strengthens your entire body and improves torso and hip stability, says strength coach Gray Cook, author of "Athletic Body in Balance."
Benefits
Weightlifting increases muscle mass which helps you increase fat metabolism. By performing weightlifting workouts with your entire body, you increase size, strength and stability in many muscle groups, which saves you time and maximizes your effort in your workouts. Weightlifting also engages your stabilizers -- muscles that are close to your joints -- to keep your body in alignment and to prevent injury when you move. It also keeps your workout from becoming boring since there are many ways to move with different types of equipment, such as kettlebells, dumbbells, cable machines and sandbags.
Supersets
A superset is performing two exercises that work opposing movement patterns without rest between exercises. This allows one muscle group to rest while the opposing group works, according to the National Academy of Sports Medicine. For example, you can perform a set of kettlebell deadlifts or squats, followed by a set of shoulder press or standing dumbbell rows. Rest for no more than one minute and perform two more supersets.
Interval Training
Interval training is performing a series of exercises at a high-intensity for a short period of time followed by a short period of rest between exercises. This improves your stamina and burns more calories in less time, says Coach Robert dos Remedios, author of "Cardio Strength Training." You can choose four to six lifting exercises, perform each exercise for 20 to 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds between sets. For example, perform kettlebell swings for 30 seconds and rest for 30 seconds. Then perform perform dumbbell squat presses for 30 seconds and rest for another 30 seconds. Repeat this exercise pattern for all exercises. You may also incorporate non-weightlifting exercises, such as rope jumping or throwing a medicine ball, with interval training.
Circuit Training
Circuit training is performing a series of exercises -- usually between five to eight exercises -- that train different movement patterns or body parts without rest between exercises. This method is similar to interval training, although the exercise intensity is not as high as interval training. Otherwise, you may find it very challenging to perform a number of exercises consecutively without rest. This method of training is ideal for beginners or for those who need to condition for muscular endurance, says Coach Remedios. For example, you can perform five exercises in your full-body workout: dumbbell squats, standing shoulder presses, kettlebell swings, bent-over dumbbell rows and kettlebell deadlifts. Perform 20 to 30 seconds of each exercise and rest for no more than two minutes after you have performed all five exercises. Then repeat the circuit two more times. You can change the order of the exercises that you do or the amount of weight you use.
References
- "NASM Essentials of Personal Fitness Training"; Michael Clark; 2007
- "Cardio Strength Training"; Robert dos Remedios; 2009
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
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