Essentials Of Strength Training

Strength training is an important component of fitness that often gets overlooked. Many people are aware that aerobic exercise and a well balanced diet is important in order to achieve and maintain health. While aerobic exercise is necessary for cardiovascular health and provides many other benefits, it doesn't train and strengthen muscles. Strength training should be incorporated into any fitness plan not only because it builds and maintains muscle strength, but for the many other benefits it provides.

Strength training builds and strengthens muscle mass and muscular endurance. Muscle mass is important because muscles burn calories. Muscles affect the body's metabolism because they are able to burn calories at a higher rate than fat. The more muscles a person has the more efficient their body is at burning calories. Strength training is therefore an important key needed to maintain weight. It also provides other useful benefits to an individual's health such as improving blood pressure, increasing bone density, improving metabolism, balance, flexibility, and coordination, and improving body composition. Strength training has also been shown to elevate moods and relieve stress.

There are many different forms of strength training currently available. The most popular is resistance or weight training. Other types include plyometrics, sprinting, pilates, yoga, and martial arts. The form that people are most familiar with is weight training. Weight training uses either free weights or stationary weights to build strength and increase the size of the muscle. It's important to remember when beginning a strength training regimen that each person's body is unique and a program should be designed around an individual's needs. A person should also consult their physician before starting a training program to better asses what their specific needs are.

There is a basic guideline to any strength training regimen; exercises should be performed at least 2-3 times a week. The same muscle groups should never be worked 2 days in a row so it's important to wait 48 hours between workouts. Weight lifting causes microscopic tears in the muscles requiring an adequate amount of time for them to rebuild themselves. Safety is key when performing strength training exercises. It's important to maintain a moderate slow speed and to perform the exercise with controlled movements in order to prevent injury. It's also important to have a spotter when using heavier weights. Any strength training program should also include exercises that use the main regions of the body: the lower body, upper body, and abdominals.

Generally, a person should be able to see results within a few weeks after beginning their program. Results will be maximum when strength training is combined with aerobic exercise and a well balanced diet.