Basic Weight Training For Everyone

Many people new to the fitness world are intimidated by weight training and feel that it is for more advanced athletes or body builders. I have had a lot of women (and men) tell me they don't want to get "bulky" or too big. This is not the result of weight or strength training unless you train to get bigger. weight training is paramount to overall health and fitness and has many benefits:

• Not only does strength training increase your physical work capacity, it also improves your ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL’s).  You will be able to work harder and longer with the proper weight training activities.
• It improves bone density.  One of the best ways you can control bone loss as you age is to add strength training into your workout plan.
• It promotes fat-free body mass with decreasing sarcopenia.  The lean muscle mass that we all work so hard for decreases with age.  If we don’t add strength training to our routine then it will turn into fat. 
• It Increases the strength of connective tissue, muscles, and tendons. This leads to improved motor performance and decreased injury risk.
• It improves your quality of life as you gaining body confidence.  Strength training will not only make you strong, but will also help with managing your weight.    

I have had many clients tell me they wanted to add weight training to their regimen, but didn't know where to start and didn't want to look foolish. I encourage everyone to:

• Do some research - All the information is out there for the taking. There are endless articles, workout plans, studies, weight training videos, etc. just a google search away.
• Ask people - There are two parts to the (growing) popularity of gyms and fitness centers - getting fit and socialization. Most people are very eager to talk about what exercises they're trying, what has worked for them in the past, what diet their trying, etc.
• Consult a professional - Personal trainers are there for this reason. Many people use trainers so they are held accountable for working out. Many people use trainers for motivation and to "take them to the next level". Most people use personal trainers to learn how to properly perform with training exercises.
• Use the free training session offered at your gym - most gyms offer an introductory training session when you start your membership. USE IT! this can get you started with some exercises.

Weight training is a safe form of exercise when the movements are controlled and carefully defined. However, as with any form of exercise, improper execution and the failure to take appropriate precautions can result in injury.

It is important to stay hydrated and to use proper form when weight training. I hurt my lower back a couple years ago and quickly learned that it is not important how much you're lifting. It is all about being able to come back tomorrow and do it again. An injury can take you out for a few weeks and completely disrupt your progress.

• Maintain proper form - When the exercise becomes difficult towards the end of a set, there is a temptation to cheat, i.e., to use poor form to recruit other muscle groups to assist the effort. This may shift the effort to weaker muscles that cannot handle the weight.
• Stretching and Warming - Weight trainers commonly spend 5 to 20 minutes warming up their muscles before starting a workout. It's common to stretch the entire body to increase overall flexibility; however, many people stretch just the area being worked that day. The main reason for warming up is injury prevention. Warming up increases blood flow and flexibility, which lessens the chance of a muscle pull or joint pain.
• Breathing - Breathing shallowly or holding one's breath while working out limits the oxygen supply to the muscles and the brain, decreasing performance and, under extreme stress, risking a black-out or a stroke by aneurysm. You should consciously "exhale on effort" and to inhale when lowering the weight. This technique ensures that the trainer breathes through the most difficult part of the exercise, where one would reflexively hold one's breath.
• Hydration - As with other sports, weight trainers should avoid dehydration throughout the workout by drinking sufficient water, even while not thirsty. Unless you are sweating to an extreme degree, being thirsty is not a sign that you have already become dehydrated. However, if an athlete relies on thirst alone for when and how much to drink, it may lead to their becoming dehydrated. This is particularly true in hot environments, or for those older than 65