What is strength training? Strength training refers to the use of resistance to increase strength, endurance or size of muscles. This can be achieved with different forms of resistance such as gravity against your own bodyweight, resistance bands or tubing, free weights or weight machines.
If you want to lose body fat or change the way your body looks, one of the most important things you can do is lift weights. Some of the many other benefits of strength training include:
- Raising your metabolism.
- Strengthening your bones
- Increasing your muscular strength or endurance
- Improving coordination and balance
The basic philosophy behind strength training lies in the handling of the number of repetitions, the number of sets, the tempo at which the repetitions occur, the various exercises and the amount of weight used to cause the desired changes in strength, size or endurance. The muscles are overloaded with a greater than normal stress or load on the body and adaptation takes place.
The specific combinations of reps, sets, exercises, resistance and force depend on the individual’s goals. If your goal is to gain strength you will want to do 4-6 repetitions per set, 3-6 sets per exercise, using 80% of your one-rep maximum (defined as the amount of weight you can lift one time for a particular exercise), you will want to rest at least two minutes between sets; if your goal is size, you will want to do 6-12 repetitions per set, 4-7 sets per exercise, using 70% of your one-rep maximum, you will want to rest at least two minutes between sets; if your goal is muscular endurance, you will want to do 15+ repetitions per set, 2-4 sets per exercise, using 60% of your one-rep maximum, you will want to rest only 1-2 minutes between sets.
Obviously, I have oversimplified many of the concepts of strength training for the sake of comprehension and easy reading. It is my hope that over the course of my writings I will be able to explain in further detail the principles behind weight training. But the crux of strength training is with overload comes adaptation or change. Do you incorporate strength training into your fitness program? Is your goal to increase muscular endurance, strength or size? What is your favorite strength training workout? Inquiring minds want to know.
