| For a complete healthy lifestyle, you must include | | | | overstrides when walking. If you're going to |
| strength training into your weekly schedule.There | | | | strength train, you must take the total body |
| are many benefits to strength training, including | | | | approach. The muscle groups that you have to be |
| increased muscle mass, bone strength, and fat | | | | concerned with are the neck, chest, back, abs, |
| burning ability.However, these are only side | | | | and legs. You can do a total body workout every |
| benefits. The main objective to strength training is | | | | other day, or concentrate on one or two muscle |
| to keep your body strong and able as long as | | | | groups each day.Strength training tip 6 - perform |
| possible throughout your lifespan.Below are some | | | | 3 sets of 10 reps |
| strength training tips that you should | | | | This means that you'll lift a weight 10 times, |
| follow.Strength training tip 1 - strength train often | | | | which will equal 1 set, rest for a minute or two, |
| Maintaining your strength requires that you | | | | then repeat the process until you complete 3 |
| perform strength training sessions often, and to | | | | sets. This is a general rule of course, as it |
| be consistent. You don't have to strength train | | | | provides your muscles with a balance between |
| everyday, but don't go weeks between sessions. | | | | strength training, endurance training, toning, and |
| Performing each session 1 or 2 days apart is | | | | sizing. Some people like to concentrate on building |
| sufficient.Strength training tip 2 - warm up before | | | | strength and size by adding more weight and |
| your each session | | | | performing less reps, 5 for example. Some people |
| Before you put your body into action, you need | | | | like to concentrate on toning and endurance |
| to prep your muscles and joints properly. Perform | | | | training by lifting less weight and performing many |
| a light warm up session to deliver nutrients and | | | | reps, 15-20 for example. If you're just starting |
| oxygen to your muscles and loosen your joints. | | | | out, use the 3 x 10 rule. There's no need to get |
| This helps increase performance and prevent | | | | fancy at this time.Strength training tip 7 - use |
| injuries. To warm up, do some light cardio | | | | proper breathing techniques |
| exercise for five to ten minutes. Alternatively, | | | | When strength training, your body has an |
| using very light weights, you can perform 3 sets | | | | increased need for oxygen. This is especially true |
| of 10 reps with primary muscles that are going to | | | | during a set, when the muscles are being fatigued |
| be used.Strength training tip 3 - stretch | | | | with each rep. To provide your body with a fresh |
| To further enhance performance and prevent | | | | supply oxygen, breathe in on the way down (the |
| injury, you should stretch your muscles before, | | | | lengthening part), and out on the way up (the |
| during, and after your strength training sessions. | | | | shortening part). Don't ever hold your breath, as it |
| Lifting is only one part of strength training. The | | | | may cause you to faint, or it may cause a hernia |
| other part of strength training is flexibility. Many | | | | from the pressure.Strength training tip 8 - quality |
| people ignore the flexibility aspect of strength | | | | is better than quantity |
| training because it is not as apparent as hoisting | | | | To train your muscles properly, you need to |
| up weights. However, if you only concentrate on | | | | perform high quality reps. Many people think that |
| the lifting aspect, you only strengthen the muscles | | | | the more reps they do the better. However, this |
| in one direction. By not strengthening your | | | | may not be necessarily true. Take the people |
| muscles in the other direction by stretching, you | | | | who do hundreds of sit ups, say 250 for example, |
| can pull or tear them, causing a lot of damage. | | | | to get that six pack. Many times, they just want |
| After your warm up, stretch your primary | | | | to get the set over with, so they do fast, |
| muscles until you feel loose enough to begin your | | | | incomplete, out of form, poor quality reps. After a |
| session. Stretch in between sets to stay lose, and | | | | couple weeks of this approach they see little or |
| stretch after your session for proper | | | | no results. They could have saved themselves |
| recovery.Strength training tip 4 - perform | | | | lots of time and energy by doing 25 high quality |
| multi-muscle, multi-joint exercises first | | | | reps instead. When strength training, perform |
| The best way to start your workout is to start | | | | your reps slowly. Go all the way up on a 3 second |
| with the core lifts. These lifts, such as the bench | | | | count, squeeze at the top, and all the way down |
| press, pull up, and squat, involve the movement | | | | on another 3 second count. Don't swing, and |
| of many muscles and joints in the same routine. | | | | concentrate on using only the muscles that the lift |
| Because of this, and the fact that you can | | | | was intended for. Finally, remember to use proper |
| actually lift more weight with these routines, they | | | | breathing techniques.Strength training tip 9 - get |
| provide the most muscle building potential. Doing | | | | enough rest and replenish |
| these lifts first also prevents injury because it | | | | Some experts say that strength training is not |
| ensures that all muscles involved are fresh and | | | | so much a matter of lifting a ton of weight as it |
| are able to balance the weight properly. Doing | | | | is a matter of the body's ability to recover. In a |
| tricep extensions before bench presses for | | | | way, this may be true. Here's what I mean: when |
| example, is extremely dangerous. Your shoulders | | | | you strength train, you create micro-tears in your |
| and chest may be able to bear the weight, but | | | | muscles. Also, lactic acid builds up in the muscles, |
| your triceps may be too weak, causing you to | | | | which causes the normal soreness and tightness |
| drop the bar on your chest (This is exactly what | | | | after a workout. When the body is allowed to |
| happened to me when I first started out). So | | | | repair itself after each workout, it in essence |
| remember, do core lifts first and isolation lifts | | | | "becomes stronger" by repairing and building over |
| after.Strength training tip 5 - take a total body | | | | micro-tears with more muscle, and increasing its |
| approach and shun spot training | | | | ability to remove lactic acid from the body. To |
| Balance is key. This is probably the golden rule of | | | | allow your body to recover, you must give |
| strength training. Many people make the mistake | | | | yourself enough time to rest and replenish. Take |
| of over emphasizing one part of the body. They | | | | a day off in between sessions. Get some sleep, |
| say things like, "all I want to do is work on my | | | | drink plenty of water, and eat plenty of complex |
| abs." This not only can lead to having a body that | | | | carbs and protein.Ark Agpalza has dedicated more |
| looks out of proportion, but can also lead to | | | | than 10 years to the cause of healthy living, and is |
| serious injury. For example, if you strength train | | | | the author of the online publication Free Health |
| your abs but ignore your back, you can eventually | | | | and Fitness Tips.For more health and fitness |
| pull or tear your back muscles on one of your ab | | | | resources, visit |
| sessions, or when picking something up. Another | | | | Free-Health-and-Fitness-Tips.comYou may |
| common mistake people make is do leg | | | | republish this article in its entirety and without |
| extensions to strengthen the quadriceps (front of | | | | changes to the original content on your own |
| the leg), but not do leg curls to strengthen the | | | | website as long as you provide a link to |
| hamstrings (back of the leg). This often leads to a | | | | Free-Health-and-Fitness-Tips. |
| pulled or torn hamstring when they run, or simply | | | | |