Arguably the most popular form of exercise in fitness is strength training. This involves any and all kinds of weightlifting with the goal of becoming stronger and more muscular. Strength training is a fantastic way to get in shape, and it’s the main focus of many people’s fitness routines.
For a beginner, it can be a bit intimidating, but you don’t need to worry, because it’s just as simple as any other form of fitness. The best way to start strength training is to develop a schedule.
Many people do certain body parts on certain days so that they can break it up throughout the week, instead of doing one really long workout that’ll tire you out. How you break it up is entirely up to you, but most often you’ll see people pairing similar body parts, such as upper body or legs.
One of the most important things to note about strength training is that you should only do the weight that you feel good with. Form is the most important part of weightlifting, so don’t try to do some kind of weight that you’re not ready for yet.
It’s understandable that you might want to make those kinds of advancements sooner rather than later, but take it slow and just trust that you’ll get there. Otherwise, you’re putting yourself at risk for some pretty serious injuries, or at least some stares from the more experienced members of the gym for doing something silly.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help at the gym. So many people tend to get all caught up in their ego that they just try to figure it out for themselves, but sometimes a little bit of help can go a long way.
You’re not hiring a personal trainer to walk you through things, unless you want to, but you’re just asking for a 30 second piece of advice. It can even help get you somewhat integrated into the gym culture, which might make you feel more comfortable being there.
Be sure to give yourself days to rest between workouts. If you haven’t gotten into weightlifting before, you’ll soon discover that the day after a good workout you’ll be feeling very sore. Don’t worry, though.
It’s a good sign, meaning that your body’s muscles have been worked hard enough that they need to repair. When they do that, they come back larger and stronger, which is what leads to increased strength and increased muscle mass.
