Resistance training (which is also called strength training or weight training) is the utilisation of resistance to muscular contraction so that you can build the strength, anaerobic endurance as well as the size of skeletal muscles.
Resistance training is established on the principle that the body’s muscles will work in order to overcome a resistance force when they are needed to do so. When you do resistance training repeatedly as well as consistently, your muscles become stronger.
What Does A Well-Rounded Fitness Programme Include?
A well-rounded fitness programme includes:
- Strength training in order to improve joint function, bone density, muscle, tendon and ligament strength, in addition to
- Aerobic exercise to enhance your heart and lung fitness, flexibility, and
- Balance exercises.
It is recommended that adults perform muscle-strengthening activities on at least two days each week.
The thing about strength and resistance training is that you don’t get better during workouts. In actual fact, you get better in between. You should be giving yourself a day in between strength training in order to allow your body to recover as well as rebuild the muscle tissue from the stimulus of lifting or resistance.
What Are The Benefits Of Resistance Training?
There are countless benefits of resistance training. Research shows that these include:
- Better physical performance
- Improved ability to control bodily movements
- Faster walking speeds
- Reduced belly fat (which is also known as visceral fat)
- Enhanced brain functioning
- Higher self-esteem
It is further reported that resistance training offers disease and injury-related benefits also. For instance, it can assist in the prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Resistance training has also been linked to reducing lower back pain or pain that occurs with arthritis and fibromyalgia.
The Best Way Of Resistance Training
There are several diverse ways in which you can strengthen your muscles, whether it is at home or the gym. The different types of resistance training include the following:
- Free weights – classic strength training tools, for example dumbbells, barbells as well as kettlebells.
- Medicine balls or sandbags –balls or, alternatively, bags which are weighted.
- Weight machines – devices which have adjustable seats with handles that are attached either to weights or hydraulics.
- Resistance bands – such as giant rubber bands – which provide resistance when stretched. They are portable and may be adapted to most workouts. The bands offer continuous resistance throughout a movement.
- Suspension equipment – a training tool which uses gravity as well as the user’s body weight in order to complete various exercises.
- Your own body weight – may be used for squats, push-ups and chin-ups. Making use of your own bodyweight is convenient, especially when travelling or at work.
If you’re looking to add strength and resistance training to your workout routine then you have a lot of options. You absolutely don’t need a gym membership or costly weight machines. Squatting on a chair at home, push-ups, planks, or other exercises which require you to use your own body weight as resistance are very effective.
Contact Trifocus Fitness Academy
If you would like to discover additional information about resistance training – as well as other forms of exercise – then you need to do our Personal Training Diploma. Follow this link to find out more.
