By: Deb Klafter
Having trouble getting motivated or reaching your goals? Strength training can be a useful tool for achieving success. There are many misconceptions surrounding strength training and, in this article, I will attempt to dispel some of those myths.
Strength training has endless benefits and should be used by everyone, from the old to the young. While anyone can pick up a weight, it’s important that they are given the proper guidance and instruction to avoid injury and maximize their results. People really need to want to change, not only their bodies, but their lives as well. Discovering the benefits of strength training can be a life changing event!
Becoming physically fit involves many different components, but the two main factors leading to a healthy body are a healthy diet and exercise. I will touch on the topic of strength training because I believe it is one of the foundations of good health. Most types of physical activity have benefits. Strength training, or anaerobic exercise, will help to support your bones and muscles for all activities. Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise is important, but needs to be supplemented with strength training.
A good combination of aerobic and anaerobic exercise is the best approach for losing weight and getting into shape. It’s common to see the same people at the gym doing the same aerobic workouts every day, but failing to incorporate strength training into their workouts. Not only will repetition of the same aerobic exercises become boring for people, but it will be more difficult for them to achieve results until they add weight training into their workout. Many people fail to realize that weight training is a big calorie burner and muscles use more energy, and take up less space, than fat.
Some people, especially women, have the fear that lifting weights will cause them to bulk up like a bodybuilder. Unless you’re a power lifter and perform extremely heavy workouts, this is far from the truth. Strength training shapes the body, unlike aerobic exercise which may reduce the size of the body, but will not change its shape.
Many people believe that they have to spend hours in the gym to get the results they want, but it should only take about 5 hours of aerobic and anaerobic exercise per week! When lifting weights it is important that you push yourself to your full potential. If you don’t, then you’re wasting your time. People will realize gains from weight lifting when they shock their muscles with high intensity, which causes the muscle fiber to break down and grow back bigger and stronger.
However, high intensity doesn’t mean blindly walking into the gym and lifting the heaviest weight, but instead, working out with slow controlled movements. To reach that high intensity level, I try to channel the feelings of stress and anger that everyone experiences in day-to-day life. If you can channel that energy into your workouts, you will become amazed at what you can accomplish. Channeling your negative energy into your workout will also help to manage stress.
Finally, it is also crucial that muscles are allowed to rest, because this is the period in which they grow. For that reason, I recommend that clients lift weights 2-3 times per week, and take rest days in between. Many people are unaware of their full capabilities. Weights may be an unfamiliar territory or even scary for some, but once they learn and see the benefits of strength training, they may become hooked! Pushing yourself to the limits and discovering your full potential can be one of the most rewarding experiences. Seeing your body make a positive transformation will only inspire you to continue.
Deb Klafter is an NSCA certified personal trainer with Believe Fitness. Deb specializes in weight loss management, sport-specific conditioning, strength training, TRX Suspension Training. You can reach
Deb at Believefitness08@yahoo.com
