7 Simple Steps to Strength Training For Beginners
For those of you who just want to start muscle strength training, maybe you will be faced with various questions such as where to start, how many times to exercise, to what. Actually it’s not that difficult, really. Provided you know the right steps to start with.
Muscle strength training tips for beginners
Put simply, according to Hannah Davis, a CSCS personal trainer as well as a strength training specialist, muscle strength training is aimed at training the work and strength of the body muscles through body movements and sports equipment. Not only that, there are still many benefits to be gained by doing this exercise.
Among them are increasing the body’s metabolic rate, burning more calories, strengthening bones and joints, and even improving blood pressure rates. Well, if you are still a beginner who wants to try muscle strength training, you can apply some of these tips.
1. Warm up
As with sports in general, it is important to warm up before starting muscle strength training. The goal is to avoid injury and relax stiff muscles so that you don’t get surprised when doing the exercises.
The method is not difficult, you only need about five to ten minutes starting with various heating options. For example, brisk walking, relaxing jogging, or dynamic stretching. Dynamic stretches use controlled movements to flex your muscles while increasing your range of motion, including kicking and walking movements.
2. Start by relying on your own body weight
As a beginner who wants to try muscle strength training, you should not overwork your body muscles by directly using heavy-weight sports equipment. Instead, you can start by using small exercise equipment such as resistance bands, kettlebell exercise balls, to small dumbbells.
Even to be on the safe side, take advantage of your own body weight as an early stage in muscle strength training. Moves you can try include squats, push-ups, and lunges. After that, you can continue to practice to a higher level gradually.
3. Adjust the exercise frequency gradually
Hannah Davis says that people who are just starting muscle strength training should start with a light frequency of exercise first. For example two days a week in the first two to three weeks. After that you can increase the frequency to three days a week. It aims to adjust the body so as not to be surprised and more accustomed to this exercise.
Not only that, you also have to adjust the exercise duration from the start of training. Initially try 20 minutes for one session, then gradually increase the time as you get used to it. Ideally, the more often you do strength training, the more frequency and duration of exercise will be.
4. Combine upper and lower body movements
Muscle strength training will be more effective if it is done evenly using all the muscles of the body from top to bottom. The reason is, exercises that involve all the muscles of the body can maximize muscle work and your body’s calorie burning.
Simply put, you can combine several movements involving the upper and lower body in one exercise. Hannah Davis suggests a variety of moves, from squats and push-ups; lunges and lat pulldown; and mountain climbers and bench rows.
5. Be consistent with the same movements, then develop
People who are good at doing muscle strength training can do exercises with a variety of tools and movements that are always different every day. However, for those of you who are just starting out, you don’t have to follow that if you are not comfortable.
It’s best to keep doing the same movement for two to three exercises to build a basic level of fitness and strength. If you want better results, you can gradually repeat the same exercise by gradually increasing the difficulty of movement and the weight of the tools used during the exercise.
6. Stretch and cool down after training
Stretching after doing sports is important to help improve flexibility. Meanwhile, light cooling is also good for calming the nervous system after working hard.
7. Rest your body
As a beginner in muscle strength training, your body may experience a little aches and pains as it is still adapting. That is why, after doing this exercise it is recommended that you maximize your rest time. The reason is, if you continuously exert muscle work without providing a rest period for recovery, the muscle will have difficulty repairing and rebuilding itself.
For maximum results, set aside about 48 hours aka two days to really pamper yourself by doing light activities and optimizing rest.
Hello Health Group does not provide medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.
