The basics that should be part of your strength training routine.

Strong is the new skinny. Ok, so you have probably heard that one before, but it doesn’t make it any less true – particularly for women. No more cabbage soup diets and running for hours on the treadmill to try to melt away those pounds. The new wave of health and fitness advice is all about creating a functionally strong body that looks great. Both men and women should be making strength training an important part of their routine. But that can be overwhelming for a beginner – that’s why getting to grips with the basics is so important.

This week I will be talking about three key areas of strength training and the exercise basics that you should try to make a part of your early routine.

Bodyweight

I can’t stress this enough – begin your strength training journey with bodyweight exercises. It will help you understand the basics of resistance training and you can do it anywhere without having to invest in equipment. You don’t need to be doing fancy acrobatics as part of your bodyweight routine either. Choose classic, clean movements, like squats, planks, bridges, lunges, rows and pull-ups to start working those muscles and building good form. It can be helpful to work with a personal trainer to get the basics down or use online videos and tutorials to shape up.

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a good intermediate step as you build your strength training routine. They are relatively inexpensive to invest in at home and you will find them in even the smallest gyms. The aim here is to get familiar with adding weight to movement without sacrificing form. This means choosing a weight that is challenging but not painful or overwhelming. Start with curls, rows, and chest presses to begin adding layers of difficulty to your routine. Remember that it’s important to slowly increase weight (and therefore resistance) as your strength grows.

Barbells

Barbell training is amazing. It’s effective, fun, and can make you feel like a true strongman or woman. But, and it’s an important but – you need professional support before jumping in. Not only to help you get the best results but to prevent your routine from becoming dangerous. It’s also very difficult to get a suitable barbell setup at home without investing a lot of time and money. Work with a trainer to learn how to enjoy this type of strength training safely and effectively.

Everything Else

Of course, strength training doesn’t stop there. Everything from kettlebells to sandbags and yoga can help you get in an effective strength session. Strength training simply means putting resistance on your muscles and there are many (many) ways to achieve this. Remember the best workout is the one that you enjoy and the one that you are likely go back to time and time again. Here at FitFusion PT, we use natural bodyweight exercises, resistance, and dynamic core training to keep strength training fun and effective. Get in touch today to start your journey to a stronger and healthier you.

Next week I’ll be jumping down the rabbit hole of macros – to see if you really are what you eat! Until then, stay amazing.