Workouts at the gym and classes taught in a fitness centre are both excellent ways to push oneself, improve one’s performance, learn something new, and interact with others who are also on a journey towards better health.
Beginner strength training
When most people begin going to the gym for the first time, they immediately fall back on the routines that are familiar to them. Quite frequently, you’ll be using a cardiovascular machine. And while we’re not here to argue that cardiovascular exercise isn’t an important part of your exercise routine — it is! — we are here to argue that your workout at the gym shouldn’t be made up entirely of cardiovascular workouts.
Excellent full-body workouts can be had on the elliptical trainer, bikes, and treadmills. They are an excellent method for improving the health of the heart and lungs, in addition to being useful for interval training and active recovery. However, resistance training, which is also referred to as strength training or weight training, is the key to getting into better shape all around.
Here are five of the many benefits of strength training.
The following are some of the reasons why you should include weight training in your workout routine, even if you are just starting out:
Burns more calories.
- Weight lifting speeds up metabolism, which in turn leads to increased calorie expenditure and, as a natural consequence, decreased body fat. Do you see how that would work? However, that is not even the most exciting part. Following the completion of your workout, your body will continue to burn calories as a result of a phenomenon known as “excess post-exercise oxygen consumption.” And the longer it takes for your body to return to its normal state after a workout, the more intense that workout was. That means even greater weight loss and an increased number of calories burned, baby.
- bone health and muscle mass are both protected by this supplement. Strength training can help you combat the effects of ageing by making your bones, joints, and muscles healthier and stronger. Since we lose bone density and muscle mass as we age, this is an effective way to combat the effects of ageing.
- Contributes to the enhancement of day-to-day activities Strength training not only makes you stronger, but it can also help improve your balance, coordination, posture, and flexibility, which can make your daily activities easier and improve the quality of your life.
- Also serves as a pick-me-up when needed. Instead of having that cup of coffee in the afternoon, you should try lifting some weights. According to research, strength training can increase the amount of endorphins in your body, which can improve your energy level and mood while also lowering your levels of anxiety and stress. Reducing your stress levels can, in turn, help you sleep better.
- Increases both your self-confidence and your self-esteem. Is there anything that can compare to the sense of achievement that you get after a particularly challenging workout? Strength training not only makes you stronger physically, but it can also help improve your emotional health, which is equally as important as your physical health.
Instructional Strength-Training Routine for Beginners
When performing this workout, make sure to use a light weight (in terms of pounds) or even just your bodyweight. For the time being, it is more important that you focus on the movements and form of your workout rather than the weight and the number of repetitions.
And if you’re worried about how much time you’re taking, don’t be! Whether you’re here for an hour or a half an hour, all that matters is that you came to the gym! You are not competing for speed, and this is not a circuit workout, so just keep things as simple as possible.
Following the completion of the warm-up walk, you will then proceed to each of the sets. You are free to proceed in the order presented below, or you can switch things up. Before moving on to the next exercise, make sure that you have completed the full set of the previous exercise. Take a break of between 30 and 90 seconds between each set. If any of the moves cause you discomfort, it is important that you pay attention to your body and make any necessary adjustments.
1. Walking on an Incline on a Treadmill
First, do a warmup that lasts between 5 and 10 minutes.
A good warm-up is the first step in any effective exercise routine.
Choose a speed and an incline setting for the treadmill that will get your heart rate up and your blood flowing.
2. Bird Dog
Three sets of ten repetitions for a total of thirty
Start by getting down on all fours with just your knees and hands touching the ground. To perform this exercise, balance on one hand and the knee of the opposite leg while simultaneously raising one arm to shoulder height and the other leg straight up. Reduce the weight of your arm and leg in a controlled manner, and then repeat the process with the other arm and leg. Repeat. For the length of this action, you want to make sure that your knees are perfectly aligned with your hips.
3. Goblet Squat
Your pick of weight, three sets of ten reps total, and no rest in between.
Maintain an upright stance while gripping a single dumbbell at chest level in both hands. Maintain a flat, shoulder-width stance with your feet. Bring your body closer to the floor while moving your hips back and bending your knees to perform this exercise. Return to the starting position by applying pressure through your heels while maintaining a flat back and an upright head throughout the action.
4. Floor Press with Alternate Hands
Your choice of weight, with three sets of ten repetitions total.
Recline on the ground. Keep your elbows bent and your hands facing inward as you lift dumbbells up to shoulder height. Lift the dumbbells vertically over your chest while keeping your hands pointing towards your body. Repeat the movement until the dumbbells are at shoulder level again.
5. Dead Bug
Three sets of ten repetitions for a total of thirty
Position yourself so that you are lying on your back with your knees bent and your feet lifted. Your arms will be raised in a vertical position above your chest. While maintaining stability in the other leg and arm, bring the opposite arm and one of the legs down towards the floor in a straight line. Elevate the affected leg and arm to the vertical position, then repeat the exercise using the other affected leg and arm. Switch sides after each rep to prevent injury.
6. Lunge Forward
Three sets of ten repetitions for a total of thirty
Maintain a good posture. Take a step forward with one leg while bringing the knee of the back leg closer to the ground. As you step back into your starting position, be sure you are driving into your heel.
And that’s it! Your very first (and very effective) workout. You are officially ready to conquer the gym.
