Getting Started with Strength Training Exercises

Strength training exercises are credited with increasing physical strength, improving muscle tone and appearance and boosting metabolism. Don't have a gym membership? Don't worry. You can just as easily build strength with or without weights and get your workouts at home or on the road.

Benefits of Strength Training
Strength training uses resistance to break down muscle fibers in order to rebuild stronger ones. The result is a gain in physical strength, improved muscle tone and increased muscle mass. Because muscle burns more calories than other body tissues, greater muscle mass means more calories burned naturally throughout the course of the day.

These exercises also require bones to bear weight, which contributes to building bone strength and greater bone density. Maintaining good bone density is important as we grow older, especially for women who are prone to osteoporosis, a condition characterized by a weakening of the bones that can lead to falls and injuries.

Tips for Beginners
Almost everyone can benefit from adding strength training to their workout routine, but beginners should keep the following tips in mind before heading to the gym:

Consult your doctor before beginning a new fitness program. Even if you're relatively fit, it's a good idea to schedule a physical, especially if you're over the age of 40 or have been diagnosed with any health conditions. Tell your doctor that you'd like to begin a strength training program and find out if there are any precautions you need to take.

Consider scheduling working with a personal trainer. These exercises, if not done properly, can lead to strain and injury. A personal trainer or fitness instructor can work with you to ensure that you learn how to perform moves correctly and minimize the risk of hurting yourself.

Plan on three or four strength training sessions each week. Twenty minutes per session is enough to begin seeing results in a few weeks' time. Work different muscle groups on different days and work large muscle groups before smaller groups. Focus on legs for your first session, then work shoulders, chest and triceps another day and round out your week with back and biceps exercises.

Perform exercises in sets. A set refers to the number of times you repeat a movement at a given point in time. Your goal is to work the muscles to the point of fatigue. Start with eight repetitions or reps of each movement, which is one set of eight. If you'd struggle to do a ninth rep, you're at your maximum number of reps. Build up your repetitions until you can do 12 to 15 before fatigue sets in. Work up to two to three sets of repetitions for each exercise. Rest for 60 seconds between sets.

Add weight slowly. When you're first starting out, you'll want to choose the lightest weight possible that helps you reach muscle fatigue between 8 and 15 reps. When 15 reps at your current weight no longer tires your muscles, it's time to increase the amount you're lifting. Add weight in 10% increments to challenge yourself safely.

Breathe. You might find when you first begin that you're holding your breath. Instead, concentrate on exhaling when you perform the movement and inhaling when you return to the starting position.

Strength Training Methods
Strength training isn't limited to lifting weights, although lifting weights remains among the most popular methods of building strength. Other options include resistance bands, weight-bearing exercises like calisthenics and working out with medicine and exercise balls.

Free weights and weight machines.  Free weights include dumbbells and hand weights. A common sight at gyms, free weights are inexpensive and portable which makes most of them good for home use. For safety's sake, try to work out with a partner who can spot you if you're lifting great amounts of weight.

Weight machines are designed to provide resistance for you rather than you having to rely on yourself. Most machines are easy to operate and have instructions for proper form posted on the strength training equipment, although that's no substitution for learning proper form from a fitness trainer. Weight machines adjust to fit your frame and fitness level.

Resistance bands and tubes. Resistance bands look like big elastic bands and may or may not have handles on each end. These flexible tubes and bands provide resistance for your muscles to work against and can be used in a seated or standing position. Like free weights, resistance bands are inexpensive and a good addition to your home workout routine. Generally, they come in sets and are color coded to help you identify the level of resistance each band offers.

Medicine and exercise balls. These strength-training tools are primarily used to develop core strength in the abdomen and lower back. Core strength promotes good balance, helps prevent injury and improves posture. By sitting on, lying on, leaning against and lying over the ball and performing certain moves, muscles are toned and pushed to muscle failure.

Calisthenics and weight-bearing exercise. Exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, chin-ups, lunges and squats are all forms of strength training as are some postures used in yoga and Pilates practice. These exercises use the weight of your own body to push your muscles to fatigue.