In our technological times, many people face the problem of sedentary work. Insufficient physical activity negatively affects the general well-being and appearance of people. Excess weight, poor diet and constant stress are becoming a huge problem for the modern generation.
In order to give your body the desired shape and improve overall well-being, you need to actively engage in sports. The best way out of this situation is strength training. By systematically working on one or another muscle group, you can give your body an appearance that you could only dream of before playing sports.
Many people, especially women, are intimidated by the appearance of athletes involved in professional bodybuilding. But it should immediately be noted that pumped muscles and bulging veins do not appear immediately after you pick up a barbell or dumbbells. Without additional stimulants for muscle growth, very few people are able to achieve such results, but a properly selected set of strength training will definitely have a positive effect on both your appearance and overall well-being.
Strength training is physical exercise performed using weights. If treated correctly, they will be a means for a person to obtain significant functional benefits and improve overall health.
Strength Training Goals
By doing strength training, you can achieve adaptation of your body: - to the perception of maximum short-term loads; — improve endurance, in particular, to long-term moderate-intensity loads; - increase muscle volume.
By performing strength training, a person improves the condition of his body, which consists of the following: - muscles are significantly strengthened; tendons and ligaments become resistant to stress; training is also beneficial for the bones of the skeleton; their interaction improves; — the risk of damage to muscles, bones, tendons, and ligaments during stress is reduced; - there is an increase in bone tissue density; - metabolism increases; - cardiac function improves; - good cholesterol increases.
Technique and methodology of strength training
The main method of strength training is to additionally increase weight. In this case, various exercises and special equipment are performed, in particular, those that allow the development of certain muscle groups.
Load progression
Thanks to the technique associated with a constant increase in load, the growth of strength and volume of the athlete’s muscles accelerates. This happens, oddly enough, due to constant microtraumas to the muscles, which they “oblige” to intense heavy training. The body is trying to “heal”, but at the same time, not only the restoration of damaged areas occurs, but also the development of the muscles themselves - the body creates a kind of reserve for their strength, acting with reinsurance against possible overloads.
A strength training plan to increase loads can be built in different ways: - lifting heavy weights; - increasing the number of approaches to one weight and sets or the number of repetitions; - increasing the number of different exercises that load one muscle or their group; — reducing pause time in approaches.
Separate training
The essence of this approach to strength training is that the athlete in each workout works only 2...3 muscles or their groups.
Basic principles of strength training
To really get all the benefits from strength training, and subsequently learn how to create a training program yourself, it’s worth spending a little time and studying the principles of proper training. Many of them, by the way, are applicable to other types of programs due to strict control over the development of indicators.
Right on target
Tailor your workouts to target specific areas of the body. For example, if you want bigger and stronger arms, you need to use arm exercises that target those specific muscles.
Make the most of it
There are several ways to increase the intensity, for example by changing:
- number of workouts or duration
- number of sets and repetitions
- working weights
- introduce new/replace boring exercises
By alternating these changes, you challenge your muscles and force them to adapt, increasing size and strength. Read on our website how else you can increase the intensity of a man’s training, and try an excellent muscle-building workout from a professional!
Rest
If your training program specifies rest between sets, follow this rule strictly. When training for endurance or muscle size, rest for 30-60 seconds. If you want to increase muscle strength, your pause will take up to 2-4 minutes between sets.
After training, muscles need time to recover and grow. A good rule of thumb is to rest muscle groups for at least 48 hours to ensure they have adequate time to recover.
If you are interested in beautiful muscles and a slim figure, and not in injuries and overtraining, pay attention to safety precautions. We will not draw boring instructions, but will simply talk about how to avoid injuries. This is really important.
Benefits of Strength Training
Most of the benefits of strength training come from the goals that you do it for. By doing them, a person: - becomes the owner of large muscle mass; - increases muscle tone; - improves your appearance; - increases your endurance; - increases bone density.
Strength training for men strengthens their muscles and improves their attractiveness to the fairer sex. Many representatives of the latter also engage in them. Although for women, strength training, due to a lack of testosterone, will not be able to solve the muscle problem, it will allow them to become the owners of a firm, toned physique and, of course, become stronger.
Strength training helps in losing weight and losing excess weight. This is explained by the direct connection between the volume of muscle mass and the rate of basal metabolism, which is responsible for burning fat.
Strength training has been proven to have a positive effect on the aging process, which involves loss of muscle mass. By maintaining the latter, older people look better than their peers, they do not develop osteoporosis, and they more often avoid disability.
Among the benefits of strength training is always an improved mood. This happens due to the increased levels of norepinephrine, serotonin, and dopamine in the body, which occurs during such activities.
Myth 5
“Aerobic training without strength training does not help muscle growth.”
This is not entirely true: if you have not trained at all before, then you will still experience slight growth from aerobic exercise. The best way to do this is with a bicycle or cycling trainers. But it is important to keep your cycling heart rate within eighty percent of your maximum heart rate. And their schedule is 45 minutes, five times a week. But this is only suitable for untrained people: if you already exercise regularly, then aerobic exercise will not help increase muscle size. Running and walking don't really increase muscle mass.
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Safety during strength training
In strength training, movement trajectories are very important and must always be controlled. Failure to comply with them, as well as other safety measures, can lead to injury to the athlete or more serious consequences.
Of the minor, temporary, but most common injuries during strength training, the most common are: - sprains to which muscles, ligaments, and tendons are exposed; if you receive it, you should immediately stop exercising, otherwise it may become chronic; - skin stretch marks, also called stretch marks; this happens more often due to the rapid growth of muscle volume; it is necessary to reduce the degree of load increase, the number of approaches, etc.
Duration of strength training
During sports, microdamage occurs to those muscles that are directly stressed. As a rule, the next day you will have body aches. This is a good sign of a successful workout.
The duration of power loads should be selected individually; for beginners it should not exceed 40-45 minutes.
If you don’t want to go to the gym, but train at home on your own.
An excellent solution would be to find strength fitness videos on the Internet. There, in an accessible form, you will be shown many exercises, with a correct explanation of their implementation.
The video contains strength fitness music. It is extremely important to maintain the right mindset during all exercises.
Strength training equipment
You can do strength training: - without additional weights at all (for example, do pull-ups, push-ups); — with a minimum set of weights (dumbbells, weights, barbell); - using a large number of different weights and special exercise equipment.
Equipment for strength training can be: - for weights and resistance - barbells, dumbbells, weights; — simulators: — power: they can be mechanical, pneumatic, gyroscopic, hydraulic; as an example - Smith frame; — gymnastic: they are represented by harnesses, balls, TRX loops, rollers; — for fitness: there are many of them, they, for example, can be exercise bikes, treadmills; — sportswear: athletes, when performing exercises, use vests, overalls, gloves, shoes, hips; they should all be comfortable and not be an obstacle to movement; — devices: used to simplify and conveniently work with weights: most often they use belts, straps, backpacks, belts, chains; — in special training they use, for example, an Indian bat or a balancing board.
Inventory
After training, the equipment used must be disassembled and stored in specially designated places. This is necessary for the training of the athletes who come after you, and you yourself will not run around and look for lost exercise equipment and weights.
Types of strength exercises
Strength exercises, depending on the nature of the resistance, can be divided into groups:
- exercises with external resistance: exercises with resistance to the mass of an object,
- exercises with counteraction from a partner,
- exercises with resistance to elastic mechanisms,
- exercises with resistance to the external environment (movements in water);
Static exercises
The use of static forces is very effective for developing static endurance and static strength. Isometric static exercises in bodybuilding are very effective for developing maximum static strength. During the isometric mode of muscle work, especially at the maximum, straining occurs when the glottis is closed and the athlete is not breathing, which naturally requires special attention when using this mode. The hold is gradually increased to 5 - 6 s. It is important to know that as resistance increases, so does the effort aimed at overcoming it.
Self-resistance exercises
Recently, there has been an increased interest in self-resistance exercises, or, as they are also called, joint tension of antagonist muscles. The use of these exercises can give an effect no less than when training strength using external weights, and there is no negative impact on the ability to perform high-speed movements. It is effective to use exercises in joint tension of antagonist muscles and as an active recreation for people whose professions involve physical inactivity.
Contraindications to strength training
Even if you are in excellent health, it is better to consult a doctor when deciding to engage in strength training. Based on the available information, it is better not to start such exercises: - people with heart disease; especially if the problems are significant; - for gastrointestinal diseases; - with damage to the pulmonary system; - with significantly lost vision; - with demineralization of bones and their increased fragility; - if there are problems in the musculoskeletal system; - in the presence of fractures, bone damage; - within a year after the operation; - for endocrine diseases; - for diseases of the kidneys, gall bladder, liver; - with existing varicose veins; - for dislocations, arthrosis; - for neuralgia.
Strength training programs
With any program, at the very beginning, a warm-up is done before strength training. It will allow you to warm up your muscles and prepare them for the load. Stretching after strength training is also mandatory - it will relieve tension from the muscles and make them more elastic.
Training without weights
This program uses only the weight itself. Exercises for walking in it can be as follows: 1. Layer position with hands felt down. When performing, they jump, spreading their arms to the sides and moving their feet to the sides and lower to the floor in this position. During the second jump, they return to the starting position. Do the exercise 40 times. 2. To perform this, use some kind of elevation. They stand next to the last one, bend their knees, and move their arms back. They jump onto a hill, then jump back from it. Number of repetitions: 30. 3.Run in place with slight bouncing and high raising of bent knees. Do everything 40 times. 4.Fast and continuous squatting for 40 seconds. with arms thrown forward. 5.10 push-ups from the floor with your hands with your feet resting on your toes and your back straight. 6.10 jumping up from a squatting position with your palms resting on the floor. 7. Lying position with your back on the floor. 20 quick lifts of the torso and legs towards each other. In this case, one leg remains extended, the second is bent at the knee, which is touched with the elbow of the bent opposite arm. 8.Lean your hands on the floor, back straight, legs extended. Alternately, take 10 steps forward with your feet with effort and return them back.
Fitness for men
Before you start playing sports, you need to take into account that age affects the amount of exercise. If you are over 40, then light fitness classes of up to 1 hour are better suited. They are based on basic exercises from physical education, pull-ups, abdominal work and push-ups.
Working with kettlebells, dumbbells, and barbells is welcome, but not with heavy weights. Up to 30-35 kg will be just right.
Strength fitness for men is primarily aimed at strengthening muscles and maintaining shape. The training usually begins with a short warm-up with elements of physical education, its duration is no more than 5 minutes.
Next, proceed to bench press for 2-3 approaches. Push-ups are also 2-3 sets. Squats 4 sets of 15-20 to strengthen the leg muscles. And finally, a set of exercises to work out your abs.
The benefits of strength training
First of all, moderate physical activity creates a harmoniously developed figure and improves health. A properly selected method of strength training strengthens the cardiovascular system, activates the body's metabolism, promotes weight loss and increased performance.
Well-developed muscles stimulate intense metabolism in the body, which affects overall well-being. People who exercise intensively look young and fit even at 40 years old. A poorly developed muscular system reduces the overall metabolism in the body and leads to premature aging.
If muscles do not perform their functions for a long time (lack of physical activity), then they are eventually replaced by adipose tissue. This leads to excess weight and a greater likelihood of injury. A poorly developed muscular system is not able to fully protect joints and bones from unexpected physical impacts. A simple fall on slippery ground can result in a ligament rupture or fracture.
A harmoniously developed body is the key to health.
Exercises for strength training
Before you begin an intensive strength training session, you need to set an end goal. If you have a clear idea of what result you want to achieve, then building a strength training plan is much easier.
Strength training programs for women differ in many ways from those for men. There is also a significant difference between strength training for weight loss and weight gain. Therefore, before starting a lesson using one method or another, it is necessary to consult with professional trainers.
The choice of strength training program also depends on where it takes place. If during strength training in the gym the set of exercises will include both work with free weights and exercise machines, then training at home introduces a number of restrictions.
Strength training at home
strength training for home conditions is developed on the principle of using body weight. These complexes sometimes include exercises with dumbbells and a barbell. Strength training and running are often combined.
The advantages of exercising at home include:
- Possibility of training at any time;
- working with body weight and dumbbells develops overall coordination of the body and reduces the likelihood of injury;
- using music that you like during strength training;
- saving money.
Flaws:
- lack of instructor;
- there is no opportunity to work with heavy weights (lack of insurance);
- there is no opportunity to focus on working on a specific muscle group (lack of special equipment);
If you fast and exercise in the gym, you can lose two to three sizes in a week
Most likely, you will faint from nervous and physical exhaustion. Strength training and a strict diet are incompatible. Be sure to eat a balanced diet to get enough essential nutrients. You can't do any sports on an empty stomach. An hour and a half before the start of your workout, eat some protein product with vegetables. At least drink a ready-made protein shake. If you want to lose weight, after training, eat fruits and vegetables; if you want to build muscle, then eat meat and dairy products.
