Strength training has been in the world of fitness for years, and one that many are not as familiar with. You may have found enjoyment in one certain form of exercise. That may be running, swimming, or playing a game of pick up, either with basketball or soccer.
There is no doubt that moving your body in any form of fitness is good for your overall health. Yet, one form of exercise has grown in popularity over the past few years due to its positive results in healthy weight loss, increased metabolism, and mental health improvement, to list a few.
Including strength training into your current exercise routine is another way to improve your health, reach fitness goals, and is easier to jump into, even if you’re a beginner to the world of strength training! Let’s answer any of those questions you may have regarding this form of exercise.
What is Strength Training?
According to the experts at Health.com, strength training can be boiled down to, “a type of exercise geared toward increasing your muscle strength, endurance, and sometimes even muscle mass…you typically use some type of resistance (or weight) such as your body weight, hand weights, resistance bands, or other tools.”
You can also cater strength training to your fitness intensity, it can be high intensity (HIIT) when done with larger dumbbells with less repetitions. But, if HIIT is not ideal for you, you can also incorporate a more low intensity training with lighter weights. Ultimately, the main focus of strength training is to build muscle, while simultaneously losing excess weight.
Do I Have to Lift Weights?
Not always! Strength training can be performed with 5 pound to 50 pound weights, or simply your own body weight. Here are some examples with and without weights:
With Weights:
- 3 sets of 10 squats, with one dumbbell held tight to chest
- 3 sets of 6 glute bridges, with a barbell across the lap
- 3 sets of 8 deadlifts, with one dumbbell in each hand or a barbell
With Bodyweight:
- 3 sets of 30 second planks
- 3 sets of 8 forward lunges (per side)
- 3 sets of 10 (total) bicycle crunches
The beauty of strength training is that it can be completely catered to your needs. Some individuals may suffer from certain joint pain which means they may be unable to engage in certain routines. However, strength training can be modified in countless different ways to ensure each individual is reaching their personal fitness goals.
If you are needing any modifications for joint pain, but still want to work the muscles this is still possible! For example, a single leg squat with the non-working resting on the bench, or just stabled, to strengthen the knees with minimal stress. This can help to gently improve knee pain while also strengthening this muscle group.
Now, Split It Up!
Since you now have an idea of what strength training looks like, including using weight and not using weights, it’s important to understand that resting while strength training is essential.
Creating a basic “split schedule” to incorporate rest is all based on your goals, how often you want to be in the gym, and the time you can devote to a set schedule. Having a split schedule is exactly what it sounds like, which is dividing your workouts to focus on certain muscle groups. Here is an example of what a basic split workout schedule can look like if you’re a beginner:
Monday: 40 – 60 Minute upper body strength training
Tuesday: Rest and Recover
Wednesday: 40 – 60 Minute Full Body strength training
Thursday: Rest and Recover
Friday: 40 – 60 Minute lower body strength training
Saturday and Sunday can both be a rest or a strength training session on a muscle group of your choice.
The main idea with having a “split schedule” is to provide rest to your muscles, and to ensure each muscle group is getting an equal amount of training. Creating a schedule such as this is completely up to you, your time, and your goals. Exercising and strength training is not one size fits all!
What is the Difference Between Strength Training and Hypertrophy Training?
The main difference between strength training and hypertrophy is that strength training is all about making your muscles stronger while hypertrophy training is all about making your muscles larger. Personal fitness trainer Paul Rogers breaks it down further this way:
“Hypertrophy means increasing muscle size through targeted training that aims to increase your volume of weight lifted over time (sets x reps). Strength (the state of being strong) and strength training are the goals of increasing muscle force and the ability to lift heavier weights. This is accomplished with heavy weight lifting above 85% of your 1-rep max.” Rogers also adds: “The workouts [hypertrophy training] include more sets and reps with a lower weight. Strength training has a lower training volume (fewer days, longer rest periods) but higher intensity. The goal is to lift heavier weights with fewer reps and sets.”
Strength and Hypertrophy training can be combined or separate, it all depends on what specific outcomes you want. Yet, both forms of weight training can improve your overall health and serve as an excellent form of exercise to reach any fitness goal(s).
What About My cardio?
Mix it in! Having a balance of cardio and strength training is an excellent way to ensure you are creating healthy lungs while also building bone strength, just to name a few positives of both forms of exercises.
Studies have shown that running (a very popular form of cardio), “even 5 to 10 min/day and at slow speeds <6 miles/h, is associated with markedly reduced risks of death from all causes and cardiovascular disease.” In addition, strength training has also been shown to lower the risk of cancer and heart disease.
Both forms of exercise work well together and are other tools in creating an overall healthier lifestyle.
What Are Some Other Health Benefits of Strength Training?
In addition to strength training providing stronger muscles and a more toned physique, there have also been some studies which suggest strength training to improve one’s mental health. In a recent report from Penn Medicine, doctor Benjamin R. Snell summarizes a psych study where, “researchers actually looked at 33 studies on depression in the context of weight training. . . . Two thousand men and women of various ages were tested for depression before and after the trials. Across all studies, weight training benefitted mood. People who were depressed before the study showed improvement. Those not depressed were less likely to become depressed than people who did not do weight training.”
Some other benefits from strength training include (but are not limited to):
- Decrease risk(s) of injury
- Reduce risk of osteoporosis
- Provide better quality of sleep
- Increase of mobility and flexibility
- Improved cognitive function
When strength training not only will you see physical results, but also mentally. A double win!
How Can I Start Strength Training Now?
You can start strength training right now, by allowing us to join you in your fitness journey here at Carbon Performance. We offer a free one-on-one consultation with one of our skilled personal trainers to get a better understanding of your goals and answer any questions you may have! Classes at Carbon Performance are a good mix of strength training, HIIT, and low impact, just to name a few! Some of our classes include:
- Les Mills Body Pump
- Yoga (Sculpt and Recovery Flow)
- Cycling
Becoming a member at Carbon Performance also gives you access to more than just our workout equipment, but also cold plunges, infrared saunas, and other exclusive perks. Stop by one of our locations in the Nashville area today to see our gym in person and meet some of our trainers. We look forward to accompanying you on your fitness and health journey.
