Exercising 101 series: Strength Training

Does strength training conjure up images of body builders spending endless hours at the gym? For the ladies out there are you worried that you might bulk up like this if you start using weights?

Before I go any further, let me be very clear that the only way women can achieve this very "distinguished" look is if they inject anabolic steroids, take testosterone or other muscle building agents. Women naturally have only 1/10 the amount of testosterone as a man. If you have a closer look at the picture above, you will notice her facial features have hardened and the shape of her body has become more like that of a man. That's what testosterone and steroids will do to a lady!

Now back onto strength training - what is it all about and why should EVERYONE be doing it? So here I present STRENGTH TRAINING 101.

BACKGROUND

Strength training is basically any activity or exercise where the muscles are working against some form of resistance. There are different types of strength training with the most common being resistance and weight training. And with the world's population getting older there has been so much focus on the treatments of osteoporosis, arthritis and other bone conditions and only recently has there been a bigger push on the prevention of these conditions.

WHY

Strength training can provide significant functional benefits and improvements to overall health and well-being: increased bone, muscle, tendon and ligaments strength and durability, improved joint function, reduced potential for injury, increased bone density, improved cardiac function, elevation of HDL (good) cholesterol and increased rate of metabolism.

WHAT

There are so many different ways to strength train with or without equipment. Gyms have a myriad of strength training machines including stack/rack machines, plate-loaded machine and cable machines as well as free weights, barbells, medicine balls, kettlebells, resistance bands and fitballs. Strength training without equipment can be just as effective using your own bodyweight as the resistance - pushups, squats, lunges, dips, crunches, bridge, leg raises, etc.

HOW

So how do you incorporate strength training into your exercise program? For beginners it's best to start with machines as they provide more stabilised and controlled movements. Aim for 6-8 exercises (8-10 for advanced) using the major muscle groups (see below). To maximise strength development aim for 8-12 repetitions (reps) of each exercise for 2-3 sets. I would recommend performing a set of all 6-8 exercises before starting the next set. Try to do 2-3 strength training sessions a week on non-consecutive days to give the muscles a good rest.

The major muscle groups are:

• Lower body: quads, hamstrings, calves, hips, glutes
• Upper body: chest, back, shoulders, biceps, triceps
• Abdominals: rectus femoris (superficial: 6 pack muscles), transverse abdominis (deep: core), obliques (sides)

Over time you will need to increase the amount of weight you are working with to keep challenging yourself. It is also important to change your routine every 4-6 weeks to keep your muscles guessing and for you not to get bored.

So let's start building strong muscles right away!

JW