Exercise
Weight Loss
Calculators
Food
Terms
Other
     |
Strength TrainingStrength training exercises are those exercises that will challenge your muscles through resistance. The resistance can be from exercise equipment or using gravity and your own body weight.In order to strengthen your muscles you must provide enough challenge and resistance to task your muscles more than they are used to from normal everyday activities. When you provide resistance to your muscles they contract. This contraction is what builds strength, increases anaerobic endurance and increases the size of your skeletal muscles. Types of Strengthening Exercises Weight Lifting  The
most common form of exercise to build muscle strength is weight
lifting.
Although some exercises can be performed with a simple weight bench and
free weights, to really get the benefit of weight lifting you will want
to use specific exercise equipment. Most gyms offer a wide variety of weight lifting equipment or you can purchase a home gym. Resistance Bands If access to a local gym or purchasing a home gym is out of the question, then try an alternate strength training method. Resistance band exercises are a great alternative to weight lifting and for some people is probably a good way to start your strengthening routine. With resistance bands you can strengthen and tone all the major muscle groups. The advantage of resistance bands is that you can adjust the resistance, using less resistance when needed or increasing the resistance to increase the challenge. Click here for a list and link to see instructions and illustrations for those exercises. If you are looking for resistance bands, check out this online store. Just click on the image below to shop. Dumbbell Weights Another fairly inexpensive alternative to weight lifting are dumbbell exercises. There are two types of dumbbells; fixed weight and adjustable weight. If you use the fixed weight dumbbells be sure to by several different weight sizes so that you can alter the resistance during your strength training. Click here for a list and link to see instructions and illustrations for dumbbell exercises. Gravity Lastly you can use your own body weight and gravity. Many abdominal exercises are done with no resistance exercise equipment, but instead rely on gravity to provide resistance. You can also perform many upper and lower body exercises with no dumbbell weights or resistance bands. Exercises like squats for the glutes will get some resistance from gravity. As these become too easy you will want to find a method to add more resistance. Here is a site with some body weight exercises that you can try. This ebook is
something I came across several years ago and I absolutely love it.
This is by a body builder and he talks about the benefits of
strength training, eating healthy and more to burn the fat and feed the
muscle. If you buy just one ebook I recommend this one.
 Benefits of Strengthening Muscles
However there are many other benefits of strengthening muscles including increased bone, ligament and tendon strength as well as improved joint function. Strengthening the muscles also minimizes risk of muscle injury. Be sure to check out all the benefits of strength training. Although strength training is primarily an anaerobic exercise, by performing circuit training you can add some aerobic benefits as well. Circuit training is a type of interval training which combines quick sets of strengthening exercises with short spurts of aerobic exercises. The popular gym “Curves” is based on this type of training. Regardless of how you incorporate your strength training or which exercise equipment you select to use, be sure to get at least 2 or 3 days a week of strength training in your workout routines. Here's a great online store with lots of exercise equipment for your strength training. Just click on the image below to shop for your exercise equipment. You can also visit my Amazon Store without having to leave this site. Strength Training Exercise Index Use the links below to go to the relevant page to see instructions and illustrations on how to perform these strength training exercises. I only have instructions for resistance band exercises and dumbbell exercises at this time and will soon be adding strength training weight lifting exercises. Resistance Band Exercises Upper Body These upper body resistance band strength training exercises cover the biceps, triceps shoulders, back and chest muscles. On the page you will find instructions and exercise video deomonstations for bicep curls, hammer curl, tricep extension, reverse fly, shoulder front raise and chest press. The lower body resistance exercises include squats, lunges, side steps, kick back, standing calf raise and the inner and outer thigh hip abduction. These exercises really work the glutes, thighs, legs and hips. Dumbbell Exercises Upper Body Using these upper body dumbbell exercises will help you strengthen and tone your biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest and back muscles. The instructions and exercise videos cover the bicep curl, hammer curl, tricep extension, should row and chest press using dumbbell weights. Lower Body Like the resistance band exercises, these dumbbell exercises really work the glutes, legs, hamstring and hips. Exercises include the squat, side step squat, lunges, single leg calf raise and the dumbbell bridge. Abdominal Strength Training Exercises There are several abdominal exercises instructions and videos available on this site. Use the link below to select from exercises for the rectus abdominis muscles (your 6 pack), oblique muscles and transverse abdominis muscle. Don't forget to check the common crunches as well as the top 3 best ab exercises as deemed by one study. Click here to read more on this study. Rectus Abdominis Muscle Exercises Oblique Exercises Transverse Abdominis Exercises Top 3 Ab Exercises Common Crunches Additional articles Weight Loss Workout Check out these example weight loss workouts that combine strength training and aerobics for your weekly workout routine. Best Ab Exercises If you want to tone and tighten your stomach then make sure you know what are the best ab exercises. Exercise
4 Weight Loss 2 Achieve Fitness and Health
|
