Tips for a safe and effective strength training program

In strength training, you challenge your muscles by using different methods like pushing, lifting dumbbells or pulling on a resistance band. Such exercises increase muscle mass, strengthen bones and tone muscles. It will also help you to increase your strength necessary for everyday activities and will make you feel better.

The following tips can help you to get a strength training program which is safe and effective-

1. You need to warm up before you start your exercise. In the same way you need to cool down after you complete your strength training program. Allow 5 to 10 minutes for warmup and cooldown. To warm up, you can start walking or running. To cooldown, you can use stretching.
2. You need to workout at the right tempo because it will help you to stay in control. If you focus more on the momentum part, you may compromise on those strength gains.
3. Focus more on the form and not on the weight you are using. If you put more focus on weight, it will create problems. It may cause different injuries while you are strength training. A poor form causes several such problems. It may also hamper your gains. If you are new to strength training, you can always ask for expert help. When you are trying strength training for the first time, you can start it with no weight. You can also start with very light weight. Before you go for more weight, you need to learn the form well. Slow, smooth lifts and controlled lowering of the weight while working on different muscle groups is very important for you to learn the right form.
4. You need to stick with your routine. You need to create a routine first with the help of the experts and then follow it religiously. You need to work on all the major muscles 2 to 3 times every week. You can always go for full body strength workout 2 to 3 times every week. If you do not like that, you can break your strength training workout into upper body and lower body trainings. If you break it down into these two components, you need to perform each of them 2 to 3 times every week.
5. You need to continue to challenge your muscles. You can do that by slowly increasing the weight or resistance you are using while strength training. You need to choose the right weight for yourself. The right weight for different exercises will be different. You can choose the right weight by choosing the weight that tires your targeted muscles by the last two repetitions but you do not lose good form while doing the last repetitions. If it’s too easy, probably you need to add some more weight. If you are not able to complete the last two repetitions with the right form, then probably need to reduce the weight.
6. While performing strength training workout, you need to pay close attention to your breathing. While working out, you need to follow a specific breathing pattern. When you work against resistance, by lifting or pushing or pulling, you need to exhale. When you release it, you need to inhale.
7. Give your muscles time off. When you follow a strength training workout, there will be some tiny tears in the muscle tissue. They help you to grow your muscles bigger. But you need to give them some time off to repair themselves. You need to provide your muscles at least 48 hours to recover before the next strength training session.