WEIGHT TRAINING
Getting started with strength training can be
confusing--what exercises should you do? How many sets and reps?
How much weight? The routine you choose will be based on your
fitness goals as well as the equipment you have available and
the time you have for workouts.
If you want to lose fat or change your body, one
of the most important things you can do is lift weights. Diet
and cardio are equally important, but when it comes to changing
how your body looks, weight training wins hands down. If you've
hesitated to start a strength training program, it may motivate
you to know that lifting weights can:
Help raise your metabolism. Muscle
burns more calories than fat, so the more muscle you have, the
more calories you'll burn all day long.
Strengthen bones, especially
important for women Make you stronger and increase muscular
endurance
Help you avoid injuries
Increase your confidence and self-esteem
The benefits of weight training are diverse. These
days, strength and muscle building are not just about body image,
weightlifting and bodybuilding competition and sports, because
increasingly a variety of health conditions can be either stabilized
or improved with weight training as part of an exercise program.
Many experts now say that weight training is of equal importance
to aerobic training for health and fitness, especially for the
over-40 age groups, men and women.
The best results arise from using a structured
training program tailored for your specific goals rather than
a haphazard choice of exercises. A "program" means
that you will train according to a sequence of exercises and
times that match your target results. It’s best to write
this down and take it with you to the gym so you work through
each exercise in sequence –- at least until you are familiar
with it. Here are three examples.
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