Are your workouts getting easier? Then, it’s time to increase your exercise routine and make it more challenging. However, if you find it hard to do this because you get tired easily, you need more strength and resistance training.
Getting fit requires consistency and dedication. And it is understandably frustrating when you find it difficult to work out at a stretch for a long period. This is often a result of low strength and endurance.
However, in order to solve this problem, we’ve consulted different fitness experts for a solution. In this article, you’ll read six tips and strategies for strength and resolve training.
Eat Healthily
If you want to keep fit, you need to pay extra attention to what you eat. Any personal trainer will recommend a healthy diet for their trainee. Food is the main source of body fuel and strength. So, if you want to increase your strength and push yourself outside your comfort zone, you need to start eating healthy.
Did you know if you don’t eat healthily, you can not have considerable mass gains? After burning up fat in the gym, you need to eat quality and healthy food to see mass improvement.
For your strength training, you need to pay attention to the food you eat. You’ll need to maintain a diet high in protein, fruits, vegetables, carbohydrates, and healthy fats. While paying attention to what you eat, you can also try preparing your meal ahead. This makes sure you carefully prepare your meal without pressure.
Control Your Meal Portion
Eating healthy is important. However, eating healthy but in excess can be harmful to your training. Excessive eating means fat-building as opposed to muscle mass gains. So, strength training doesn’t begin where you lift weights. It is an additional result of your eating habits and portions.
You can use smaller bowls, cups, and plates while eating to control your meal portion. A recent study shows that you have a tendency to eat 20-40% more when you serve yourself using a larger plate.
Furthermore, controlling your meal portion also means eating with a purpose. Dan Trink, C.S.C.S., said, everything you eat must have good nutritional value. Your meals should be able to serve a nutritional purpose to fuel your workout routines and strengthen your body.
Understand the Basics of Strength Training
If you don’t understand the basics of strength training, it can be difficult to get the results you want. If you decide to book a session with any personal trainer, they will simply guide you through the basics of strength training, and you’d be amazed at your result.
First, you’ll need to increase your caloric and protein intake. As mentioned above, the importance of a healthy diet for strength training can not be overemphasized. A healthy diet high in protein intake gives your body the fuel it needs.
Also, while in the gym, do not start out with the heaviest dumbbell. You’ll lose your strength and find it difficult to do other activities in your session. Start out with light weights and basic exercises to warm up your body. Then, you can start pushing heavier weights.
Do It Right
If you are just starting out at the gym, it is important to ensure you are doing it right. A lot of beginners in the gym do their reps incorrectly. This can make you lose strength unnecessarily. And, in the end, you might see no results for your workouts. For every rep, ensure you maintain the right stance and aim for the largest achievable range of motion in your exercises.
You might be unable to do more reps like before when you do this. However, your muscles are doing more work per rep. With this, you save more energy and get more results.
Furthermore, as a repetition, do not go too heavy at once to get the most out of weight lifting, use a weight load that will have you failing on a set between 30-40s. This time range is ideal for growing your muscles and increasing your strength.
Resistance Training
Resistance training is sometimes also referred to as strength training. It is a form of exercise routine and reps that is aimed at increasing your muscular strength and endurance.
As the name implies, resistance training involves the use of some resistance equipment to build strength. This could be weight (dumbbell, barbell, etc.), resistance bands, or your body weight as resistance while working against gravity.
However, while doing this training, you can decide to focus on the specific results you want, such as muscular endurance, joint stability, balance, muscular power, etc. Resistance training is important to build your strength.
Forms of Resistance Training
There are various forms of resistance training. As defined above, this training involves working your muscles against a resisting force. So, you may or may not need equipment for some of its forms
Your Body Weight
Here you use your body weight as a weight against gravity. Examples of this form are sit-ups, squats, push-ups, planks, etc. You don’t need any equipment.
Resistance Bands
These are portable training kits. They are elastic and can provide resistance when stretched. They can be designed as bands, tubes, or with handles. They are easy to use.
Weights
This involves the use of weights such as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, etc., that can make your muscles work against gravity.
Resistance Machines
You can find these in the gyms, and if you are new to the gym, it is advisable to get a gym staff member to give you instructions on its proper usage. Weights Or hydraulics are used as resistance for your training
Rest
It’s okay to work out for hours at a stretch. But, if you’re just starting out on a strength training session, you need to take a rest when necessary. After every session or rep, you should take at least 2-3 minutes of rest to catch your breath. Give your body a chance to recover and go again.
Always remember, you get the results you want outside of the gym when you are relaxing. This is the time your body needs so it can heal and recuperate.
Conclusion
Whether you are a beginner, an advanced bodybuilder, or a regular body fitness individual, you need to do resistance training twice or thrice per week. However, for children, three hours of resistance training is enough.
