Strength Training Essentials

Strength training is an essential part of most fitness routines. It promotes bone, joint, tendon strength and helps to increase metabolism. It is also great for injury prevention and rehab, but many weight-training programs are long and complicated. If you avoid weight training because you get overwhelmed or discouraged, this simplified routine may work well for you.

General Guidelines
• This is a quick, easy to follow plan, but you may adjust it as needed.
• Perform exercises that include large muscle groups and work from largest to smallest muscles, always balance the workout by exercising opposite muscle groups eg :
Squats, lunges, pushups, lat pull down, shoulder press, bicep curls, triceps push down, then core work – abs + lower back.
• Perform the routine once a week for strength maintenance or two to three times a week to build strength.
• Separate workouts by 1-2 days to allow for full muscle repair and recovery.
• Quality is more important than quantity. Maintain good form and posture and keep the weight under control - Don't bounce, throw or drop the weights.
• Begin your training at the minimum number of repetitions.
• Build up to the maximum reps over time and then add 3-10 percent more weight and drop back to the minimum number of repetitions.
• If you can't perform the minimum number of reps, decrease the weight by 3-10 percent.
• Lift speed should be a 1-2 second lift, and a 2-4 second lower.
• Keep a training log to track weight loads and progress.
• Don't forget a 5 minute warm-up and warm-down.

Types of strength training
• Own body weight
• Resistance tubing
• Machine weights
• Free weights
• Medicine ball training
• Fitballs / Bosu
• Using water as the resistance