Guide to Strength Training

Strength training is performed to enhance the strength of an individual. Power lifters and athletes use it to build strength. It can be differentiated with other form of training as most people who perform strength training are not into health and fitness benefits because of the low rep, and high rest periods involved.

How To Train?

Strength training is among the dangerous form of exercises since you can get injured from doing it. You can injure if you have not done any warm up exercises prior to performing strength training. The leser reps and greater resistance involve makes it dangerous as it might break your bones if not properly done. In reality, any exercises done more than six reps cannot be classified as strength training anymore. One of the most popular ways to do strength training is the one-rep max, which puts immense stress upon the muscles and joints of the individual. After performing strength training, it is recommended to take the at least a day before performing the same routine again. It is done to allow the body to repair itself, therefore, adjusting the strength for that same activity.

In general, 2 or 3 reps with 3 sets per exercises are enough for anyone who would want to increase their strength. However, you can maximize the number of reps up to six, if you want to be stronger.

Rest Periods

Adenosine triphosphate, or ATP for short can be found in the body and is responsible for muscle contraction. It is only limited, so most people perform who are into strength training do high rest period for it to recover and do another exercise routine again. That is the explanation why you need to rest when performing strength training.

Exercises

Strength training can be done through a number of ways, but the most popular way to do strength training are Squats, Deadlift and Bench Press. Other exercises added depending on the individual’s goal. Different muscles are work in different days to maximize the strength of the person.

Types of Strength Training

Pyramid Training. It is strength training that increases the resistance of each set while the number of reps decreases, or vice versa. It is an overall workout, but the result varies depending on the amount of reps that a person performs regularly. An increase in the number of reps will sacrifice some gains in strength but will increase the size of the muscles. A general conditioning effect will take place when the numbers of reps are increase to 15 and beyond.

Periodization. This much like pyramid training but utilized by people with a specific goal and time frame, such as a bodybuilder who wants to prepare for competition. Another one who uses this type of strength training is the athletes who want to prepare for challenge waiting for him in his chosen sport. A bodybuilder would spend 6 weeks training with a maximum of 3 reps per set to increase his overall strength that can be use build muscle by doing 10 reps per set for another 6 weeks. Afterwards, he would add more reps within another 6 weeks to build a better muscle definition.