Fitness trends come and go every year, but one type of workout that has lasted through it all is strength training. These full-body workouts increase your flexibility and help you lose weight. To reap these rewards, though, you'll need to consider these strength training tips.
Warm Up and Stretch
Since a lot of muscle groups are used in strength training exercises, it's rather easy to pull something. That's why you need to take extra time warming up and stretching before every workout. For warm ups, run or bike for thirty minutes. These routines increase blood flow throughout your entire body, which can help with tightness.
You'll also want to stretch adequately before doing any heavy-lifting. Using a foam roll is one of the best things you can do for stretching, as it lets you glide in a controlled motion where all core muscle groups are worked on.
Focus on Barbells
There are a lot of fancy equipment available in gyms today, and truthfully, it may seem too confusing. Sometimes the best workouts involve the simplest tools, which is the case with barbells. These circular-shaped weights are instrumental in strength training, as they let you load a lot of weight in a safe, controlled manner.
There are also so many workouts you can complete with them. The four main workouts you should focus on with barbells include shoulder press, squats, bench, and deadlifts. For these routines to be effective and to gain strength over time, you need to gradually increase the barbell weight.
Keep a Journal
One of the most rewarding things about strength training is actually seeing how strong you're getting every week. To monitor your progress, you can take a journal with you to the gym. After every workout, write down how many reps you did and how much weight you lifted.
After several months, you'll have tangible evidence that proves if your workouts are working or not. If these daily logs are not getting any better, you can then adjust your strength training routines to avoid wasting time and energy. Once several years pass, you can look at these logs and see how far you've come in your weight loss or strength-building journey.
Strength training exercises are some of the best workouts you can do because of the many benefits they provide. Get the most out of these routines by having a clear plan of attack and keeping track of your progress.