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To Lift or Not to Lift: How to Do Strength Training Right

by Megan Foley

Are you a gym-goer who skeptically eyes the weight rack, wary of those steely barbells and dumbbells? Maybe you feel like weightlifting is a foreign land you’re not quite ready to venture into. Or, perhaps you’ve tried strength training before, but cut your sessions short for fear of injury or bulking up. 

Whatever the case, you’ve come to the right place! Let’s dive into strength training in its healthiest form – as a method of gaining strength and stability without unwanted bulk or safety concerns. 

Key Benefits of Strength Training

Why make time for strength training in your exercise routine? It offers compelling benefits for your fitness and overall health, including:

  • Build strong bones

Weightlifting and other strength exercises place stress on your bones, stimulating your body’s bone-building process. Over time, this increases bone density, lowering your risk of fractures and osteoporosis. 

  • Boost brain health

Strength training enhances blood flow to the brain, giving your brain cells the oxygen and nutrients they need to thrive. This also promotes the development of growth factors, which are glorious chemicals that help your brain make new neural connections. 

  • Ramp up metabolism

Strength training can help you maintain a healthy metabolism by building lean muscle. Muscle tissue is metabolically active, meaning it helps your body burn calories. In other words, more muscle = more burned calories. 

  • Reduce injury risk

With balanced, resilient muscles from strength training, your joints will undergo less stress with day-to-day movements. Your muscles will absorb the impact instead, lowering your risk of injuries and degenerative conditions. Fewer injuries make for more time to do the activities you love!

  • Support heart health

Resistance training is linked to a 17% lower risk of heart disease. It boosts lean muscle mass, which helps your cardiovascular system more effectively pump blood throughout the body. This results in less stress on your arteries and a lower likelihood of heart problems. 

  • Blood sugar regulation

Strength training is known to improve insulin sensitivity – AKA your body’s ability to reduce blood glucose levels. Just make sure to stick to moderate-intensity strength training to reap this benefit, as heavy weightlifting can raise blood sugar levels by stimulating stress hormone production. 

  • Improve self-confidence

Strength training sessions are a simple way to gain that empowered, take-on-the-world feeling. Savor those mood-boosting endorphins and enjoy the sensation of strength from the inside out!

Strength Training Tips to Get Started

It’s never too late to add strength training to your workout routine. Here are some tips to get you into the habit: 

  • Start with bodyweight training for ease and safety. With nothing more than your own body and a little open space, you have everything you need to start strength training. Your body alone offers plenty of resistance to make major strides in your workouts, and you don’t have to worry about which barbell to use or if you need a spotter. Examples include:
      • Forearm plank
      • Push-ups
      • Lunges
      • Squats
      • Tricep dips
      • Glute bridges
  • Master the movement before adding weight. If you want to add extra weight (like dumbbells, barbells, or kettlebells) to an exercise, first ensure you can maintain proper posture with your body weight alone. If you’re not quite there, don’t worry! Keep working on the basic movement until it becomes a breeze – then consider those extra weights. 
  • Prioritize balance by alternating muscle groups in your weekly sessions. For example, if you have two strength training sessions per week, designate one day for the upper body and one for the legs. This gives your muscles a chance to recover while strengthening the body as a whole. 
  • Focus on your breath to keep you calm, engaged, and in control. Try to take deep, restorative breaths (even on that last rep!). The general recommendation is to inhale just before the muscle-lengthening part of the exercise and exhale during the muscle-shortening motion. For example, inhale as you start to deepen into a squat, and exhale as you stand back up.  
  • Warm up for your strength exercises for 10 to 15 minutes. This not only gets your blood pumping to prevent injuries, but also puts you in the mood for a mindful workout. Try walking on the treadmill, using the elliptical, jogging in place, jumping rope, running up and down the stairs…just about any aerobic activity that ups your heart rate. 
  • Revel in your rest days. Especially if you’re new to strength training, give each muscle group at least a day or two of rest before diving back in. Rest days give your body the chance to repair, restore, and rebuild muscle tissue.
    • On your well-deserved rest days, make sure to eat plenty of protein, complex carbs, and nutrient-dense fruits and veggies. Sip on water all day long to prevent muscle cramps. 
  • Dress comfortably. If you tend to hang back from the gym, slipping into genuinely comfy, breathable activewear can help make your workout a habit. Our organic cotton wellnesswear is designed to nurture your wellbeing and move with you through every strengthening movement. 
  • Don’t ditch your cardio. While strength training offers health benefits abound, combine it with aerobic exercise for the best results. Aerobic exercise offers distinct perks that you can’t get from strength training alone, like immune support, improved sleep quality, and a powerful endorphin boost. 

 

Strength Training as Part of Your Wellness Routine

With mindful intentions and a restorative routine, strength training can help build the foundation of long-term wellness. Embrace the natural confidence boost and celebrate your gains, no matter how big or small!

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