So you want to be strong, lean and mean?? Do some resistance training!
Strength training is a big component of fitness and a very important one because it can create various health benefits and has become a fundamental part of disease and injury prevention. Some of the benefits of strength training are increased metabolic rate, fat loss, higher energy levels, increased bone density (bye osteoporosis!) and just feeling fit, confident and good about yourself when you put on your favorite outfit!
Many folks already know this, but what they don’t know is how to program for strength so they go to the gym and end up doing the same old routine, or overcomplicate things by adding in too much stuff at once and working themselves to fatigue.
So today we are going to talk about a simple and easy way to plan for a safe and effective strength training program and give you guys some ideas of exercises!
For people just starting out, we recommend a minimum of a 2-Day Strength Split Routine to hit all the major movements (pull, push, hinge etc.) as well as body parts and muscles, which is really the KEY to a well-balanced program and a fit body.
Below is a sample outline you can follow for an easy, breezy total body-strengthening workout using resistance training with various modalities:
Day 1 Strength
Day 2 Strength
And there you have it… If you pay close attention you will notice that this program idea is not overly complex, and all the exercises compliment each other between the 2-day cycle. For example, on Day 1 we are going to strengthen the lower body by performing a 2 legged press (such as a squat) and on Day 2 we will work the upper body by doing a bilateral arm push (such a push up). Very balanced and broken up evenly so that we don’t overload the muscles too quickly, experience unnecessary soreness and put too much strain on the body.
Now, this is just one way to program for strength and though there isn’t a single way to do it, the above blueprint will give you some ideas on how plan out your workouts so that you’re not unprepared next time it’s time to hit the weight room.
It’s also worth mentioning that you should add in some core work into your body-strengthening program, and we recommend checking out Coach Pat’s Blog HERE to get some ideas on great core training.
For more information on programming, nutrition or how to build healthy habits for creating a better life and body you feel proud of, feel free to hit us up at info@coreprinciples-sc.com.
