Everyone has different health and fitness goals.
Some want to build muscle. Some want to lose stubborn belly fat. Some want to run better. Some just want to improve in their sport.
Well guess what?
Strength training can help you accomplish all of these goals.
The popular notion of strength is someone who can lift prodigious weights. But there is no singular definition of strength because it is specific to what the person wants to achieve.
But the purpose of a strength training program remains the same: to help you progress and improve by increasing your capacity to accommodate greater resistance.
A successful strength training program must be built on a solid foundation.
For a foundation to remain strong it must be supported by 4 sturdy and tested pillars:
1. Progressive Resistance
2. Progressive Overload
3. Nutrition
4. Rest And Recovery
Progressive Resistance is the underlying principle of building strength. If you want to get stronger, you must periodically increase the amount of resistance applied to your muscle.
What if you have reached your limit?
If your progress has stalled or you have reached a plateau then we transition to Progressive Overload. This is the principle which requires you to overcome strength plateaus by increasing the amount of resistance at specific sticking points or weak areas.
A good example would be sprinters who use a weighted sled or resistance bands to improve their starting time off the blocks. Basketball players use Plyometrics to improve their second jump.
The value of a good nutrition program can never be over-stated. Food provides the calories to fuel your workouts and the macronutrients to jump-start the recovery process. But you have to know what foods to eat and when.
Finally, you will not get stronger if your body will not have enough time to rebuild damaged muscle tissue.
If your workouts stimulate fibres to build bigger and stronger muscles, rest and recovery creates the environment that enhances strength and induces muscle growth.
A strength training program is an effective way to achieve overall health and fitness. It will help you build muscle, burn fat, improve strength and develop great conditioning.
Before you embark on a strength training program, either visit popular exercise websites or engage a personal trainer to help you through the first 2-3 months of training as it’s essential that you use correct technique to avoid injury during your strength training program.
