At this point, the benefits of aerobic exercise are well known. Brisk walking or jogging is good for your joints, cardiovascular health, mental health, and more. But strength training is also there.
Press benefits continue to grow.a person doing some kind of strength training live a longer and better lifeAccording to the research of British Journal of Sports Medicine. In January, results from a supervised exercise trial in overweight or obese people were published in the European Heart Journal, showing that a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training was better than aerobic exercise alone. It was also found that it may be effective in preventing cardiovascular disease. Unfortunately, not enough people are reaping these potential benefits.
of National Center for Health Statistics “Only 24.2% of adults over the age of 18 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans For both aerobic and muscle-strengthening activities. ” These guidelines recommend at least 150 to 300 minutes of “moderate intensity” aerobic exercise, or 75 to 150 minutes of “vigorous intensity” aerobic exercise, and “moderate intensity” that targets all major muscle groups. We recommend the following muscle strengthening activities. At least twice a week. The bottom line is that even if people are exercising, not enough people are doing strength training.
When you think of strength training, you may think of bench presses, pectoral bulges, and vascular lifts, but it’s becoming more common. doctor recommends that. This isn’t just limited to co-workers who keep showing up their protein shaker cups on every Zoom call. A full-fledged splitlifting workout may seem intimidating to those new to strength training, but there are other, more accessible options. (If you want to get to the barbell right away, starting strength, a popular program that breaks down your lifting into just two workouts and completes them three times a week. )
we talked GQ Wellness columnist Joe Holder explains what strength training actually means, how to incorporate it, and the difference between building strength and building muscle.
common misconceptions
Many people confuse strength building and muscle building, but “they’re not really the same thing,” Holder says. Also, many people think that strength training requires a lot of time and effort (i.e. total weight lifted), but that’s not true either.
But first, it’s important to define what strength is. Holder says it’s “the ability of muscles to generate force.” “And you don’t want that to decrease as you get older.” (More on this later.)
Start
“You can’t really ‘hack’ strength,” Holder says. It’s important to figure out what works best for you based on what you can do and have access to.
If you’re just starting out, Holder recommends focusing on bodyweight strength relative to tempo (that is, increasing the speed of exercises like squats and push-ups) and key movement patterns like pushing, pulling, squatting, walking, and carrying. We recommend that you focus on All movements that occur frequently in daily life, such as hinges, rotations, etc. Such movements include squats, planks, lunges, racking, etc. hip swivel. All of these can be done without dumbbells. If you need more resistance, a sturdy reusable bag filled with canned goods will help you adjust the weight accordingly.
keep things in balance
A balanced full-body strength training program doesn’t have to be complicated. In general, try to pull twice as hard as you push, Holder says. It’s easy to tone the front of your upper body, but pulling can also help combat the slouched posture commonly found at work, in the car, or on the subway, he says. “If someone is just starting a strength program, they’re not really going to run into those problems.”
In addition to targeting major muscle groups, Holder recommends “prehab” exercises for overlooked areas such as ankles and shoulders – exercises that can prevent injury before rehabilitation is needed. Mobility Work-Holder has his 15 minute morning routine. YouTube— It ensures your strength works and means you can be strong and You can make optimal movements. (Imagine the opposite of a bodybuilder who wipes his butt and struggles to repeat it once.)
Try mixing it up
There are ways to advance your strength training without adding weight. One rep max (the maximum weight you can lift in one rep, or 1RM) is touted online as a benchmark, but it “doesn’t really apply to everyday life,” Holder says.
Rather, focus on a 3-5 rep max (which should be around 85% of your 1RM), but do other things like higher reps to build muscular endurance and still be able to move well. Also consider the following factors:
