Health & Fitness with Betty Doyling

Don’t forget the weights

I’m sure many have enjoyed all of the walking or running that you’ve been doing for the last few months. However, don’t forget the weights. This year is not over yet and there’s still time to define your muscularity, improve your appearance and fight muscle loss as we age. I’m sure many of you would like to start weight training, but are not sure where to start or if you can fit it in. See below understand how to get started.

What is weight training?

Weight training is a type of strength training for developing the strength and size of skeletal muscles that causes them to get stronger, like the way aerobic activity strengthens your heart. You can use free weights, such as barbells, kettlebells, dumbbells, or by using weighted machines. Resistance bands and your own bodyweight is another great option for strengthening your body.

It doesn’t take long.

You don’t have to work out for an hour a day to see results. For most of us, short weight training sessions at least twice a week is sufficient. You can see significant improvement in your strength with two to three thirty-minute training sessions per week.

Maintain Good Form

Make sure that you learn the proper form while weight training. Bad form can lead to injuries such as fractures, strains and sprains if not done correctly. If you’re new to weight training, work with a trainer to learn the correct form. Even those that are more experienced need to brush up on their form sometimes.

Try walking, running or another aerobic activity for five or ten minutes before beginning your weight routine.

Start with one to two sets.

Begin with a weight that fatigues your muscle after about 10 to 12 repetitions. You should be barely able to finish the last repetition.

Start slowly

If you’re just beginning, you may find that you can only lift a few pounds and that’s ok. Once your muscles get used to weight training exercises, you will be surprised at how quickly you progress if you are consistent. Once you can easily do 10 to 12 repetitions or more with a particular weight, gradually increase the weight. Don’t forget to rest at least a day in between working a specific muscle group so your muscles have a little recovering time. For example, you could work chest and shoulders on Mondays, legs on Tuesdays and so on.

Keep improving.

Lean muscle mass will decrease naturally as we age. If nothing is done to replace the muscle loss, it will be replaced with fat. But weight training can definitely help to reverse that trend. As your muscle mass increases, you’ll be able to lift weights a lot easier and perform daily task more efficiently. Weight training will also help to maintain your bone density, help with weight control and improve your metabolism. So don’t wait. Go for it!

Grab a weight and B-Active For Life!