How to Build Strength & Muscle More Effectively By: Josh Curry, Pelican Athletic Club Personal Trainor
We know that lifting weights can improve our lives in various ways. For example, it can reverse or halt metabolic diseases, provide confidence in our appearance, reduce social anxiety and depression, and give us the freedom to move about the world in the ways we desire.
Movements that load the
Although these benefits are well-known, people often get confused or overwhelmed by the number of weightlifting choices. The equipment options we have are enormous, and the ways we can use them are almost innumerable. I hope that this article can simplify your choices and give you the clarity to put a plan into action.
cleans, overhead presses,
KNOWLEDGE IS POWER
Among the spine-loading exercises, you should order them by the amount of exertion. For example, you may be pressing weights that feel very heavy but squatting weights that feel more
Knowing your body is a prerequisite to effective weight training. If you lack basic knowledge about your body or exercise technique, you will likely have poor results or injury. Attend classes with coaches focused on technique, hire a personal trainer, or utilize educational resources online and no, Instagram and TikTok are not reliable educational resources. Learning about your body takes a lot of time, effort, and experimentation, so you will most likely need to rely on someone with experience to point you in the right direction. However, this information will accrue over time, and you will find it much easier to make proper decisions on your own.
BUILD AN EXERCISE PYRAMID A simple strategy for weight training is to warm up and then do a full-body workout with the largest, most taxing movements performed first. For example, a deadlift will use a much higher number of muscle fibers than a bicep curl or calf raise, so you should do it first.
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spine should have the highest priority (deadlifts, squats,
barbell lunges, bent over rows, etc.)
