If you’re new to weight training, it’s a good idea to start with light weights and work your way up. You can use bodyweight exercises such as squats and push ups or equipment like resistance bands to begin with.
Lifting weights increases your strength to support everyday activities and fend off chronic disease, studies show. It can also boost your mood and self-esteem.
Strength
Strength training involves moving parts of your body against some form of resistance. You can use weight machines, hand weights, resistance bands, your own body weight or a combination of these to increase muscle mass and improve your strength. It also helps keep your metabolism chugging, increases bone density and reduces risk of injury in athletes and the elderly.
Regular strength training increases the strength of bones, tendons and ligaments. This can help prevent injuries from blows, falls or awkward movements. It also increases the ability to generate more force in less time, known as power.
To increase your strength, you should gradually increase the amount of weight or resistance that you lift over the course of a few weeks. Aim for a set of repetitions, or reps, that is difficult to complete without tiring your muscles out. Rest between sets for recovery. To avoid injury, always exercise slowly and pay attention to your technique.
Stamina
Stamina, or endurance, is the foundation for other fitness goals, such as increasing your speed during cardio exercises like running or swimming and lifting heavier weights with more power. Exercises that help improve your stamina often involve working at a moderate to high intensity level for long periods of time.
Boosting your stamina can take some time, but it’s important to keep up with your workout routine and to monitor your energy levels during the process. You can also add in some rest days between strenuous physical activity, so your body can recharge.
When it comes to specific exercises, you can improve your stamina by adding in HIIT training or incorporating isometric exercises into your routine, such as planks and wall-sits, that challenge muscles to remain under stress for extended periods of time. Additionally, shortening the rest intervals during your workout can also help you develop stamina. 1
Muscle Tone
When someone tells you that they’ve done a workout that “tonifies” your muscles, politely ask them to define the term. Muscles can only change in two ways: they shrink or grow. To create the appearance of firm, toned muscle, you must do a combination of strength training and reduce body fat.
Muscle tone refers to the degree of contraction of a muscle during passive resting conditions. For example, if you relax your arm and pinch it against your side, you’ll feel resistance, which is a measure of your muscle tone. People with low muscle tone appear flabby and floppy, like rag dolls, while those with high muscle tone have tight, light arms and legs.
Muscle tone is improved by engaging in a weight training program that includes the major muscles of the legs, back and chest as well as the biceps and triceps. The program should include two to three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of exercises such as squats, lunges and pushups. You can increase the number of repetitions and sets as you get stronger.
Self-Esteem
Boosting self-esteem is an important part of a healthy life. High self-esteem allows you to feel good about yourself, deflect criticism and handle stress better. It also helps you set realistic goals for yourself, and to reach them.
Exercise is one of the best ways to improve your mood, and also increase your confidence and self-esteem. Aerobic exercises such as walking, jogging, swimming and cycling increase your overall health and help you to become fit over time. This in turn helps to improve your attitude towards life and gives you a sense of achievement.
According to a study, participating in aerobic exercise for eight weeks as an intervention increased the participants’ self-esteem. The mean SE scores increased significantly in the group that participated in the exercise compared to the control group. This is consistent with previous studies.(13)(24)Styrketräning
