Strength training is training done with a greater number of sets, low repetitions, high loads and long rest times, which promotes muscle mass gain, improves posture, promotes weight loss and reduces the risk of injuries.
Some examples of strength training are Olympic weightlifting, deadlifts, bench presses, and bent-over rows., which can be done at home or at the gym, with dumbbells, elastic bands, bars or kettlebells, for example.
However, it is recommended to always do strength training with the help of a physical education professional, to do the movements correctly and avoid injuries.
Main benefits
The main benefits of strength training are:
1. Improve physical endurance
Strength training improves physical resistance, because during exercise, muscle resistance is stimulated by exerting force against a weight, such as dumbbells, elastic bands, kettlebells or even your own body weight.
2. Promote weight loss
By helping to gain muscle mass, strength training increases energy metabolism in the body, promoting calorie expenditure and favoring weight loss.
However, to lose weight, it is also essential to maintain a healthy and varied diet, prioritizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes, for example. See how to go on a diet to lose weight.
3. Promote muscle mass gain
Strength training promotes muscle mass gain, because it stimulates resistance and development of muscles, which need to support heavy weights for long periods, in addition to improving training capacity.
4. Reduce the risk of injury
By strengthening muscles and tendons, and improving mobility and range of motion, strength training can reduce the risk of falls and injuries, helping to maintain the ability to perform everyday activities.
5. Promote well-being
Strength training promotes well-being by improving self-confidence, due to the challenges that are overcome during exercise.
Furthermore, strength training also improves mood, as exercise promotes the release of endorphins, which are the hormones responsible for the feeling of well-being, relief from stress, anxiety and even depression.
6. Improve posture
Strength training strengthens the muscles and bones that support the spine, thus improving posture and reducing back pain. Check out other exercises to improve posture.
7. Lower your risk of diabetes
As skeletal muscle helps improve sensitivity to insulin, which is the hormone responsible for balancing blood glucose levels, strength training helps reduce the risk of diabetes.
How to make
To do strength training correctly, it is important to follow some recommendations, such as:
- Do 1 to 6 repetitions per series and, if you can do more, you should increase the load until you reach a maximum of 6 repetitions;
- Use as much weight as possible in repetitions, between 85 and 100% of capacity;
- Do 4 to 6 exerciseswhich work different muscle groups, in each workout;
- Do between 3 and 10 sets of each exercise;
- Do training for 30 to 60 minutes a day, 2 to 3 times a week.
Furthermore, during strength training, it is also important to maintain a 3 to 5 minute interval between repetitions, to improve muscle recovery before resuming exercise.
Examples of exercises
Some examples of exercises that can be used in strength training are:
1. Deadlift
The deadlift is a leg exercise that can be used in strength training, as it works the hamstrings and glutes, as well as activating the lower back and abdominal region, promoting the strengthening of these muscles. Understand better what the barbell lift is for.
To do the deadlift, you must place the barbell on the floor and approach the bar, placing your feet hip-width apart. Keep your spine aligned, bend your knees and hold the bar at the same width as your shoulders. Hold the bar and lift it off the floor, up to thigh height, keeping your spine aligned and your abdomen contracted. Return to the starting position, placing the bar on the floor.
2. Supine challenge
The bench press is an exercise that can be done with the use of dumbbells or a barbell, and is recommended to strengthen and improve the definition of the pectoral muscles, such as the upper and lower part of the pectoralis major, the deltoid, as well as the biceps and triceps. brachialis. Discover the different types of bench press.
To do this exercise, simply lie face down on a flat bench with your feet firmly on the floor. Hold the dumbbells, with your palms facing forward. Pull your shoulders down and back, and position the dumbbells at a height just below your eyes, with your elbows fully extended. Slowly lower the dumbbells toward the middle of your chest, then gently press upward until your elbows are fully extended.
3. Bent over row
The bent-over row is a recommended exercise to strengthen and/or increase the muscle volume of the back and biceps, as well as the lower back. This exercise can be done using bars, dumbbells or a pulley, or pulley.
The bent-over row should be done standing up, placing your feet hip-width apart, slightly bending your knees and leaning your torso forward a little. Then, hold the bar with your hands at a distance slightly greater than shoulder width and start the movement, flexing your elbows and bringing the bar towards your abdomen, and lower your arms towards the floor, stretching them completely. Learn more about how to do the bent-over row.
4. Olympic weightlifting
Olympic weightlifting is a sport where maximum strength must be used and which aims to test the strength and power of the upper limbs.
This exercise is done by lifting a barbell with weights from the floor to your shoulders and then fully extending your arms above your head.
