Are you a newbie to strength training? or in need of a refresher on good form, regular strength training is great for losing fat and getting fit,When you lift weights, you build lean muscle tissue which is more metabolically active than fat. When you increase your muscle, you also increase metabolism which means you’re burning more calories throughout the day.
Follow these guidelines to get the best from your workout.
Warm up. Cold muscles are more susceptible to injury. Start your workout with five minutes of body weight movement. Put your mind into the workout. Don’t just daydream. Focus on the muscle group(s) you are working. This is why we recommend the Lives so we can see your form. Don’t increase the speed of the movement until your form is in good shape.
Make your muscles do the work. Slow down each movement. Don’t use momentum to lift free weights, use your muscle. Avoid swinging movements. If it is too heavy and you should decrease the weight.
Maintain good posture. Stand tall and Keep your core engaged. The stronger your core, the more effective you will be at lifting weights. Breathe. You might be tempted to hold your breath when you are exerting effort. Exhale during the hardest part of the exercise to fuel the movement.
Pay attention to your body. Never work through intense pain. Instead, learn to differentiate between pain and muscle fatigue. Work for all muscle groups. Make sure your weekly strength training routine works all of your major muscles—abdominals, legs, chest, back, shoulders and arms.
Use your body weight. Sometimes your own body weight can be the most effective and most challenging. Make sure to add a least a few to each session. Try some planks, squats, push ups and lunges.
Here is Olivia showing you how to do a perfect Deadlift. Good form allows you to reap all the benefits of your workout and avoid injuries at the same time.
