Weight training
Do you have sufficient time to go to the gym every day? What if you can do weight training at home and get the same results?
Today’s work-life balance is so unstable that hardly people can get time to go to gyms. It is best to train at home using weights, giving almost the same results as weight training at the gym.
The muscle needs resistance to grow. Going to the gym and lifting weights is as same as lifting weights anywhere other than the gym. The muscle needs stimulus to be active.
If you need to put on muscle mass and endurance, you need to exercise. Bodyweight exercises will do the job to a certain extent. But, if you want to go further, weight training is the best.
Exercising using weights such as dumbbells, barbells, and plates are known as weight training. Our body adapts itself and makes specific needed changes in order to sustain itself. So, when you lift weights heavier than your muscle fibers are used to, they break and build new muscle fibers. These new muscle fibers are much stronger than the old ones.
The same principle goes for muscle building. Weight training, in other terms, is providing resistance to the muscles. There are different exercises for all the muscles. you can train them in groups or isolate them to get the most out of your training. (1)
Exercises that engage a group of muscles at a time are called compound exercises. Exercises that engage only one muscle at a time are called isolation exercises. Compound exercises are best for bigger muscles like the legs, back, and chest. Isolation exercises are best to grow smaller muscles like triceps and biceps.
If you have any weak muscles, you should add isolation exercises to help them grow. Ideally, it would be best to do isolation exercises after the compound exercises.
To increase your strength and muscle size, incorporate more compound exercises with heavyweights. The rep range for building resilience is around 5-8. You can even have more than three sets if you do less than six reps.
If you want to increase muscle endurance and muscle definition, use light weights that you can do around 12 to 15/20 reps. It is unnecessary to go beyond 20 reps for an average person. If you are into any sport that requires more endurance than strength, you can go beyond 20 reps.
If you want to build pure muscle size, strength, endurance, and definition simultaneously, go for weights that you can do around 8-12 reps. Most people do lean muscle training between 8 to 12 reps. This range is called hypertrophy. (2)
The following principle of weight is progressive overload. This means you need to constantly overload your muscles by gradually increasing the weights (resistance). If you train a muscle group once per week, you need to increase the resistance in the next week. This will constantly stimulate the muscle required to keep the muscle growing.
There are basic exercises that can be done using free weights such as barbells, dumbbells, or any weight at home. Listed below are some exercises and techniques to do weight training at home:
Weighted Squats: Squat is an exercise for the legs that targets the quads, glutes, and hamstrings (minor engagement). Use a barbell with plates or dumbbells to perform this exercise. This will put more resistance to your legs which will make them grow. Try sumo squats, single-leg squats, deep squats, etc. They will stimulate every muscle of the legs.
Weighted Planks: Plank is an exercise for the core that targets your core muscles, i.e., abs and obliques. Arms, chest, shoulders, legs, and glutes also get involved in this exercise. Keep a weight plate on your back and perform planks. This way, you can make your muscles gain strength and endurance more than bodyweight planks.
Keep a weighted plate or dumbbell on the waist and perform side planks to target obliques.
Weighted Pushups:
Lying Chest Press: A chest press is an exercise for the chest usually done on a bench in the gym. But, you can perform this exercise on the floor at home using dumbbells or barbells, or any weights. This will target the chest, triceps, and shoulders.
Military press/Dumbell shoulder press: Military press is an exercise for the shoulders. It targets mainly the front and lateral delts of the shoulder muscle. It also stimulates the triceps. Doing standing military press engages the core to be stable during the exercise. The military press is a compound exercise.
The dumbbell shoulder press is similar to the military press. It targets almost the same muscles but does not stimulate the other muscles compared to the military press.
Barbell Deadlifts: Barbell deadlifts is a compound exercise that engages almost every body muscle. This is an exercise that everybody needs to incorporate into their workout routine. You can also perform this exercise using dumbbells.
Single leg dumbbell deadlifts target the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Try this exercise if you can not perform the barbell deadlift properly.
Dumbbell flies: This is an exercise for the chest which also stimulates the front delt of the shoulder. Perform this exercise lying on the ground or sitting on a chair (a little inclination is better).
Dumbbell Raises: Dumbbell raises are an exercise for the shoulder muscles. Dumbbell front raise targets the front delts, and dumbbell lateral raise targets the lateral delts. Perform this exercise after military press or dumbbell shoulder press.
Bicep Curls: Bicep curls are an exercise for the biceps muscle. You can use either a barbell or dumbbells to perform this exercise. This targets the biceps but also stimulates the forearms.
Pull-ups: Pull-ups are an exercise for the upper back which includes lats, traps, teres major, posterior delt, and rhomboids. It also targets the biceps and forearms. It also engages the core muscles. If you can go beyond eight reps, try weighted pull-ups.
Chin-ups: Chin-ups are similar to pull-ups. This exercise also targets the same muscles but engages the biceps and forearms more than the pull-ups. Chinups are a bit easier than pull-ups, so start with chin-ups if you cannot perform pull-ups.
Tricep Extensions and Kickback: Tricep extensions and triceps kickback target the tricep muscle. This exercise is performed using dumbbells.
Weighted Crunches: Crunches are the exercise for the abs. Try doing them holding weights.
Barbell/Dumbbell Rows: Barbell/dumbbell rows are exercises for the back. These exercises also strengthen the lower back, biceps, and forearms.
The Weight Training Equipment you will need here:
These weight training equipment are affordable and easy to use. Try to buy good quality products. Take all the safety measures while working out with weights.
Weight training for weight loss is one of the best ways to lose fat because of the following reasons:
Incorporate weight training into your lifestyle to lose fat within a short time. (3)
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