Guidelines for Resistance Training

Many people are afraid to start training with weights. Some think they'll injure themselves and others don't know where to start. Luckily, the ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine) has some guidelines that will help make your workout easier to do and more effective.

First, you need to choose a mode of exercise. A lot of options exist for resistance training. You can use free weights, machines or even your own body weight. Machines offer the safest workout and should be used by beginners. Free weights typically recruit more muscles than machines giving you a better workout. Unfortunately there is a higher risk of injury associated with free weights. Once you feel comfortable with machines, you can move into free weights but know that machines will still give you a good workout if you want to stick with them.

After you've chosen the mode of exercise you need to pick the exercises. The ACSM recommends you do a minimum of 8-10 exercises that target all the major muscle groups (hips, thighs, legs, back, chest, shoulders, arms, abdomen). You should do 1 set per muscle group that consist of 8-12 repetitions (reps). The only way 1 set per muscle group can be effective is if by your last rep you can't do anymore. You'll have to figure out a weight for every exercise in which you can reach that point. Keeping a log will save time so you don't have to find the right weight each week.

Do each rep in a controlled way. Don't jerk the weights and go at a constant speed throughout the range of motion. Each rep should last 3 seconds on the concentric contraction and 3 seconds on the eccentric contraction (3 seconds down and 3 seconds up) with a normal breathing pattern. You should take enough rest between exercises to do the next one with good form. Every 2-3 workout sessions, you need to pick some new exercises.

These guidelines should help you start a good workout routine. Be patient as you won't see results overnight. Sticking with a strength training program will give you many benefits in the long run.

Ken Bendor is a Senior at Florida State University studying Exercise Science and Dietetics. He started Straight Health to try and spread easy to understand and accurate information on health and fitness.

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