Add Strength Training to Your Daily Routine

Strength training is a great way to improve your overall fitness.

Adding strength training to your routine can help you to reduce body fat, increase lean muscle mass and more efficiently burn calories.  Best of all, you don’t have to have access to a gym.  

Three ways to get started at home using your own body weight:

1. Squats, chair stands, step-ups or lunges:

These can be done anywhere. Step up and down on a curb or step inside your home. You can always add weights to increase the difficulty level.

To perform a squat:

Bend your knees, making sure you keep your weight in your heels and your bottom is back–reducing the stress on your knees. Helpful hint: Try to imagine that you are sitting down in a chair. A chair stand is a modified option.

To perform a chair stand:

Start seated in a chair with your feet shoulder width apart. Focus on engaging your quads, the muscles in the front part of your thighs, and come to a standing position without using your hands. 

To perform a step-up:

Step -ups and squats are two of the most functional lower body strength training exercises. Step-ups can be performed on a step at home or most gyms have adjustable steps. There’s more balance involved in a step-up, so make sure you have something to graspfor balance, if needed. Make sure to take turns leading with both legs to ensure equal strengthening. 

To perform a lunge:

Lunges can be a little tougher on the knees, so if you have any knee issues I would avoid this exercise. To perform a stationary lunge, take a big step forward with one leg, stay up on your back toe, keeping your back straight and put a bend in both knees until a nice pull is felt through your quads. Next, come back to the starting position. Again, make sure to do equal repetitions on both sides. Also, remember that you don’t want your front knee to go over your toes; you should be keeping your back straight and going straight down.

2. Push-ups:

You don't even have to get all the way on the ground! Push-ups can be done against a wall or on a railing. Change up your angle to make them more difficult and work different muscle groups. Push-ups are a great upper body exercise that can be modified for almost anyone. 

To perform a push-up:

Modified:  Find a wall, keep your hands a little wider than chest width apart, walk it back to make it harder. Make sure to keep your back straight, bend at the elbows and lower your chest towards the wall until you feel a nice stretch through your chest. Come back to the starting position. You can change the position of your hands to target different muscle groups. The closer your hands are together, the more the focus will be on the triceps (the back part of your upper arm).

More challenging: Get down on a mat. Either on your knees or up on your toes, with your hands on the ground in the same position as above. When bending at the elbows, make sure that you are keeping your back straight, so you don’t put strain on the lower back. Don’t feel bad about starting on your knees and working up to your toes–you are still engaging the same muscle groups while protecting your back.

3. Planks:

A plank is considered one of the best total core strengthening exercises, because it engages both your abdominals and your back muscles. It’s an isometric exercise, one that you hold, so make sure to keep breathing and not hold your breath. When performing any version of a plank, it is important to keep your back and abs nice and tight. If you feel any pain or strain in your lower back, stop the exercise.

To perform a plank:

Modified: On an inclined surface, or on a mat, come down on your forearms, walk your feet back until your elbows are underneath your shoulders and your back is straight.  Keeping your core tight, try to hold this position for 15-20 seconds. Your goal can be to work up to a 60 second hold.
Higher intensity: Set up the same way as above, but on your toes. This is much harder, so you might need to hold this exercise in shorter increments to keep proper form.

Other options for strength training include resistance tube exercises, free weights, weight machines, cable suspension training, yoga and more. 

Make a plan

Strength training works by introducing your muscles to a new challenge. They have to adapt and become stronger in response to this stimulation. General strength training rules are two-to-three sets of eight to 15 repetitions for up to three non-consecutive days per week. By the time you reach your final set, your body should really be working hard. This repetition builds the muscle and the days off allow the muscles to recover and adapt.

Keep it going

If you stick with this routine, you should see an increase in your strength over time. You will likely be able to lift more, for longer periods, and may also notice a change in your waistline, as well as improvements in your cholesterol and blood pressure numbers. By combining strength training and cardio training, even a moderate option like walking, you will see huge results. 

Rules for Strength Training

• Warm up with a walk or aerobic activity for at least five minutes before you begin. 
• If anything hurts, stop exercising.
• If you're over 40, are new to exercise all together, or have any health concerns, consult a physician before you begin.
• If you have questions about form or technique, a certified personal trainer or exercise specialist can give you some pointers to help you get started.

Remember: It doesn’t get easier, you get stronger!