I wanted this post to discuss some of the basic principles of weight loss and strength training.  Since strength training increases your metabolism, it is an essential component to losing fat and maintaining your ideal weight.  One of the biggest reasons people gain weight is that they lose muscle.  The key to avoiding muscle loss is to strength train. Strength training is the most effective means to create lean muscle mass.  By increasing lean muscle, you’ll burn more calories helping you to lose fat and maintain your ideal weight.

I’ve talked quite a bit on all three blogs about ‘keeping it simple’.  And as I was getting ready for today’s post I found some great tips from Georgia State University.  The give the following 10 steps for workout preparation.

1. Remember to warm up. Warming up gives the body a chance to deliver plenty of nutrient rich blood to areas about to be exercised, to actually warm the muscles and lubricate the joints.
2. Stretch - Increases or maintains muscle flexibility.
3. During the first week of starting an exercise program keep it light. Work on technique-good body mechanics and slowly work up to heavier weights.
4. Quick tips to maintain good body mechanincs: go through the complete range of motion, move slowly and with control, breathe, and maintain a neutral spine. Never sacrifice form just to add more weight or repetitions.
5. The intensity of your workout depends on a number of factors, including the number of sets and repetitions, the overall weight lifted, and the rest between sets. You can vary the intensity of your workout to fit your activity level and goals.
6. Listen to your body. Heart rate is not a good way to determine your intensity when lifting weights, it is important to listen to your body based on an overall sense of feeling of exertion.
7. The MINIMUM amount of strength training recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine is eight to twelve repetitions of eight to ten exercises, at a moderate intensity, two days a week. You will get more overall gains with more days per week, sets and resistance, but the progression is one in which you must listen to your body.
8. Strength training session are recommended to last one hour or less.
9. As a general rule, each muscle that you train should be rested one to two days before being exercised further in order for the fatigued muscles to rebuild.
10. “No pain, no gain.” This statement is not only false, but can be dangerous. Your body will adapt to strength training, and will reduce in body soreness each time you workout.