Strength Training for Beginners: Tips That Actually Work!

Strength training, also known as resistance training, is a type of exercise that involves using resistance to improve muscle strength and endurance.

Strength training is an essential component of a well-rounded fitness program and has numerous benefits, including increased bone density, improved muscle tone and strength, and reduced risk of injury.

If you’re new to strength training, it can be helpful to follow some tips and techniques to ensure you get the most out of your workouts.

Focus on the Big 4

Focusing on compound exercises, such as the “big four” of the deadlift, squat, shoulder press, and

, is particularly beneficial for strength training beginners.

These compound exercises involve multiple joint movements and engage multiple muscle groups at once, making them highly effective for building overall strength and muscle mass.

In contrast, isolation exercises, such as bicep curls or leg extensions, only target a single muscle group and may not be as effective for building overall strength.

By making compound exercises the foundation of your strength training program, you can more efficiently and effectively target multiple muscle groups and build a solid foundation of strength.

While the row and chin-up are good for strength training, they should be secondary to the big four compound exercises.

Start With Free Weights – Not Machines

Free weights vs machines is a common debate in the strength training world, but I firmly believe free weights are the better option.

Free weights, such as barbells and dumbbells, are essential for strength training beginners.

These types of weights offer several benefits compared to workout machines, which often have a more limited range of motion and may not provide as much of a challenge for the muscles.

Barbells, in particular, are very versatile and can perform a wide range of exercises, including the big four of the deadlift, squat, shoulder press, and bench press.

Barbells from Ascend are a great option if you are considering adding some strength training equipment to a home gym.

When starting out, it’s a good idea to use relatively light weights and focus on proper form to ensure that you’re using good technique and minimizing the risk of injury. As you progress in your training, you can gradually increase the weight to challenge your muscles and continue to make progress.

Using free weights, you can more effectively target multiple muscle groups and build overall strength and muscle mass.

Keep Your Workouts Simple

As a beginner, it’s important to focus on building a strong foundation of strength and technique before attempting more advanced exercises or workouts. One way to do this is by keeping your workouts simple and focusing on the basics.

This means avoiding the temptation to do too many exercises at once and focusing on a few key movements that target multiple muscle groups. Doing this can ensure that you’re using good form and technique and avoid the risk of injury.

In addition to keeping your workouts simple, paying attention to the tempo, or speed of movement, that you use is important. Using a consistent tempo can help you maintain control of the weight and better engage the targeted muscle groups.

This is especially important for beginners, who may be more prone to losing control of the weight and risking injury.

By focusing on good form, technique, and tempo, you can set the stage for more advanced workouts as you progress in your strength training journey.

Track Your Workouts

It’s important to track your progress by keeping a log of your workouts, including the exercises, sets, reps, and weights used.

Tracking your workouts in a log is an important aspect of strength training because it helps you monitor your progress and identify areas for improvement.

By keeping track of the exercises, sets, reps, and weights used in each workout, you can see how you progress over time and adjust your training accordingly.

This is especially useful for beginners who may not clearly understand their baseline strength levels and need to track their progress more closely.

In addition to helping you monitor your progress, tracking your workouts in a log can provide several other benefits.

For example, it can help you set and achieve specific training goals, such as increasing the weight you’re lifting or increasing the number of reps you can do.

Tracking your workouts can also help you identify any weaknesses or imbalances in your muscle development and target those areas with specific exercises.

Overall, tracking your workouts in a log is a valuable tool for anyone looking to improve their strength and athletic performance.

Don’t Overload

It’s important not to overload your workouts by trying to do too much at once. Stick to a maximum of 4-5 lifts per workout, and keep the session short to avoid overstressing your body and negatively impacting your hormones.

Instead, focus on performing one main lift per workout, along with 2-3 assistance lifts to target specific muscle groups.

By working on your strength training consistently, you can build strong muscles and improve your athletic performance.

To continue challenging your muscles and making progress, consider rotating through different rep ranges in your workouts and pushing yourself beyond your comfort zone.

As you increase the weight you’re lifting, be sure to do so slowly and consistently, and focus on maintaining good form and technique.

By taking your time and working on your consistency, you can maximize the effectiveness of your strength training and see the best results.

Concluding Thoughts – Strength Training for Beginners

To sum up, strength training is a vital component of any fitness program and offers many benefits, including increased bone density, improved muscle tone and strength, and reduced risk of injury.

If you’re new to strength training, it’s important to focus on the big four exercises, use barbells and dumbbells, and keep your workouts simple and consistent.

By tracking your progress in a workout log, you can monitor your progress, set and achieve specific goals, and identify any weaknesses or imbalances in your muscle development.

Ultimately, by following these tips and techniques, you can maximize the effectiveness of your strength training and achieve the results you want.

Read Next: Health Benefits of Weight Training