Strength is one of the greatest attributes we can possess. A strong body is not just for aesthetics – it can greatly improve your quality of life as well.
For example, a strong body will allow you to explore some of the most scenic destinations that require a bit of hiking, play with your children and grandchildren without fear of injuring yourself, and prolong the effects of aging.
Engaging in strength training doesn’t mean your end goal has to be to lift three times your bodyweight or compete in a strength competition. After we turn 30, our bodies begin to lose muscle mass, and this diminishing muscle leads to a higher risk of falls, fractures and many other crippling outcomes. Therefore, building and maintaining strength as we age is vitally important!
Below, explore four tips to enhance your strength training.
- Consider Your Intensity
Intensity is one of the easiest modifications someone can make to greatly improve the effectiveness of their program. Strength comes from introducing your body to a new stimulus, forcing it to adapt and overcome.
For example, if your goal is to squat 100 pounds in three months, squatting 50 pounds every workout will likely keep you at 50 pounds at the end of three months. Introducing a new stimulus to the muscle will help you better reach your end goal.
Here are some ways to introduce a new stimulus:
- Progressive overload: going up in weight by 5 to 10 pounds every couple of workouts — the simplest way to introduce a new stimulus
- Eccentric: slowing down on the easiest portion of a lift, such as taking 5 seconds to descend on a barbell bench press
- Pause reps: pausing midway through a rep (usually at 90 degrees) and holding for 2 to 3 seconds, forcing the body to recruit more muscle to sustain the position
- Focus on the Big Three
Understanding what muscles to train can be a daunting task. In general, you should be training all major muscle groups. However, there are three areas of the body that can greatly affect your overall quality of life: your mid- to upper-back muscles, core and glutes.
Strengthening these areas can benefit you in a variety of ways, such as improving your posture, reducing or preventing back pain, and lessening your risk of injury.
- Find Passion in Being Strong
Having a lifetime goal of getting stronger will take you down a path of improving and fixing imbalances within your body. It will also help you improve your body composition because you’ll increase your lean mass naturally. With that being said, everyone has different motivations for wanting to become stronger. Consider the biggest benefit for you, and use that to drive your strength training efforts.
- Follow a Program That Will Allow You to Track Your Strength
No matter your end goal, documenting your strength training journey will keep your workouts organized and efficient. For example, knowing what weight you need to use in your workouts is crucial so you don’t waste your time. When following a program and looking at the weekly exercises, there should always be a component of the workout or exercise in the week ahead that makes it harder than the week prior.
Now that you understand the importance of a strong body, set a strength-related goal that makes sense for you. Just be sure to challenge yourself — and to have fun in the process.
By: Davon Randolph