You've probably heard that regular aerobic exercise - like walking or running - is vital to keeping your body healthy. But strength training can also be an essential part of your workout routine. While aerobic activities help your heart and lungs stay fit, strength training offers numerous other benefits for your body too.
If you're new to strength training, working with a lot of equipment or weights might seem intimidating. However, there are many ways you can add strength training as part of your routine physical activity - allowing you to find strengthening activity that works for you.
Strength training basics
Strength training, which also includes resistance training or weight training, is any activity focused on building and strengthening the musculoskeletal system. Strengthening exercises may use various types of weights, equipment, resistance bands, or your own body weight to work your muscles.
While this type of training does improve muscle strength and mass, most women don't see a substantial change in the size of their muscles. According to the National Institutes of Health, the main goal of strength training isn't to get big muscles. It's about maintaining muscle function and mass in the long term.
Benefits of strength training
Your muscles and bones get many benefits from strength training exercises. Studies have found that muscle mass can decrease by 3-8% each decade after 30. That's why exercises that focus on your muscles are so important. Even more, these types of exercises can also provide positive effects throughout your body beyond just muscle mass.
Some benefits include:
- Maintain muscle mass and strength, especially as you age
- Improve bone strength, potentially reducing your risk of osteoporosis
- Help manage weight by burning calories and improving metabolism
- Improve flexibility and balance
- Increase joint mobility and stability
- Reduce your risk of injuries
- Enhance well-being and quality of life
Ways to add strength training to your weekly routine
In general, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends doing muscle-strengthening activities on two or more days a week. You should focus on major muscle groups, such as your arms, legs, back, abdomen, chest, hips, and shoulders.
Weight training is a common type of strengthening exercise. But strength training doesn't always have to mean investing in weights or other equipment. A few ways you can include strengthening exercises in your workout include:
- Using resistance bands
- Lifting weights, including barbells or dumbbells
- Lifting weighted bags or balls
- Training on resistance exercise equipment or weight machines
- Using your own body weight through push-ups, sit-ups, lunges, or squats
- Climbing stairs
- Gardening activities, such as digging or lifting
- Participating in some forms of Pilates, yoga, or tai chi
Getting started with strength training
As you get started, it's important to go slow and use a small amount of weight when doing lifting activities. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends trying a couple of sets of eight to 12 repetitions of a movement or lift and progressing the intensity of your strength training over time.
As always, you'll want to listen to your body and give yourself rest in between strength training sessions. This helps avoid overexertion, which could lead to an injury like a muscle strain.
If you're unsure where to start or worried that you might overdo things, talk with a professional first. Your physician, physical therapist, or an exercise professional can provide tips for exercising safely based on your fitness level and any chronic medical conditions you may have.