How Can Individuals Effectively Incorporate Resistance Training Into Their Fitness Regimen?

Resistance training (also called strength training or weight training) is the use of resistance to muscular contraction to create strength, anaerobic endurance and size of skeletal muscles.

Resistance training is based on the principle that muscles of the body will work to surmount a resistance force when they are required to do so. When you do resistance training repeatedly and consistently, your muscles become stronger.

A well-rounded fitness program includes strength training to improve joint function, bone density, muscle, tendon and ligament strength, as well as aerobic exercise to improve your heart and respiratory fitness, flexibility and balance exercises. Australia’s physical activity and sedentary behaviour guidelines recommend that individuals do muscle strengthening activities on at least two days each week.

Vary your progressive resistance training program every six to eight weeks to maintain improvement.

Variables that can impact on your results include:

• Sets
• Repetitions
• Exercises undertaken
• Intensity (weights used)
• Frequency of sessions
• Rest between bouts

If you vary your resistance training program through the number of repetitions and sets performed, exercises undertaken and weights used, you will maintain any strength gains you make.

Examples Of Resistance Training

There are many methods you can strengthen your musculature, whether at home or the gym.

Different forms of resistance training include:

• Free weights – classic strength training instruments such as dumbbells, barbells and kettlebells.
• Medicine spheres or sand bags - weighted pellets or sacks.
• Weight machines – devices that have adjustable seating with handles affixed either to weights or hydraulics.
• Resistance bands – like gigantic elastic bands – providing resistance when extended. They are portable and can be adapted to most exercises. The belts provide continuous resistance throughout a movement.
• Suspension apparatus – a training implement that employs gravity and the user's body weight to complete various exercises.
• Your own body weight – can be used for lunges, push-ups and chin-ups. Using your own bodily weight is advantageous, particularly when travelling or at work.

Health Benefits Of Resistance Training

Physical and mental health benefits that can be attained through resistance training include:

Improved muscle strength and tone – to protect your joints from injury.

• Maintaining flexibility and balance, which can help you remain independent as you age.
• Weight management and increased muscle-to-fat ratio – as you gain muscle, your body uses more kilojoules when at rest.
• May help mitigate or prevent cognitive decline in senior individuals.
• Greater stamina – as you grow stronger, you won’t get fatigued as readily.
• Prevention or control of chronic conditions such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, back pain, melancholy and obesity.
• Pain management.
• Improved mobility and equilibrium.
• Improved posture.
• Decreased risk of injury.
• Increased bone density and strength and reduced risk of osteoporosis.
• Improved sense of wellbeing – resistance training may enhance your self-confidence, and improve your body image and your disposition.
• Improved sleep and avoidance of insomnia.
• Increased self-esteem.
• Enhanced performance of everyday activities.

Basic Principles Of Resistance Training

Resistance training comprises of various components. Basic principles include:

• Program – your overall fitness program is composed of various exercise categories such as aerobic training, flexibility training, strength training and balance exercises.
• Weight – varied weights or other forms of resistance, for example a 3 kg hand weight or fixed weight, body weight or elastic band will be used for various exercises during your strength training session.
• Exercise – a particular movement, for example a calf-raise, that is designed to strengthen a particular muscle or group of muscles.
• Repetitions or reps – refers to the number of times you continuously repeat each exercise in a session.
• Set – is a group of repetitions executed without pausing, for example, two sets of squats by 15 reps would mean you do 15 squats then relax muscles before doing another 15 squats.
• relax – you need to relax between sessions. Rest periods vary depending on the intensity of exercise being undertaken.
• Variety – altering around your fitness regimen, such as frequently introducing new exercises, challenges your muscles and forces them to adapt and strengthen.
• Progressive overload principle – to continue to acquire benefits, strength training activities need to be done to the point where it’s challenging for you to do another repetition. The objective is to use an appropriate weight or resistant force that will challenge you, while maintaining excellent technique. Also, regular adjustments to the training variables, such as frequency, duration, exercises for each muscle group, number of exercises for each muscle group, sets and repetitions, serve to make sure you progress and develop.
• Recovery – muscle requires time to repair and adapt after an exercise. A decent rule of thumb is to recover the muscle group for up to 48 hours before engaging the same muscle group again.