STRENGTH TRAINING – A BEGINNERS GUIDE
Whether you are new to the gym or an experienced gym goer looking to enhance your sessions with strength and weight training, and you’re not sure where to start; this post will help you answer the question ‘How can I can incorporate strength training in to my program?’
Well, at Stack House Gym, we advocate that you incorporate strength training into your program to make sure that your body stays balanced and well rounded. Here is a beginners guide to strength training.
WHAT MUSCLES SHOULD I TRAIN?
In a word, everything. Over the course of your training week, you should look to target all the major muscle groups at least once per week. No skipping leg day! For example, if you can get to the gym once per week for strength training, you should think about doing a full body work out. That means using machines or free weights (dumbbells and barbells) that target the shoulders, the chest, the back, the quads and the glutes/hamstrings in one work out. The more frequently you can attend the gym, the more you can look to break down each day to target each muscle group.
WHAT ARE THE BEST EXERCISES FOR BEGINNERS?
Beginners can start strength training by using weight machines, these are great for beginners while you built your confidence and learning, reducing the risk of injury, isolating muscles and you can easily increase or decrease the weight as needed. At Stack House Gym we have a range of incredible machines that really help push your body. Alternatively, using free weights has numerous benefits such as burning more calories, improving coordination and flexibility as well as gaining muscle mass. You can get started by learning the big 6 exercises; the squat, the bench press, the deadlift, the overhead press, the pull up and the barbell row. If you can learn how to do those 6 exercises well then you will certainly build a physique you are proud of.
HOW OFTEN SHOULD I HIT THE GYM?
This depends on you, your goals and existing routine inside and outside of the gym. If you are just starting out on your fitness journey, this is a great time to create a lifestyle change and we recommend attending the gym at least twice a week, but don’t beat yourself up if you can only manage once a week at the start, just as long as you preserver and keep going! We recommend incorporating strength training into your existing program at least twice a week, however to really make sure you can train for strength in a well-rounded and balanced way more often the better! To achieve your goals, motivation and perseverance is key and it is important to love what you do in the gym as well as love the gym you do it in! That is the key to encouraging yourself to come more often.
So, there you have it. A quick and simple beginners guide to strength training. At Stack House we offer a free Induction program for members consisting of 4 sessions (up to an hour) with a Personal Trainer who will demonstrate exercises and coach you through how to use the equipment to get you on your way. Additionally, our Health MOT consultation program is great for setting goals and tracking your progress, this is also free for members.
If you have any questions or would like to book in for an Induction or MOT with a Personal Trainers, please feel free to speak to one of our friendly desk staff who are always on hand to answer any questions you might have or click here.