Beginners weight training for weight loss and ultimate fitness

Get in shape and find your ideal fitness with simple weight training for beginners

Weight training is a great way to improve your fitness and build up muscle tone, and it is so easy to do if you do it properly with many people reporting fast results. However, for beginners it is not simply a matter of grabbing the heaviest weights you can stand and pumping you arms until they feel like they are going to fall off, it takes proper techniques and measured movements, do that and you will get great results.

For the sake of clarity, weight training is when the muscles of the body are focused on through a series of contracted and extended movements using external weights or resistance to stimulate growth and strength, it can also be referred to as ‘resistance training’ and ‘strength training’.

The benefits if such activity for improving fitness and overall appearance is well documented, even though some people confuse weight lifting with body building. The true benefit of weights lifting is that you will define and strength muscles, creating a long lean appearance.

Basically weight training can:

• Tone and shape the body for weight loss
• Improve strength, power and endurance
• Promote healthy circulation and body systems to prevent lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, osteoporosis and obesity.
• Rehabilitation

There is a bit of a misconception about weight training for some people, especially that it will build bulk on the body immediately, often putting women off the whole idea. However this is simply not true as it will only tone, length and create lean muscles – an ideal result. While men can build muscles, it is difficult for women as their muscles mass and body type differs from men, meaning that building big muscles is far more difficult.  Women can expect to speed up their metabolism (which promotes faster weight loss) while also creating leaner muscles.

Now many people don’t like the idea of using their local gym when they first start working out. This may be because they are too expense, or you are embarrassed about working out in front of others or maybe you are just unsure of the whole gym ‘scene’. However a gym comes equipped with all the latest weight lifting equipment in a range of weights and sizes that are appropriate from beginners to expert weight lifters. Additionally if you are a beginner, a gym will have trainers that can offer advice and guidance on what techniques to use for safe lifting which is important if you are new to weight lifting.

Although you can easily lift weights at home be investing in some from your local sporting goods store and working out in your own room or even the local park.

Equipment that you should use when beginning a weight training and fitness program should start with the basics. Obviously many of these are available at either your local gym or sports store if you opt to work out at home.

Basic equipment includes:

• Proper trainers/running shoes and clothing
• Dumbbells in different weights (this will depends on how fit you may already be but the idea is to push your muscles but not strain them so choose w eight that you can do a few reps with, but not without breaking a sweat)
• an adjustable weights bench OR
• an adjustable step up for aerobic stepping which you can used as a bench press if you elevate high enough off the floor
• exercise mat for stretching
• fitness ball (Swiss ball) for building up your core muscles and strength

Terms that you should become familiar with when looking into weights and fitness training can be fairly self-explanatory yet there a few that you need to understand completely before you start training so that you go into your first session understanding what will be asked of you (whether from a trainer or what you are demanding from yourself).

Repetitions (or ‘reps’) – this is the number of times you will repeat a certain movement or motion, for example, one bicep curl up and down is one rep.

Sets – is the name for a group of repetitions followed by a rest period. For example, you may do three sets of 15 reps with 30 second breaks in between every set.

Spotting – this is the name of the person who will watch over you as you weight train for both safety and guidance.  They are not necessary for many weight lifting moves, but always have a spotter when using a bench press or if you have just started lifting weights as they will help you to learn and maintain good form.