Strength Training

Strength training has many benefits for your overall health. Following a consistent strength training routine can help you: 

• Burn more calories at rest. Did you know that your muscles burn calories throughout the day, even when you’re at rest? The more lean muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn without even trying. 
• Improve your overall function. Building strength will help you with daily activities like walking, climbing stairs, cleaning, or lifting objects at home or work. 
• Reduce or avoid injury. If your job requires that you do repetitive movements, strength training can build and strengthen the muscles that help you balance and move properly, so you can avoid stress injuries or strains.
• Increase bone density. When you strength train, your muscles and tendons apply pressure and tension to the bones, which causes the bones to produce more bone tissue. As a result, your bones become stronger and more dense, which reduces your risk of fractures and osteoporosis.
• Age well. After the age of 40, people who are sedentary lose 10% of their strength and 17% of their power every 10 years. Regular strength training and physical activity are vital to staying healthy for as long as possible.

While your own body weight is one of the best tools you can use for strength training, it might not be ideal for training every muscle group. For example, you might be able to do 50 bodyweight squats but struggle to perform even one pullup. Luckily, there are lots of other forms of resistance that can be used in your strength training routine.

Free Weights

Dumbbells, kettlebells, and barbells are free weights. They’re called free weights because you can move freely while using them, unlike when you’re using a weight machine. Dumbbells and kettlebells are available in various weights, and barbells are adjustable (you can add or remove weights from the bar). Free weights are a popular choice for strength training because of their versatility—you can perform many different exercises while using them. Lastly, free weights are universal – a 20 lb dumbbell is a 20 lb dumbbell, no matter which gym you’re in.

Weight Machines

Specialized weight machines are designed to target a specific muscle or group of muscles. Weight machines can be easily adjusted and are typically easy to use, making them a great choice for people new to strength training. Because of their size and cost, most people use weight machines at commercial gyms rather than buying their own.

Cable Stations

A cable station is a large piece of equipment with a series of pulleys attached to a stack of weights. Cable stations typically have various attachments which allow you to perform many different exercises. They allow greater freedom of movement than a weight machine while providing consistent tension, unlike free weights.

Resistance Bands

Think of these as giant rubber bands – as they stretch out, their tension increases. Resistance bands can be tied to or looped around/through any sturdy object, high or low, to be used for a wide range of exercises. They’re also extremely lightweight and portable, making them a great option for travel.

Regardless of what equipment you’re using, every strength training program should follow these four basic principles:

Specificity

Simply put, if you want a muscle to get stronger, you need to make sure you’re working it! Strength training should target the major muscle groups: arms (biceps and triceps), shoulders, chest, back, legs, and the trunk/core. Do a combination of exercises that target multiple muscles at one time and others that isolate specific muscles individually. Whatever routine you choose and whatever your goals, make sure that you’re strength training all the major muscle groups at least once per week.

Form

To determine if the weight or amount of resistance you’re using for a particular exercise is too heavy or too light, focus on form. You’ve already learned that 8–12 repetitions tends to be the sweet spot for most strength training exercises. If the weight or amount of resistance you’re using allows you to perform more than 12 repetitions without any change in form or technique, the weight or amount of resistance is probably too light. If you struggle to complete eight repetitions of an exercise using proper form for each repetition, the weight or amount of resistance is probably too heavy. The goal is to avoid injury by always maintaining proper form, while also challenging your muscles enough to gain strength.

Progression

If you are strength training regularly your muscles should respond by getting stronger. As your strength builds, you can slowly increase the weight or amount of resistance you’re using, as long as you make sure that you can still maintain proper form for each repetition. There is a limit to the amount of weight you’ll be able to lift for any given exercise, so it’s important to remember that you can also increase the number of repetitions and sets to build strength.

Rest & Recovery

This principle is one of the most important aspects of strength training (and all forms of exercise). Not allowing your muscles to rest and recover during and between workouts will lead to injury and will only set you back. While strength training, make sure you’re resting 45–90 seconds between sets to ensure that your muscles recover long enough to allow you to complete subsequent sets using proper form, but not for so long that your muscles become cold and stiff. It’s also important to have rest days, where you give your muscles a break and don’t do any strength training at all. To give each muscle group at least 48 hours of recovery time before you exercise it again, alternate your strength training days with days of cardio and stretching, and make sure that you don’t target the same muscle group in two strength training days in a row.

Pull Up Progression

The following sample routines provide great workouts, whether you’re looking to start strength training or just want a little variety in your routine. If you’re just getting started, begin with “Strength Level 1 with Allison.” You’re ready to move up a level to the next video when the difficulty of your current routine falls below a five out of 10, with 10 being the most difficult thing you’ve ever physically done. You want your workouts to be between six and eight out of 10, to ensure you’re in the sweet spot to build strength but not working so hard that you risk injury.

Strength Level 1 with Allison

Strength Level 2 with Allison

Strength Level 3 with Emily

This routine has three circuits. Complete as many rounds of the exercises in each circuit as you can in the set amount of time. If you are able to complete two rounds of each circuit in the first week, try to complete three rounds in the next week, and four rounds in the week after that. Even if you stick with the same amount of resistance/weight and the same number of repetitions for each exercise, an increase in the number of rounds means you’re improving! 

If you are able to complete many rounds of each circuit in the set amount of time, you may be getting more of a cardio workout than a strength training workout. Try adding more weight/resistance and then aim to slowly increase the number of rounds, just as you did at the original weight/resistance level you started with.

Circuit 1: Set a timer for six minutes. Complete as many rounds of the three exercises as possible before your timer goes off.

Forward/backwards walk 6 steps x2

Lateral walk 5 steps x2

Kneeling side plank+hip abduction hold x 20 seconds each side

Circuit 2: Set a timer for 12 minutes and complete as many rounds of the four exercises as possible before your timer goes off.

Plank body saw x10

1-arm dumbbell squat x 5 each hand

2-arm bent over dumbbell row x12

Bicycles x15 each side

Circuit 3: Set a timer for 12 minutes and complete as many rounds of the four exercises as possible before your timer goes off.

Plank+shoulder tap x10 each side

Elevator split squat x 5 each side

½ kneeling dumbbell overhead press x10 each side

Time under tension alternating dumbbell bicep curl x10 each side

Your Crossover care team is here to help. We have coaches who can make a plan so you know where to start. Our mental health team can talk you through your stress and anxiety. Your physical therapy team can help you recover from injury with safe movement. Or you can start with a physical for a full picture of your overall health. Wherever and whenever you’re ready to begin, just start a Conversation with your Crossover care team. We want you to be well.