Regardless of your age, body type or gender, incorporating strength training into your fitness plan is a great idea. If you have strong and toned muscles you will be better able to move through everyday activities with ease now and 10, 20, or 50 years from now.
Before we jump in, let’s review the benefits of strength training:
- Improved bone density
- Improved body composition
- Improved gene expression
- Better blood glucose control
- More balanced blood lipids
- Lower blood pressure
- Improved cardio-respiratory fitness
- Greater aerobic capacity
- Looking good in a tight t-shirt
3 Types of Exercises
Strength training exercises mostly fall into three groups, based on what you're doing and what equipment you're using. They are:
- Body Weight
- Free Weights
- Machines
Each type can serve a useful purpose so it's handy to know your way around all of them. There are pros and cons in all three areas, and some exercises tend to be more effective when done using one or the other.
For instance, dumbbells can be inexpensive, are somewhat portable, and having a set at home in your living room (near the TV) or in your office (under your desk) can make it easy to quickly grab them when the mood strikes you.
A machine, on the other hand is something that you likely won’t have at home. But using them at the gym can allow you to really focus your effort because they are fixed onto an axis that only allows you to move in one or two planes (or axis). A machine will also allow you to lift heavier weights than you might otherwise be able to and allow you to target specific muscle groups.
When you use free weights or body weight, you're engaging more muscles while you stabilize yourself along with the weight that you are lifting. This creates a more functional type of fitness (the type that you can use in everyday movement). On the other hand, machines can build strength, but using them too much can lead to a lack of functional fitness.
So, choosing which type of exercise is ideal for you involves many factors, such as experience, availability, personal preference, body type, genetics, strength, and of course your fitness goal.
Let’s go look at each one in detail so you can make an informed decision...
Body Weight
A body weight exercise is an exercise where the resistance is provided by the combination of gravity and your own body weight. Despite how easy that may sound, these exercises can enhance many biomechanical parameters like strength, endurance, power, mobility,...
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