When we talk of strength training exercises, we are reminded of the various physical exercises that are being done to increase the muscle strength in our body. Individuals perform strength training exercises either using their own body weight or by lifting weights or by performing at the gym with weight machines. With the muscle mass present in your body normally decreasing as you age, you can start doing strength training exercises that is expected to help increase your muscle mass. This will help in reducing body weight in individuals, as higher number of calories is burnt by lean muscle as compared to other kinds of tissue.
Strength training exercises come with many benefits, with some of them being improvement in lean muscle mass and other benefits such as rise in metabolism that helps individuals with weight loss, better strengthening of muscles that make individuals perform their activities without much difficulty and lastly reducing the chances of being affected by injury, since the muscles are placed in a better position to provide support to your joints.
Some of the strength training exercises that would work on your major muscle groups present in the body are as follows:
1. Bodyweight Squat:
This is one of the exercises that strengthen your lower body. You can do this exercise from any place without the need for any equipment and you need only a little space. This exercise involves a functional movement that works your major leg muscles. By doing this exercise, you obtain some benefits such as improved strength of your legs, apart from burning excess fat in your body and building a better mobility in the hip joint.
Equipment Required:
No equipment required.
How to do this exercise
1. Keep your feet shoulder-width apart. Your hands must be kept on the back of your head. Further, keep your lower abs pulled inwards.
2. Bend at your knees slowly and steadily and drop your hips so that your body can be lowered. Your heels must be placed flat on the ground.
3. Stop for a few seconds and come back to the position where you started.
4. Do about 10-12 reps of 3 sets per day.
2. Pull-up:
Pull-up is one of the best strength training exercises. By doing this exercise, the muscles of the upper part as well as your chest and shoulder are activated. When you do pull-up, you would be able to improve your shoulder range of motion as well as flexibility. It also helps in building your core strength that affects your posture directly.
Equipment Required:
No equipment required.
How to do this exercise?
1. Grab a pullup bar by holding onto the bar with your palms at a distance that is slightly wider than your shoulders.
2. Keep your arms straight in such a way that you are completely hanging on your arms.
3. Now, do not move your lower body and pull yourself upwards slowly till the top of the chest has reached the bar. Also, your chin must be kept above the bar.
4. Stop for a few seconds and then lower yourself down till the arms are straight once again.
You can do a minimum of 20 reps if you have started for the first time. You can increase the number of reps as you progress with time.
3. Bodyweight Dip:
Bodyweight Dip is a compound exercise that is aimed at strengthening your chest, shoulders and triceps. It provides numerous benefits for individuals in the form of helping improve strength of individuals, mass building and improvement in their fitness performance as a whole. This exercise also helps in improving muscular fitness among individuals.
Equipment Required:
Dip Station
How to do this exercise?
1. Catch the handles of a dip station and try to lift yourself up till your arms are locked out. Your body must also be straight from top to bottom. Now, you must bend your knees a little.
2. Your elbows must be kept bent and your body must be lowered till the upper arms are in a position that is parallel to the floor.
3. The shoulder, chest and arms must be used to power out of the bottom position and then come back to the position where you started.
You can try to do at least 10 dips per day which would help you build more strength.
4. Bodyweight Row:
This is one of the best upper body exercises that is easy to perform for individuals. This is commonly seen in exercise circuits where pull ups and other gymnastic movements are performed. This exercise can be a wonderful option for individuals who find it difficult to perform complex movements.
Equipment Required:
Dipping Bar
How to do this exercise:
1. Start by getting under a bar with your legs out straight.
2. Your hands should be kept on the bar at a shoulder-width distance.
3. Your body must be kept straight and your core must be engaged. Start the movement by drawing the shoulder blades jointly.
4. Pull your chest up on to the bar and your elbows must be pulled behind your back. Stay in this position for a few seconds.
5. Start lowering yourself back to the starting position.
5. Barbell Squat:
Barbell Squats are one of the major exercises that help in the overall development of strength and fitness of individuals. By doing barbell squats, you stand to gain tremendous strength that can also help you stay physically fit. Your posterior chain muscles such as glutes and hamstrings are greatly strengthened by doing this exercise, thereby helping improve your lower body movements. In addition to that, you are also able to improve your mobility and balance by doing the barbell squat exercise. This exercise also helps in building your core muscles such as the obliques, rectus abdominis, etc., since these muscles also get worked during the process of squatting.
Equipment Required:
Barbell
How to do this exercise:
1. Start by keeping a bar in a rack at a height that is just below the shoulder and start loading the weight plates.
2. Now, hold the bar with your hands at a distance that is just outside shoulder width. Step under and place your barbell on your back.
3. You must lift the bar away from the rack by pushing up using your legs and take one step back from the rack. Your feet must be kept shoulder-width apart, while bending your knees a little. Further, your lower abs must be pulled in, while you place your head in line with your spine.
4. After positioning yourself properly, start squatting by bending at your knees as well as hips together to lower the body. You must place your heels flat on the floor.
5. Now push yourself back upwards onto the starting position in the same way.
Your back must be kept straight as far as possible at all times when you are lifting the bar so that you can avoid any kind of strain or injury.
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Disclaimer:
The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as a health advice. We would ask you to consult a qualified professional or medical expert to gain additional knowledge before you choose to consume any product or perform any exercise.
