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Advice :: Training :: Resistance

Resistance training, also known as weight training or strength training, is for everyone. It is an important tool for achieving a complete healthy life. Resistance training is not just for people who are athletes, want to build or tone muscle, or are using resistance training to achieve a better looking body.

You may also hear the terms weight training (or weight lifting) and strength training used to describe working the muscles with resistance. Resistance training is the term used to describe using weights, machines, and even your own body weight to effectively work your muscles. It is the collective term used to accurately describe all forms of resistance training, whether working with weights or not. Although strength training accurately describes what resistance training does, many people do not use the term because they think it only applies to those trying to become bigger and stronger when, in fact, all resistance training when done correctly increases strength, but does not necessary visibly increase size. (Hence the colloquial phrases “size doesn't always equal strength” and “a small muscle doesn't always equal a weak muscle”)

Medical research has shown that resistance training does the following: Strengthens the muscular system, Strengthens the skeletal system, Improves bone density (prevent onset of osteoporosis), Increases metabolism, Improves posture, Limits atrophy of the muscles, Aids in hypertension control, Aids in cholesterol control, Aids in body fat control, Increases circulation, Aids in prevention of adult-onset diabetes, Improves mood and self-esteem, Improves quality of life and Aids in the prevention of heart disease and certain cancers.

These are just a few of the many benefits of resistance training which are well documented by medical professionals. A well-planned resistance training program should be a part of everyone's health and fitness lifestyle regardless of age, gender, or goals.

Resistance training can be done anywhere and without specialised equipment. You do not have to join a health club or spend a lot of money. You can do resistance training using barbells, dumbbells and specialty machines (such as those listed on our on-line shop), but you can also do resistance traininig by using your own body as resistance. Common household products like kitchen chairs can also be used when resistance training.

The most important aspect of resistance training is correct performance (execution) of the exercise. Too many people become concerned with how fast an exercise is performed or how heavy a weight they are using. This means that the exercise is done incorrectly. This can cause injury and most often results in endless resistance training without obtaining any increased muscle size or strength. So, training incorrectly is a complete waste of time by comparison to using good technique.

Compound & Isolation Exercises

This section is a short summary of the most common exercises used to build and define various body parts. We thought it would be useful, especially to the beginner who may have heard of the many different exercises but was unsure as to which category these exercises fall into.

High strength will be gained from doing compound (power) exercises and we believe anyone who is serious about adding quality muscle should always include some form of power movement in there training. However, we suggest you use isolation exercises and light exercises when recuperating from injury or illness.

Excessive work with isolation exercises will stress a joint and its smaller group of muscles to the point that stress injury is inevitable, so don't shy away from compound work.

Legs
Basic Compound Exercises
Power Squats Leg
Leg Presses
Straight Legged Deadlifts
Front Squats

Isolation Exercises
Extensions/Curls
Cable Adduction's
Cable Abductions

Back
Basic Compound Exercises
Deadlifts
Power Cleans/Pulls
Heavy Shrugs
Upright Rows
Barbell/Dumbbell Bent Rows
Seated Pulley Rows
Pull-Up's/Chins
Pulldowns (Wide grip/Reverse Grip)

Isolation Exercises
Bent-Arm Pullovers
Cross-Bench Pullovers
Hyperextensions

Chest
Basic Compound Exercises
Bench Press
Incline Press
Decline Press
Dips

Isolation Exercises
Dumbbell/Cable Fly's
Pec Deck Fly's
Cable Crossovers

Shoulders
Basic Compound Exercises
Barbell Presses
Power Press
Upright Rows
Dumbbell Presses
Arnie Twists

Isolation Exercises
Front/Side/Bent Laterals
Cable Laterals


Biceps
Basic Compound Exercises
Barbell Curls
Heavy Dumbbell Curls
Close Grip Chins

Isolation Exercises
Concentration Curls
Machine Curls

Triceps
Basic Compound Exercises
Close-Grip Bench Press
Dips
E-Z Bar Skull Crushers

Isolation Exercises
Barbell Extensions
Pulley Pushdowns
Dumbbell Extensions

Forearms
Basic Compound Exercises
Barbell Reverse Curls
Pulley Reverse Curls

Isolation Exercises
Dumbbell Wrist Curls
Barbell Wrist Curls

Calves
Basic Compound Exercises
Jump Squats
Donkey Raises

Isolation Exercises
Standing Calf Raises
Seated Calf Raises

Abs
Basic Compound Exercises
Weighted Crunches
Leg Raises
Full Sit-ups

Isolation Exercises
Basic Floor Crunches
Side Bends

 

We do not advocate that you do all these exercises at one time. Experiment with them, learn the correct technique and you will find you enjoy some more than others. For example, Deadlifts are some people's favourite exercise and others hate it. However, whether it be love or hate, you should still learn the correct technique and perform this exercise routinely as it gives the body an amazing all over message to gain size and strength.

Formulate a programme you feel happy with and includes exercises that you feel work for you. However, remember that you cannot stick to the same routine forever, you have to continuously shock your muscles into new growth and this will include doing exercises your not so keen on from time to time. If you do not change your routine, you will hit a plateau after a short time and train endlessly without good gains. People say variation is the spice of life, perhaps so but variation is definitely the spice of growth for muscle!

And remember, if building muscle (and loosing excess water and fat) was easy, we would all have the physiques we want. So have fun formulating a some (min three day per week) training programmes. Try make up three different ones, perhaps one could be more compound orientated and stick to these programmes for around eight weeks each. Take a week off in-between switching programmes and think of this as a “growing and repair week”. It will do you good! Try increasing the weight (safely and realistically) each week for each exercise and depending on your body-type (phenotype) monitor the number of sets and reps you do. Record your progress and look back to see if there has been a steady increase in strength. If you do this and train hard (and diet and sleep well) we bet you will see a positive trend, will feel stronger, look better and will be happy with yourself. It is very self-motivating when you start seeing some results.

So get the pad and pencil out and start writing a training recipe for creating your new body!