Strength Training for Weight Loss
by Jackie Phiscator of Ellipse Fitness
Cardio, cardio, and more cardio...this is the common misconception of exercising to lose weight. The secret weapon? Strength training. Adding strength training to your routine will actually build lean muscle and burn fat. The common fear is that it will add bulk and therefore add weight. This is a myth. You not only become stronger, you lose weight as well. Women, in fact, are more likely to tone up from strength training rather than bulk up. Five pounds of muscle takes about a third of the space of five pounds of fat, but muscle weighs more - so the changes will be most noticeable in a loss of inches and the way your clothing fits than on the scale.
Your upper body is made up of your arms, chest, shoulders, neck, and upper back. This is easily the most popular part of the body to work for strength training. You'll see an improvement in your posture here. Here are some possible exercises for the upper body: Pushups, Bicep Curl, Triceps Kick Back, Chest Press, Chest Fly, Shoulder Press, Lateral Raises, Lat Pull Down, and Reverse Fly.
The core is very important because you derive much of your balance from the middle section of your body. Plus a strong core allows you to do other exercises better and more effectively. It also protects your lower back. When it comes to your core, almost everyone takes care of their stomachs with sit-ups. But there is much more to your core, including your obliques, lower back, hips and groin. Here are just a few exercises for the core: Crunches, Reverse Crunch, Oblique Twist Crunch, Plank, and Bicycles.
Last but not least is your lower body. While the legs are sometimes forgotten during strength training, they are also very important. The large muscle groups in your legs burn more fat and help you last longer during aerobic exercise. The key is finding exercises that specifically work your quads, hamstrings, calves and tibialis. Here are a few lower body exercises: Lunges, Squats, Wall Sits, Calf Raise, Hamstring Curl, Inner & Outer Leg Lifts, Quad Lifts & Extensions.
Finally, make sure to give your body a rest after a strength workout. Train different body parts two to three times a week for 20 to 40 minutes with at least a day in between workouts. This gives the muscles time to repair themselves and allows your metabolism to do its thing. Pay attention to getting a good amount of lean protein to repair and rebuild that muscle you've broken down during your workout. Before you know it, you will not only be strong, but on the way to hitting your weight goal.
