Guidelines for Weight Training

This is the year of fitness, now more than ever, people are realizing they need to take better care of themselves. The "experts" tell us that more than half of the people in this country are overweight, and many people are looking in the mirror and not liking what they see. With the risk of heart disease and clogged arteries, many people are finding ways to put some sort of exercise into their day.

In addition to diet, another excellent way to get the body into shape, strengthening the muscles and bones is with weight training. While the body becomes sculpted and toned, the mind also becomes healthier. Just remember that while you could use weight training to bulk up and gain significant muscle mass, weight training with lighter weights can tone and define without the bulk.

If you want to get ready for the coming summer months and have interest in adding weight training to your workout regimen, you need to get on a proper schedule, which means not under or over training. Unfortunately, many people work hard all week and then on Saturday, they hit the gym, giving it everything they have. With this, you can actually harm the body by over training in a short amount of time. However, many exercises with weight training are done in a single session, which means certain parts of the body are under trained. We recommend you set yourself up with a three time per week program, training antagonistic muscles each session.

If you would like to join a gym, why not ask a friend to join with you? Don't spend all your time there chatting and socializing. Weight training takes concentration and focus. The two of you can be each other's "coach" and remind each other why your at the gym. Many people use the gym as a place to find dates and such. While this could happen don't count on it. Keep that bathing suit you want in your mind to keep you on the right track.

A gym membership is not needed though. There are many good exercise equipment out today. You don't have to spend anything if you don't want to, not even if you need weights. Walking is a great exercise and costs nothing, and for weights, you can use cans of soup or whatever is in your cupboard. When you need heavier weights, try gallon jugs fill them with water and weigh them with your scale. Weight training is good for both men and women and as long as you keep at it, you will start noticing sliming down and shaping up. Don't depend too much on that same scale to weigh yourself though. Weight training will build muscle and muscle is heavier than fat, so don't pass out if you weigh yourself and the scale either hasn't moved or you have gained a couple pounds. The best way to judge your changing body is by your clothes. Your will start seeing the change in the clothes you wear. By this summer, you can be slimmer and healthier, and that bathing suit you had your eye on looks good on you, how cool is that?