How to Start Strength Training

How to Start Strength Training


First off, if you are here, you have likely made the decision you need to add some strength training in your life. Congratulations! This is one of the absolute best decisions you could ever make for your life, and those around you.


You’ve read up on the benefits of strength training but as you look into it, you may feel overwhelmed in knowing where to start. Look no further, this 5 Step guide will help you get started in no time.


Step 1: Determine your training frequency:

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends training every major muscle group at least 2 times a week. I usually ask clients how much time they want to spend in a session. If it is at least 45 minutes, then full-body routines work great.

 

Option 1: Full body routines, 2-3 times a week


If a client only has 30 minutes, it can be helpful to break up the days into upper and lower body with an increased number of training days in the week.


Option 2: 2 upper and 2 lower body days in the week, each 30 minutes long. 


You could also do a combination of the options above.


Option 3: 1 upper body day, 1 lower body day, and a 3rd full body day 


What you don’t want to do is choose a routine you won’t stick with. If you have a hard time exercising, then a plan that is set for 5-6 days in the week will be hard to maintain. Set yourself up for success right from the start. 


Other options that are slightly more advanced include breaking your frequency up by push/pull days or by specific muscle groups, with people often training 2 muscle groups a day, 5-6 days a week. If you are a beginner, I recommend starting with one of the 3 options above.


*NOTE: Muscles need at least 48 hours to recover so don’t train the same muscle group in back to back days - with the exception of calves and core, those can be trained back to back days without adverse effects.


Step 2: Determine needed equipment:


There are so many equipment options available for strength training. You can use machines, free weights (dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells), resistance bands, or do calisthenics (body weight training). You can even create your own resistance with household items.


The biggest factor to consider for true effective strength training, is do I have enough weight to challenge my muscles. If you can squat your 60 pound child, you need to be squatting more than that. The magic of strength training comes when you move challenging loads. That is where strength adaptations will come. If you don’t have any weight at home, its time to get creative, invest in some equipment, or join a gym.


If you are first getting started, it is perfectly fine to start at home and grow your confidence in strength training and progress to more weight when you are ready.


Step 3: Pick your movements:

This will be influenced by your training frequency from “Step 1.” Great lower body movements to get started with included variations on squats, lunges, step ups, hip hinge movements, and calf raises. Great upper body movements include push-ups, overhead pressing, bent over rows, lat pull downs, cable rows, and chest press. When doing full body days, I rarely perform isolated movements like bicep curls but you can. If you are short on time, performing more of the compound movements listed above (compound meaning involving multiple muscle groups) will be more affective. 


Step 4: Pick your reps and sets:

This step can be the most confusing. You can pick the same number to do for each movement each week. If you do this, you want to try to progress weight at least every two weeks. That would be sufficient for health benefits as long as you choose a combination in the 2 to 3 sets of 6-12 repetitions. A common combination is 3 sets of 8 reps. You technically could do 3 sets of 8 for each movement, each week.


The most important principle to keep is progressive overload. You must keep challenging the muscles as they adapt. Some programs have a lot of variation in the reps and sets and that’s generally ok too, as long as there is progressive overload. I personally like to do baseline performance testing at the beginning and end of a training block so I can measure the strength changes overtime. I use specific progressions in reps and sets that help get those specific strength adaptations we are looking for when we retest. 


If you are completely new to strength training, and you aren’t training/testing a specific performance test, I would recommend starting with 2 sets of 10 reps for 2-3 weeks and let your body get used to this type of exercise. Then move up to 3 sets of 8. Every 6-8 weeks, take a break and do 2 sets of 10 with lighter weight as a deload week and then pick it back up. 


If you’re a former athlete, you’d love the training style of having a performance test associated with your training. It makes it way more fun and keeps things fresh. 


Step 5: (Optional) - Find a friend!

Strength training is fun to do with your friends. Some people like to zone out and move the weight around and that’s totally fine, I’m that way most days. When you are just getting started though, doing this with a friend will help keep you accountable and you can explore it together.


Safety tips:


There you go! You’re motivated to tap into the benefits of strength training, and you have this guide to get started. I promise if you stick with this, it can be life-changing. Go out there and Take It!


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