SIMPLE STRENGTH TRAINING WORKOUT!

 

STRENGTH TRAINING EVERY OTHER WORKOUT?

Strength training is just as important as regular cardio exercise to maintain overall health, especially as you age and start to lose muscle mass. This physical change is even more pronounced in women as they enter menopause. If you're looking to make strength training more of a priority, you may be wondering how often you have to do it in order to notice a change in your body. 

 Trainer Tip of the Day: Strength Train At Least 3 Days a Week to See Results "As a personal trainer, I recommend strength training at least three times per week," I like to include strength training every other day to see the most muscle gains without overdoing it. Adding a rest day in between each strength workout will allow your muscles to recover, rebuild and repair."

While cardio can also build muscle, the benefits are mostly for your cardiovascular health, she added. And because strength training usually involves big muscle groups, like your glutes and quads, it's important to leave recovery time. To take some of the guesswork out of how often to exercise, the Start TODAY app, available to download, offers workout programs customized by best-in-class trainers to help you reach your fitness goals. Why It Matters Depending on the type of strength training you're doing, it can increase muscle mass, improve muscle endurance and preserve lean muscle mass and burn fat.

Research also shows strength training can decrease risk of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, lung cancer and death overall. It can also boost your metabolic rate. And as previously mentioned, strength training is especially important for older folks, as you lose muscle mass and strength as you age, which can increase risk of injury and other health conditions. How to Get Started If three days a week seems like too high of a number to start with, Mansour said you can start with a lower number and add more as you build the habit. 

Here's a sample workout plan for three days a week:

Day 1: Upper-body strength plus cardio Day 2: Rest Day 3: Lower-body strength plus cardio Day 4: Rest Day 5: Full-body strength plus cardio Day 6: Rest Day 7: Rest

Some beginner strength training exercises include: bicep curls, tricep kickbacks, modified pushups, squats, wall sits, side kicks, lunges and more.