By Stephanie Mansur
Happy New Year! Officially, it's time we all panic about our
fitness level (or lack thereof) and set lofty goals for 2020. When your fitness
begins to decline, one of the quickest ways to start building is to incorporate
strength training into your routine. READ MORE. webcomputerworld
The Department of Health and Human Services recommends
incorporating strength training exercises for all major muscle groups into an
exercise routine at least twice a week. It's an integral part of a complete
exercise program that many of us ignore in favour of cardio. Not only can it
improve bone density and help reduce the risk of osteoporosis, but resistance
training builds lean muscle mass, which helps burn fat while burning calories
(thus accelerating progress toward your beach physique).
And not only will you see the physical benefits of strength
training, but you'll reap some incredible mental benefits as well. Research
shows that strength training is associated with a reduction in anxiety
symptoms, improvements in cognition and self-esteem, a reduction in depression
symptoms and improved sleep quality in adults diagnosed with depression. My
clients have confirmed that by incorporating strength training into their
workouts, they have felt an increase in energy and a more positive sense of self.
Convinced it's time to put those muscles to work? We have a
complete body strength training program that requires no equipment. Whether
you're pressed for time, have limited space, or are on a tight budget, this
workout requires only your body weight.
Research shows that results will be similar whether you
decide to do all your strength training in one day or split the workout by
muscle group (i.e., leg and arm day). For our purposes, we've divided the
exercises into different days in case you're short on time and only have 15
minutes a day to commit to. But if you know tomorrow will be busier than today
and you want to complete two workouts, don't hesitate! To determine what works
best for your schedule.
The structure of the training
This month's plan is for 30 days: we're giving you a gift
today to help you unwind from last night's celebrations. The workouts are
divided into three categories: upper body, lower body and core. Upper body
exercises focus on the arms, chest, upper back and shoulder muscles. Lower body
exercises focus on the legs and glutes. Core exercises focus on the muscles
that run along the spine, inner and outer thighs, hips, and abdominals.
As a certified personal trainer, I recommend doing all of
the exercises in these categories twice a week, along with your choice of two
cardio sessions per week. You can mix and match them however you like,
depending on your schedule. The only rule is don't train the upper or lower
body back to back two days in a row. Because these muscles are more prominent
than your core muscles, they need at least a day off to rest and repair.
I recommend doing 30 repetitions of each exercise during
your workout. For example, on upper body day, you could do ten reps of each
exercise and repeat the entire circuit thrice.
Download your printable calendar here. Hang the calendar on
your fridge for easy reference, or keep it in your bag or car. Remember, this
is just one example of how you can structure your workout! The only requirement
is that you complete two activities (with 30 repetitions of each exercise) of
each category each week. READ MORE. healthnutritionhints