Fitness Center

Resistance Training

Guidelines for resistance training.

For your safety, you may want to check with your physician before you begin any exercise program.

Never stress the same muscle group 2 days in a row.
Emphasize quality, not quantity. Try to perfect your form instead of worrying about how much weight you’re lifting.
Start slow. Even try performing the exercise without the weights the first couple of times. This will help ease you into the routine.
Discontinue any exercise that causes you pain.
Start out with low weight levels. Straining to lift more will not help build endurance, it will just make you tired.

Resistance training is a group of activities that are used to develop muscle strength and endurance.

You might think that you have to be huge, muscular, and practically live at the gym to get anything out of resistance training. But resistance training or weightlifting doesn’t have to be about getting big muscles. Many other benefits result from resistance training. It allows you to perform everyday tasks more easily and can also lead to a decreased risk of injury to muscles and joints. Best of all, you don’t need fancy equipment. Most of these exercises can be done right in your own home.

Personal Trainer

People with high blood pressure should be especially careful when doing resistance training. If you’re hypertensive, you should strive for muscle endurance, not strength and power. Also, it is essential that you don’t hold your breath while lifting. Keeping a steady flow of oxygen into your system is important.

Here are some examples to get you started:

Beginners

Alternate arm curls

Alternate arm curls Grasp a dumbbell or light weight (about 2 pounds) in each hand. Begin with arms at your sides. Bring one arm up to your shoulder, then reverse this motion. As you are bringing this weight down, begin the same motion on the opposite side.

Intermediate

Leg extensions

Leg extensions Sit in a comfortable position and hold chair for stabilization if necessary. Straighten one leg in a controlled movement, then return to the floor. Repeat with other leg. Note: for a more advanced exercise, ankle weights can add resistance.

Advanced

Alternate overhead press

Alternate overhead press While seated, hold two dumbbells or light weights (about 2 pounds each) at shoulder level with palms facing your head. Slowly push one weight overhead, straightening your arm. As you are lowering this weight to the starting position, begin lifting the other weight overhead.