How to create an effective workout for weight loss. Strength training for weight loss: what to choose

Strength training is anaerobic dynamic exercise using weights and resistance. Recommended for building muscle mass through gradual weight gain. Includes sets of exercises and work on simulators. They can be used for weight loss, although there is a risk of pumping up muscles.

Effect on the body

It has been scientifically proven that strength training has the most beneficial effects on the body:

  • strengthen the skeletal system;
  • reduce the risk of damage;
  • keep cholesterol levels under control;
  • strengthen the immune system;
  • accelerate metabolic processes;
  • prevent the formation of subcutaneous fat;
  • improve heart function;
  • have a positive effect on the functioning of the respiratory system.

But you shouldn’t think that such training is needed only for pumping muscles. They are also important for weight loss. Firstly, they burn a considerable amount of calories, although this is inferior to cardio exercise. Secondly, the started process of fat burning after training persists for almost 24 hours. In this regard, they have a huge advantage over aerobic exercise.

The golden rule that guarantees maximum weight loss states that exercise should begin with anaerobic exercise (20 minutes), after which you can move on to cardio (another 40 minutes). Such combined training is considered the most effective.

What do they include

Strength training, like any exercise, consists of three parts: warm-up, main exercises, cool-down. You cannot ignore any of them, otherwise you can overstretch the muscles and damage them.

What equipment is most often used:

  • dumbbells, pumps, body bars, weights and barbells;
  • simulators (Smith, Gakk);
  • improvised and non-traditional equipment for additional weight (for example, a backpack or chains).

Basic exercises:

  • “butterfly” and “reverse butterfly”;
  • lunges with a barbell;
  • sitting, lying down;
  • for legs: straightening, bending, adduction, extension, raising on toes;
  • leg press;
  • , from the bench, on uneven bars;
  • concentrated flexion;
  • bending to the side;
  • abducting dumbbells to the sides;
  • pull-ups;
  • pelvic lifts;
  • simple, plie, with a barbell on the back;
  • straight and oblique twists;
  • pullover;
  • back extension (hyperextension);
  • : flexion, extension, with a barbell, on a Scott bench, with dumbbells, lying down;
  • dumbbell row on a bench;
  • traction on a high block;
  • French press;
  • steps with a barbell.

Women who are afraid to work with weights such as weights, barbells, as well as exercise machines, can be advised to adapt adapted directions in sports. Initially, they were aimed exclusively at aerobic exercise, but were later supplemented with strength training. They not only promote weight loss, but also allow you to form a beautiful, sculpted body.

Power yoga

Developed by American yoga trainer Beryl Bender Birch. She suggested using asanas in classes that are primarily aimed not at body flexibility, but at working all muscle groups. She has two complexes - for beginners and more advanced. Both accelerate metabolism and have a fat-burning effect. With moderate loads, they allow you to lose weight intensively.

Asanas for beginners:

  1. Sumo wrestler.
  2. Warrior.
  3. Sage.
  4. Six points.
  5. Plank.
  6. Boat.
  7. Grasshopper.

More difficult level:

  1. Triangle.
  2. Cobra.
  3. King of fish.
  4. Tree.

Including warm-up and cool-down, classes should last half an hour. Trainings are organized every day, always in the morning, to soak up the positive energy of the sun.

Strength aerobics

The second option for anaerobic exercise for women. The exercises here are performed with weights at an intense rhythm. This version of aerobics provides intense fat burning while maintaining muscle mass, builds it without increasing fat tissue, and allows you to burn a large number of calories in one session. Program options:

  • AB-Marathon - back and abdominals.
  • ABS - aerobic, anaerobic exercises and stretching.
  • ABT - burning fat in the lower body.
  • Barbell Workout - with a barbell (equally good for both men and women).
  • Body Sculpt - with dumbbells, step platforms, body bars.
  • Circuit Training - circular strength training.
  • Core Barbell - with barbell, core platform and rubber shock absorbers.
  • Core Final Cuts is a core platform.
  • Core Medical Ball - on balance boards with a ball.
  • Core Training - on balance boards.
  • Deadly Force - with a barbell, but at a more intense pace than the previous option.
  • Energy Zone - for endurance, all muscle groups.
  • Flexible strength - back, stretching.
  • Magic Power - for losing weight in the most problematic areas of the body.
  • Power Ball - with a ball, the main load is on the spine.
  • Upper Body - all muscle groups.

Choose a program that will work on the most problematic parts of your body. For women, strength aerobics is an ideal option. However, be prepared for the fact that you will have to study in groups.

You cannot eat during training, but you can drink a lot of water (as required by the body or every 20 minutes). If your workout involves performing several sets, you can drink a protein shake in between.

Eating after strength training

After strength training, you can eat no earlier than an hour later, or even better - wait 2 hours.

What is allowed:

  • 1% kefir, low-fat cottage cheese, Greek yogurt;
  • vegetable salad with lemon juice or vinegar (without mayonnaise, sour cream, butter and other high-calorie dressings);
  • fresh fruits;
  • greenery;
  • fresh berries;
  • fat burning cocktails.

There should be no fat. If you need to have dinner after training, the dishes should be either baked, steamed, or boiled. Portions should be small in size. From sports nutrition, to restore the body and enhance fat burning within an hour, it is recommended to consume BCAAs, a protein shake (features of use and recipes), amino acids or L-glutamine.

  1. Diets are contraindicated to avoid exhaustion of the body.
  2. BJU ratio: 40/10/50.
  3. Six meals a day.
  4. Portion size = your fist.
  5. Dinner - 4 hours before bedtime.

Sample menu for 2 days

Programs

This program is designed taking into account the intensity of exercise and involves a harmonious combination of anaerobic and aerobic exercise. Weight loss in a week will be up to 3 kg.

* NI - low intensity, SI - medium intensity, VI - high intensity

Girls should work out using video programs from famous trainers (they are ranked from easiest to most difficult):

  1. Janet Jenkins. Total body pumping (Total Body Circuit).
  2. Michelle Dozois. We make the figure slim, strong, sexy (Slim, Strong & Sexy Body Sculpting).
  3. Tanya Ante. A whole weight loss system called Shakeology.
  4. . No More Trouble Zones.
  5. Keith Friedrich. Muscle sculptor (Total Muscle Sculpting).
  6. Bob Harper. Exercises for weight loss (Beginner’s Weight Loss Transformation).

A few more program options from the point of view of metabolic and “heavy” training are given in the table below.

Metabolic training (indicated in the table as M) - maximum number of repetitions (15x4) with a light working weight, short rest between sets (no more than 1 minute).

“Heavy” (T) - fewer repetitions (6x2), more working weight, long rest to restore strength between sets (up to 3 minutes).

Complexes of strength exercises

(under the program given above)

We talk about how to properly combine these types of loads.

For men in the gym

  1. Lifting a weight (the weight is selected depending on physical fitness) with one hand. 20 times for each in 1 approach.
  2. Front squats. 10 repetitions in 3 sets.
  3. Hack squats with a barbell behind your back. 12 repetitions in 4 sets.
  4. Pull-ups. Maximum number of repetitions in 4 sets.
  5. Pushups. Maximum number of repetitions in 3 sets.
  6. Scott's bench: seated barbell curls - biceps. 12 repetitions in 3 sets.
  7. Bench push-ups with reverse grip. Maximum number of repetitions in 3 sets.
  8. Intense swings of dumbbells to the sides. 20 repetitions in 4 sets.
  9. Leg press in the simulator: extension of the lower leg. 50 repetitions for 1 approach.

For women at home

Strength training is an essential part of sports training for weight loss. You can choose only cardio exercises, but there will be no such effect. Know how to combine them correctly to achieve not only a slim, but also a sculpted body.

Our relevant articles will help you create a complex for training men and women - exercises:

- to get rid of extra pounds, - to define muscles, says a common misconception regarding training for weight loss. In fact, these types of loads need to be combined. “Unlike aerobic training, strength training accelerates metabolism and forces the body to burn fat even after you leave the gym: energy is also consumed during the recovery period after exercise,” explains Olga Kochetova, fitness manager of the personal training studio of the Planet Fitness club chain. Experts note: it is much easier for trained people with good muscle mass to lose weight than for those who simply lose weight.

“If you set a goal to lose weight, then 2-3 times a week you need to do cardio training and the same amount of strength training,” says Tatiana Borzenkova, personal trainer and instructor of group programs at the personal training studio of the Planet Fitness club network. You can alternate between cardio and strength training daily or within one workout. An alternative to aerobic exercise in the gym is swimming in the pool or jogging, cycling, walking, in the fresh air. “Don’t forget about stretching after strength training. It helps restore muscles,” recalls Elena Khramova, personal trainer at the TERRASPORT Copernicus fitness club.

Organize strength training wisely for weight loss

When strength training for weight loss, it is important to use as many muscles as possible. To harmoniously work out the body, 8-10 standard exercises with weights acceptable to you are enough: on machines or with free weights - whichever you prefer. The main thing is that the lesson lasts at least 40 minutes and no more than an hour. Classic strength training: squats, lunges, deadlifts, horizontal and vertical rows, pull-ups (for girls - an option with legs resting), push-ups, barbell or barbell bench press, dumbbell press, abdominal exercises. “Use a medium repetition mode - 6-12 repetitions in three sets,” advises Olga Kochetova. In order to get results and not harm yourself, it is better to conduct your first training sessions with a personal instructor.

Breathe correctly

“In strength exercises, tension is always done while exhaling, relaxation is always done while inhaling,” reminds Olga Kochetova. Do not hold your breath under any circumstances! This is fraught with increased blood pressure, dizziness and even loss of consciousness.

Choose a weight that suits you

Properly selected weight during strength training is the key to harmonious muscle development and weight loss. “You need to select it so that in each approach you can repeat the movement 12-15 times,” says Elena Khramova. The technology should not suffer in this case. “It is optimal to keep a training diary and note in it the number of approaches and repetitions, as well as the weight of the weight. And gradually increase your own norm,” advises Olga Kochetova.

Recover

The moment no less important than the training itself is recovery after it. “Lack of rest after exercise slows down progress and can lead to overtraining syndrome,” says Tatyana Borzenkova. Therefore, after strength training, be sure to stretch, rest and get enough sleep. “Losing weight is impossible without full recovery. This process in our body occurs at night during sleep, when the most important life hormones are produced - somatropin and melatonin,” reminds Elena Khramova.

Eat right

Of course, it is connected with proper nutrition. Try to follow the basic rules of a diet for losing weight. First, don't exercise on an empty stomach. But don’t come to the gym with a full stomach. It is best to have a snack an hour and a half before class. After training, within 20-30 minutes you need to eat something protein-carbohydrate, for example, cottage cheese, a slice of banana or apple, and after two hours have a more serious meal. Olga Kochetova advises avoiding carbohydrates and giving preference to vegetables and protein dishes. “In general, you need to limit your intake of simple carbohydrates and fats, and shift complex carbohydrates to the first half of the day,” she reminds.

These six simple rules will help make your strength training for weight loss truly effective. Follow them, exercise with pleasure and lose weight!

Do you want to do fitness at home online?

In ours you will find classes in various areas of fitness.

Strength training brings undoubted benefits to everyone who wants to lose weight. This method helps to lose weight correctly, without negative consequences for the body. Weight training will not only give you excellent proportions to your figure, but will also preserve and improve your health for a long time.

Is it possible to lose weight from strength training?

To lose weight means to reduce body weight (reduce weight by a certain amount of kg). To combat extra pounds, the most popular method is various diets. But the fact is that the result is primarily achieved due to the loss of water and muscle mass - and only then the amount of fat decreases. In women, the breasts become thinner, and the skin becomes flabby and sagging.

Strength training has a number of advantages and undoubted advantages over other methods of weight loss:

  • significant acceleration of metabolism;
  • active burning of calories and fat during training;
  • increased energy consumption after finishing classes;
  • activation of metabolism for a longer period;
  • weight loss occurs without loss of muscle mass.

Weight training will help you sculpt your figure to your liking. By changing the load, speed and number of repetitions, you can increase or decrease the volume where necessary.

Strength training can help you get rid of cellulite. Muscles actively displace fat cells and prevent their growth. The skin becomes elastic and smooth.

Common Misconceptions About Strength Training

Despite the great and constantly growing popularity of such sets of exercises, there are some prejudices that cause concern among women. The biggest misconception is the fear that the figure will become masculine with a pile of bulging muscles.

Such fears are completely unfounded! To build voluminous muscles, like professional bodybuilders (jocks), you need at least:

  • intensive training (2-3 hours) at least 5 times a week;
  • performing exercises with heavy weights;
  • special diet (sufficient in calories);
  • mandatory protein supplements for muscle growth;
  • the presence of a sufficient amount of testosterone (male hormone).

Building muscle is much more difficult than it seems. It is hard work! Girls and women who want to lose weight have absolutely no need to adhere to such a strength training program.

There are several other misconceptions that prevent you from giving preference to strength training:

  • Eating after a workout will promote fat storage. This is completely out of the question! Intense exercise requires a lot of strength and energy, and carbohydrates obtained from food help restore costs. This definitely does not apply to replenishing fat reserves. Read more about what nutrition should be like after a workout.
  • Thanks to such training, muscles will add extra volume to your figure. This is wrong! It is important to remember that fat takes up four times more space by volume than muscle tissue. Therefore, the external figure will become much more graceful, despite the strong muscles.
  • It is impossible to lose weight by training with weights. A misconception that is easy to debunk. A properly selected set of exercises and diet will help you get rid of extra pounds. There is an important clarification regarding this point: the weight lost can be much less than when losing weight with the help of strict diets and cardio exercises.

Important to remember! With strength training, weight loss is due to fat loss, and not due to a decrease in muscle mass and water.

Fat is lighter than muscle, so it seems that the weight is not decreasing, and all efforts are in vain. For many women, losing weight means seeing the scale arrow creeping down. But it is precisely the reduction in volume and elasticity of the body that is visible to everyone proof of a change in figure for the better.

Cardio or strength training - which is better for losing weight?

Many women prefer to do only cardio training, claiming that only with their help they can quickly lose weight. This is partly a well-founded opinion. Undoubted advantages:

  • excellent workout for the cardiac and respiratory system;
  • active supply of oxygen to muscles;
  • quick consumption of extra calories;
  • burning fat (subcutaneous);
  • acceleration of metabolic processes.

But there are also some weaknesses:

  • increased energy consumption (active burning of calories) is observed only during intense training (pulse rate of at least 145 beats per minute), and after the end of training the process slows down significantly;
  • The breakdown of fat cells does not begin immediately. Only after 30 minutes. after the start of intense exercise, fat is used as the main fuel.

That is why combining two types of loads will be much more effective.

Any professional trainer must include cardio exercises in their training plan, especially for weight loss. Read more about the best cardio workouts.

Class Rules

Strength training is any exercise performed with dumbbells, barbells, or machines.

The set of exercises consists of:

  • basic, when most muscles are involved at the same time;
  • isolating, in which only one muscle group is loaded.

Basic principles of strength training for best results:

  • Systematicity and continuity of classes. For example, regular exercise 2-3 times a week is more effective than daily exercise for a month followed by a break of several weeks.
  • Gradual increase in loads. You should not sharply increase the weight of the weights; the load on the muscles should increase in proportion to training.
  • Performing the last exercises at the limit of strength. The weight is selected in such a way that out of the 16 required times, completing the last two is almost impossible.
  • Load fluctuation. The intensity of training should vary, alternating high with moderate and low. This allows the body to rest and recover.
  • Changing and adjusting the load throughout the annual training cycle. The dynamics must be maintained.
  • Individual selection of the complex and calculation of intensity. A specialist will help you select the weight of the weights and draw up an exercise plan based on the characteristics of your body and body structure.
  • Constant monitoring and timely adjustment of the program and scheme of the training process.

In order for strength training to bring quick results when losing weight, you need to follow simple rules:

  • Start any workout by warming up all muscles (10-15 minutes).
  • At the initial level, the training duration should be 30-40 minutes.
  • Classes – 3-4 times a week.
  • The complex should include both basic and isolating exercises.
  • The number of repetitions of one exercise is from 10-25, approaches – 4-5. It should be very difficult to complete the approach - this will actively use fat reserves.
  • The rest between sets is very short. If the body can withstand it, it is better to use a circular training cycle, when there is no break between sets (series of exercises for one muscle group).
  • The whole complex must be studied well and performed correctly, observing a certain breathing rhythm.
  • At first, you can practice without weights, mastering the correct technique.
  • Drink water during exercise.
  • Be sure to alternate strength training with cardio exercises. For example, every other day (strength - cardio - rest - strength - cardio - rest - rest).
  • You need to complete your workout with muscle stretching exercises.
  • Classes should be carried out 1-1.5 hours after meals.
  • Follow a special diet, the calorie content of which will be calculated by a specialist based on the intensity of the load.

Remember! You can't torture yourself during training. At the end of classes you should feel pleasantly tired.

Of course, the body needs proper rest, which includes adequate sleep at night (at least 8 hours).

Strength training program for weight loss

Many trainers suggest working one muscle group in each session. It's quite effective, but not well suited for beginners. If you have no experience in strength training, it is advisable to choose a complex that covers all muscle groups. This will allow the body to get used to the load and find out which muscles are more developed.

At the initial stage, it is better to train 3 times a week, every other day. Many exercises are available to do at home.

Basic exercises for legs and buttocks

The lower part of the body is more accustomed to the load and responds to it more easily. The best leg exercises are:

  • Deep squats with a barbell (bar) on the shoulders. Perform 3 sets at an average pace, 12-16 times. If you have problems with your knees, the exercise can be replaced with a bench press.
  • Lunges forward. Standing, dumbbells in lowered hands. Take a wide step forward with one leg (the thigh should drop to a right angle with the shin, the back is straight), hold for a while. Repeat with the other leg. Do 12-14 times on each leg. Number of approaches – 2.
  • Plie squats. Standing, legs as wide as possible, toes turned outward. Weights in the hands, lowered between the legs. Deep squats (thighs parallel to the floor), back straight. Perform 3 approaches, 16-20 times.
  • Gluteal bridge. Lying on your back, bend your legs, place dumbbells or a barbell plate on your stomach. Raise your pelvis up to the limit, supporting the weight with your hands. Perform 15-20 times, in 3 approaches.

Over time, you can add isolation exercises for biceps, quadriceps, etc.

See also a set of strength exercises for the legs and buttocks in this video:

Exercises for the pectoral muscles

Well-developed pectoral muscles, of course, will not change the size of the breasts, but they will help tighten them, reducing sagging.

Basic exercises include several categories, which are performed in different variations:

  • Bench press. The exercise can be done with a barbell or dumbbells while lying on the floor or an incline bench. Lying on your back, legs slightly bent, hands holding the barbell (the distance between the hands is shoulder width), it is lowered to the chest. Straighten your arms up and lower them. The pace is average (exhale when lifting the weight). Do 2 approaches, 8-10 times.
  • "Butterfly". Bringing your arms together on a machine or with dumbbells. Sitting on a bench, arms with dumbbells are raised at chest level, spread to the side and bent at the elbows. Bring the dumbbells in front of you as you exhale. Keep your forearms parallel to the floor. Do 2-3 approaches, repeating 10 times.
  • Push ups. For greater efficiency, you can put a load on your back, held by a partner. Take a lying position, your back does not bend. Perform 12-15 push-ups (straighten your arms while inhaling), 2 approaches.

These exercises will strengthen not only the pectoral muscles, but also the arms.

An excellent set of workouts for the chest muscles is presented in this video:

Back exercises

Back exercises help get rid of those nasty rolls of fat. The most effective exercises:

  • Bent over row. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. The back is straight, slightly tilted forward. Hold dumbbells in lowered hands, in front of your knees. Pull the dumbbells to your chest without changing your body position. Repeat 12-16 times, making 3 approaches.
  • Deadlift. Stand up holding dumbbells down. Bend your straight back down until it is parallel to the floor, bend your knees slightly, and keep your arms straight and down. After a short delay, return to the starting position. Do 3 approaches, 10-12 times.
  • One-arm row with support. Lean with one hand on the bench. Your back is at approximately a 45° angle to the floor. Hold the dumbbell in your lowered hand. Raise the dumbbell up to your shoulder without moving your back. Perform 13-16 times with each hand, in three approaches.

Developed muscles strengthen the spine and correct posture.

Exercises to help lose back fat are demonstrated in this video:

Exercises for the abs

Women who are losing weight are especially concerned about their stomach and waist, or rather, the bulging of the first and the disappearance of the second. Strength exercises for various abdominal muscle groups help give the stomach an elastic and flat appearance and adjust the waist. The most effective of them:

  • Twisting. Lie on your back, bend your legs with emphasis on the floor, hands behind your head (you can take a small weighting agent). Raise the body by 30°, the back and head do not bend. The pace is fast. Perform the maximum number of times (until you feel muscle pain), do 3-4 approaches.
  • Double twist. Starting position, as in the previous exercise. At the same time, raise your knees and shoulders, trying not to bend your head forward. Do 3 approaches, 25-30 times.
  • Book (folding). Lie on the floor, put your hands behind your head, straighten your legs. Simultaneously raise your legs and torso, trying to reach your knees with your forehead. Legs are kept straight. Perform 10-12 repetitions, doing 3-4 approaches.

There are a lot of options for abdominal exercises. They can be changed at each workout.

A basic set of strength training for burning fat on the waist and sides is presented in this video:

Remember the correct technique. You should try to use only the abdominal muscles, without helping to perform the exercises with other parts of the body.

Contraindications to training

Only healthy people can do strength training. It should be taken into account that the loads are quite high, so there are contraindications.

Activities are prohibited if you have illnesses:

  • cardiovascular system (hypertension, heart failure);
  • diseases of the spine and its curvature;
  • diabetes mellitus at stages 2-3;
  • joint inflammation;
  • diseases of the respiratory system (especially asthmatic manifestations);
  • gynecological disorders;
  • problems with the thyroid gland.

In any case, intensive training should be started after consultation with a doctor.

Strength training helps you lose weight and can literally sculpt your figure, changing your proportions for the better. The result is visible in the mirror after 2 weeks of regular exercise. The amazing thing is that the muscles quickly get used to the load, and the person begins to enjoy the training.

What workouts are more effective at helping you lose weight? Many will answer that cardio exercise is the best way to burn fat. Find out if this is really true?

Do you want us to change your entire worldview regarding fat burning with one question? Then answer: what is better for losing weight - strength training or cardio?

The average gym goer will answer that the best fitness for weight loss is cardio, and strength training is needed exclusively for those who want to gain muscle mass or get a sculpted body. But is this really so? Is it possible to use only strength training to burn fat, without cardio? Don't doubt it, it's possible.

Best fitness for weight loss

Ideally, a combination of cardio and strength training. Let's take a closer look at why it is worth making a choice in favor of one type of load or another.

Strength vs. Cardio

So what is better for your figure: cardio or strength training? Resistance exercises increase your metabolic rate, burn more fat, and sculpt your body. As you can now see, most women are afraid of what they actually have to do. Girls who are reading this article now, aren’t you making the same mistake?

Workouts for weight loss and health

And the last aspect that we will consider in our article is health. Cardio wins here unconditionally. It is this type of exercise that has a beneficial effect on health and aerobic endurance. Of course, strength training is extremely beneficial, but cardio brings great benefits to the cardiovascular system. Therefore, you should not completely exclude cardio exercises from your program; the best option is alternating cardio and strength training for weight loss.

It’s not for nothing that advanced bodybuilders train on a strength program on their main days, and on rest days and even before their main workouts they do cardio, for example, on special cardio machines for weight loss.

It's time to say goodbye to the stereotype that cardio exercises promote weight loss, and strength exercises only promote muscle growth and weight gain. More often than not, fat loss and muscle gain have more to do with diet and routine. Set a goal and stubbornly move towards it, and then the question “What is best for losing weight?” will not stand in front of you.

It’s simple: healthy weight loss is a complex of strength and cardio training, diet, taking sports supplements and sleep. Maintaining this balance will bring you ideal shape and good health!

- to get rid of extra pounds, - to define muscles, says a common misconception regarding training for weight loss. In fact, these types of loads need to be combined. “Unlike aerobic training, strength training accelerates metabolism and forces the body to burn fat even after you leave the gym: energy is also consumed during the recovery period after exercise,” explains Olga Kochetova, fitness manager of the personal training studio of the Planet Fitness club chain. Experts note: it is much easier for trained people with good muscle mass to lose weight than for those who simply lose weight.

“If you set a goal to lose weight, then 2-3 times a week you need to do cardio training and the same amount of strength training,” says Tatiana Borzenkova, personal trainer and instructor of group programs at the personal training studio of the Planet Fitness club network. You can alternate between cardio and strength training daily or within one workout. An alternative to aerobic exercise in the gym is swimming in the pool or jogging, cycling, walking, in the fresh air. “Don’t forget about stretching after strength training. It helps restore muscles,” recalls Elena Khramova, personal trainer at the TERRASPORT Copernicus fitness club.

Organize strength training wisely for weight loss

When strength training for weight loss, it is important to use as many muscles as possible. To harmoniously work out the body, 8-10 standard exercises with weights acceptable to you are enough: on machines or with free weights - whichever you prefer. The main thing is that the lesson lasts at least 40 minutes and no more than an hour. Classic strength training: squats, lunges, deadlifts, horizontal and vertical rows, pull-ups (for girls - an option with legs resting), push-ups, barbell or barbell bench press, dumbbell press, abdominal exercises. “Use a medium repetition mode - 6-12 repetitions in three sets,” advises Olga Kochetova. In order to get results and not harm yourself, it is better to conduct your first training sessions with a personal instructor.

Breathe correctly

“In strength exercises, tension is always done while exhaling, relaxation is always done while inhaling,” reminds Olga Kochetova. Do not hold your breath under any circumstances! This is fraught with increased blood pressure, dizziness and even loss of consciousness.

Choose a weight that suits you

Properly selected weight during strength training is the key to harmonious muscle development and weight loss. “You need to select it so that in each approach you can repeat the movement 12-15 times,” says Elena Khramova. The technology should not suffer in this case. “It is optimal to keep a training diary and note in it the number of approaches and repetitions, as well as the weight of the weight. And gradually increase your own norm,” advises Olga Kochetova.

Recover

The moment no less important than the training itself is recovery after it. “Lack of rest after exercise slows down progress and can lead to overtraining syndrome,” says Tatyana Borzenkova. Therefore, after strength training, be sure to stretch, rest and get enough sleep. “Losing weight is impossible without full recovery. This process in our body occurs at night during sleep, when the most important life hormones are produced - somatropin and melatonin,” reminds Elena Khramova.

Eat right

Of course, it is connected with proper nutrition. Try to follow the basic rules of a diet for losing weight. First, don't exercise on an empty stomach. But don’t come to the gym with a full stomach. It is best to have a snack an hour and a half before class. After training, within 20-30 minutes you need to eat something protein-carbohydrate, for example, cottage cheese, a slice of banana or apple, and after two hours have a more serious meal. Olga Kochetova advises avoiding carbohydrates and giving preference to vegetables and protein dishes. “In general, you need to limit your intake of simple carbohydrates and fats, and shift complex carbohydrates to the first half of the day,” she reminds.

These six simple rules will help make your strength training for weight loss truly effective. Follow them, exercise with pleasure and lose weight!

Do you want to do fitness at home online?

In ours you will find classes in various areas of fitness.