Beginner’s Guide To Planning a Strength Training Regimen

January 1 2014

Beginner’s Guide To Planning a Strength Training Regimen

Jogging, running and performing other bouts of cardiovascular exercise will only take your physical physique so far. Sure, cardio is great for shedding those unwanted pounds, but it’s not going to help build bigger, stronger muscles. If your goal is to build muscle mass, you have to look towards strength training workouts. But how exactly do you start a strength training regimen? And what are some of the best exercises for beginners? To learn the answers to these questions and more, keep reading.

Strength Training and Muscle Mass: How It Works

First, let’s talk about why strength training contributes to muscle growth, as this is a topic that oftentimes confuses newcomers. When you lift weights or heavy objects, small tears develop in your muscle fibers — resulting in a light soreness and weakness the following day. The body responds to these tears by healing and reinforcing them with additional fibers. As this process of fiber tearing and repairing continues, the overall muscle mass grows.

Pick Up a Pair of Dumbbells

Contrary to what some people may believe, you don’t need to spend hundreds or even thousands of dollars per year on an expensive gym memberships. Don’t get me wrong, gyms are great for the social factor alone, but they aren’t necessary to perform a strength training regimen.

I recommend beginners to the sport of strength training pick up a pair of medium-weight dumbbells from their local sporting goods store. So, what’s considered “medium weight?” Since everyone’s body is different, the amount of weight varies from person to person. With that said, a good rule of thumb is to choose a weight which allows you to perform 8-10 bicep curls max.

Dumbbell Strength Training Workouts For Beginners:

• Bicep curls
• Calf raises
• Lunges
• Squats
• Chest press
• Standing military shoulder press

Consume More Protein

Protein is arguably the single most important nutrient to consume when you’re looking to start a strength training regimen. Among other things, it’s responsible for muscle repair and growth. When you tear your muscle fibers through strength training, protein helps repair them more efficiently and in less time. Unfortunately, far too many people underestimate the important of protein consumption, making their goal of building muscle mass even more difficult.

You can read more about how to increase your daily protein consumption in our previous blog post, but the basic idea is to focus on lean meats combined with 1-2 daily protein shakes.