Workout Workbook

Six tips for safe strength training

Use the six tips below to be safe and make the best gains from your strength workouts.

1. Focus on form, not weight. Good form means aligning your body correctly and moving smoothly through an exercise. Poor form can prompt injuries and slow gains because you aren’t isolating muscles properly. “I often start people with very light weights because I want them to get their alignment and form right,” says master trainer Josie Gardiner. “It’s good to start off using light to moderate weight when learning an exercise routine.” Concentrate on performing slow, smooth lifts and equally controlled descents while isolating a muscle group. You isolate a muscle group by holding your body in a specific position while consciously contracting and releasing certain muscles.

2. Tempo, tempo. Control is very important. Tempo helps you stay in control rather than undercut gains through momentum. Sometimes switching speed—lower three counts, lift one count—is a useful technique for enhancing power. Follow the tempo specified in each exercise for better gains.

3. Breathe. Blood pressure rises if you hold your breath while performing strength exercises. Exhale as you work against gravity by lifting, pushing, or pulling; inhale as you release.

4. Keep challenging muscles. The right weight differs depending on the exercise. Choose a weight that tires the targeted muscle or muscles by the last two reps while still allowing you to maintain good form. If you can’t do the last two reps, choose a lighter weight. When it feels too easy to complete all the reps, challenge your muscles again by adding weight (roughly 1 to 2 pounds for arms, 2 to 5 pounds for legs); adding a set to your workout (up to three sets); or working out additional days per week (as long as you rest muscle groups 48 hours between strength workouts). If you add weight, remember that you should be able to do all the reps with good form and the targeted muscles should feel tired by the last two reps.

5. Practice regularly. Performing a complete upper- and lower-body strength workout two or three times a week is ideal.

6. Give muscles time off. Strenuous exercise like strength training causes tiny tears in muscle tissue. Muscles grow stronger as the tears knit up. Always allow at least 48 hours between sessions for muscle to recover. If you’re doing a split strength session, you might do upper body on Monday, lower body on Tuesday, upper body on Wednesday, lower body on Thursday, etc.

• Diving in
  • Why work your body?
  • How much time should you spend on exercise?
• Setting goals and motivating yourself
  • Slimming down
  • Carrot or stick?
  • Setting your goals
• SPECIAL SECTION: Exercise 101
  • Five components of fitness
  • Terms to know
  • The right stuff: Equipment for workouts
• Using the routines
  • Posture, alignment, and angles
  • Six tips for safe strength training
• Measuring gains
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• Try new trends
• Gym versus home
• Avoiding injury
  • Safety first
  • Posture and alignment: Striking the right pose
  • 6 tips for effective strength training
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  • Split strength workout: Lower body
  • Split strength workout: Upper body
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