Learn The Answer To The Question: What Is Weight Training Along With All Other Weight Training Information
So what is weight training?
Believe it or not most people think they know the answer to the question: What is weight training, but in reality they're missing a lot of key facts.
Weight training, along with other types of fitness training, helps to improve agility, speed, strength, and endurance, all of which are essential - regardless if you're an athlete or not.
This information, plus the information contained throughout this weight training section, and throughout this fitness training website, will once and for all give you the answer to the question:
What is weight training?
The focus of a free weight training program should be as a functional fitness training program. You'll find information on functional fitness training elsewhere on this site.
The main objective of your free weight training program should be to increase your applied strength. When you increase your applied strength you'll enhance your performance for all physical tasks.
This free weight training program information will provide you with concepts for achieving optimal muscle strength and endurance for performance and prevention of injuries and you'll never again have to ask the question: What is weight training, because you'll have a complete understanding.
Weight Training Gear and Equipment
A free weight training program
requires very little personal gear. Other than the free weights themselves, a good pair of lifting gloves, shoes and comfortable clothing is all that you'll need.
"Free Weight Training Program Equipment And Exercise Machine Comparison"
Issue: User Friendliness. Free Weights: Usually available in all fitness training locations; Won't take up a lot of room; Should have a spotter for certain exercises. Exercise Machines: You won't need a spotter, but not all fitness training centers have the same machines.
Issue: Skill. Free Weights: Requires more skill than machines. Exercise Machines: Requires less skill than free weights; easy to use.
Issue: Type of movement. Free Weights: Dynamic Exercise Machines: Limited range of motion.
Issue: Variety Free Weights: You can perform a wide variety of exercises; Free weights will also help you to prevent or correct muscle imbalances. Exercise Machines: Provides variable resistance; availability of equipment may limit training variety.
Issue: Application. Free Weights: Primary muscles plus assistor and stabilizer muscles. Exercise Machines: Tends to isolate muscles.
"Free Weight Training Program Guidelines"
Doing almost any physical task will require all the muscles of your upper and lower body to be developed and balanced. A circuit free weight training program or Split-routine workouts are the most common ways to maintain a musculoskeletal balance.
A circuit free weight training program involves going from one "station" or fitness training exercise to the next in such a way that over the duration of the workout, both your upper and lower body are exercised equally.
For split-routine fitness training, different body areas are exercised on alternate days.
For example, on Monday and Thursday, you could exercise your upper body and on Tuesday and Friday your lower body would be exercised. By having a well designed free weight training program, you can expect to maintain a high level of fitness while reducing your risk of injury and fatigue.
"What Is Weight Training Repetition Maximum?"
A repetition maximum or RM is simply the maximum amount of weight you can lift a certain number of times.
For example, a 1RM would be the amount of weight that you can lift for just 1 rep. Your 5RM would be the amount of weight you could lift for 5 reps.
"What Is Weight Training Intensity"
Weight training intensity is a very important part of all fitness training programs. Weight training intensity can be referred to as load; the amount of weight used.
It is the percentage of the RM that is being used to perform the exercise. You should use different levels of intensity for your weight training if you want to achieve the best results.
Your weight training program should include both strength and muscular endurance. You should cycle between 50 percent and 90 percent of your maximal strength.
The time you spend on weight training might vary depending on the program chosen; which will also change the intensity. The type of exercises you use will create variations in weight training intensity. This includes both free weights and weight training machines.
"What Is Weight Training Muscle Balance?"
Muscle imbalances are a very common outcome of many fitness training programs. You must always ensure optimal muscle balance when designing your weight training workouts.
If you use
weight training exercises
for your triceps then you have to perform weight training exercises for your biceps. Working out your quads must be balanced by exercising your hamstrings.
Without the proper balance in opposing muscles, you'll increase your risk of injury.
"What Is Weight Training Exercise Selection?"
For a proper weight training program you need to select exercises for all muscle groups. Here are some examples:
Body Part: Legs Exercises: Squats; Leg Extensions; Leg Press; Leg Curls; ¾ Squats; Standing Calf Raises; Seated Calf Raises.
Body Part: Back Exercises: Reverse Grip Pulldowns; One-Arm Dumbbell Rows; Reverse Grip Barbell Rows; T-Bar Rows.
Body Part: Triceps Exercises: Triceps Pushdowns; California Press; Close-Grip Bench Press
"What Is Weight Training Periodization"
Periodization fitness training is a technique that involves changing your weight training variables. This includes the number of reps, types of exercises used, intensity, and the length of time you rest between sets.
A good example to illustrate this is an athlete who is training for a specific event. This athlete would perform a weight training routine as to peak at the time of the competition. All fitness training and weight training would be adapted to achieve that goal at that specific time.
There are numerous parts of a periodization weight training program that have to be taken into account.
Periodization as it applies to a free weight training program is too technical to be included in this article. You can find more information elsewhere on this website. Because here we are just trying to answer the question: What is weight training?
"What Is Weight Training Form?"
Correct weight training form is vital for fitness training success. Proper weight training or weight lifting form also helps to prevent injuries. Weight training form, speed, and breathing techniques are all important for weight training.
Any weight you lift must be performed in a controlled manner with proper form. Don't use bad form in an effort to lift more weight as it won't help your performance, but will actually hinder it and increase your risk of serious injury.
When lifting any weights or doing any weight training exercise you need to move the weight in a slow and controlled motion in both directions. This will greatly optimize your free weight training program results.
"What Is Weight Training Breathing?"
When performing any weight training exercise you have to exhale when you're moving the weight against gravity (meaning the concentric portion of the lift).
You should always use appropriate breathing techniques during your free weight training program. Exhale during the positive (concentric) portion of the lift.
Proper breathing will prevent the valsalva maneuver. This is an increase in internal pressure caused by holding your breath and can result in damage to your cardiovascular system. Don't hold your breath at any time during weight training.
Do you use any unique and effective exercises or in your fitness program? What was your experience with these exercises? What results did you notice? Do you have a good or a bad story to tell about your own experience with certain exercises? Or do you have some good information that we may have missed? Let others know!
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Weight Training Routines
The best way to train is using a progressive overload method where you are using heavy weights at lower reps. You need to go to failure point where your ...
