Washington - Walking back to our apartment from a store, carrying a bag in one hand, I had to hold it up so it wouldn’t scrape on the ground. After a few blocks I began to feel the weight and switched hands for relief. The contents? Pillows. Two.
So, yes, I decided I needed to become a little stronger, which, to me, meant getting serious about regular strength training.
The benefits, of course, go beyond being able to carry pillows with ease(although I look forward to the day I can wow the ladies with my prowess in that department). In my 40s, I have to start thinking about warding off afflictions common among older folks.
Jamie Hale, an author of several books on exercise and nutrition, told me via email, “Exercise professionals often mention how exercise benefits the heart, lungs, muscle, bones etc. But they often fail to mention it offers an array of brain benefits. Exercise reduces the likelihood of a number of age-related brain disorders.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tout strength training as leading to improved balance, stronger bones, better sleep and relief from arthritis and depression.
I like the idea of warding off depression because contemplating my senior years already has me a little sad. The other stuff doesn't sound half-bad either.
But how does a beginner whose average workout consists of taking out the trash or mowing the lawn walk into a gym for the first time and get something out of the experience?
It’s usually a good idea to consult an expert before embarking on any major project, so I headed over to my local gym to get strength-training advice.
Trainer Dominique Jackson told me he first asks people joining his gym about their medical history.
“Anything as far as any pains, injuries or surgeries that would affect your workout,” he said. “It’s important to know your medical history before we start.”
That sort of consultation is helpful to a newcomer who might not know where to start, what to do and how to do it (or not do it).
You don’t have to hire a trainer to guide your every move, but just getting pointed in the right direction can make a huge difference to your initial comfort level.
Before this step, folks interested in joining a gym should take tours of at least a couple and try to make an informed decision about which environment feels right for them.
Strength training can be performed using various kinds of specialised equipment, such as exercise machines or dumbbells, or, in the case of body weight training, almost no equipment.
Hale’s advice for beginners is to “start slow and try to find a programme you can adhere to consistently”.
“The best programme is one you can follow and which allows a progressive increase in difficulty.”
Jackson recommends newbies start off “with the machines, and then we’ll eventually work on the dumbbell and cable training. With things like dumbbells, you have to know the proper form to do the exercises”.
Proper form is important when using free weights because a lack of it could lead to poor returns on your hard work or even serious injury. By contrast, a machine will have instructions and a diagram that shows what body part it’s for.
It sounded fairly idiot-proof (although I’m always up for that challenge), so I was ready to take a spin on some of the machines.
First Jackson had me warm up on a treadmill, then do some stretching. He stressed the importance of “walking, then stretching, because you never want to stretch cold muscles.”
So I spent five minutes walking and if I may be allowed to brag I think I knocked it out of the park. But then came the stretching. Jackson had me stand normally, then with my legs spread apart and then crossed, all while touching my toes or the floor.
It’s not that I didn’t do so well at that, but I left enough room between my fingers and the floor to fit, oh, a couple of pillows.
After those and a few other stretches, it was over to the machines.
Jackson pointed me to a circuit set-up for a 30-minute routine, including cardio elements recommended for beginners.
There were 10 machines, chosen to work out major muscle groups: quadriceps, hamstring, chest, shoulder, back, arm and abdominal.
The gym’s programmed routine calls for a minute on each element, but exercisers can use machines at their own pace.
Jackson recommends beginners do three sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, with short breaks in between. You need not pick the lightest weight on every machine – ideally, go with something that becomes difficult to manage by the end of the third set.
As for how often I should train, Jackson advised starting off with three days a week. He said, for all levels of strength training, it’s important to give a muscle group at least a day of rest between workouts.
So if, er, I mean when I decide I’m ready to train, say, five times a week, I’ll work on just a few specific groups on any given day.
Jackson gave an example of Monday being a “leg day”, then Tuesday could be for back and shoulders, and Wednesday “arm day, so you’re working biceps, triceps, and forearms”.
This way, by the time I return to leg workouts, those muscles have rested, repaired and (hopefully) gotten a little bigger.
But for now, I’ll have several off days, and the trainer recommended I continue to stretch on those days and, if I can, “get outside to do some cardio”.
Exercises you probably remember from high school, such as sit-ups, squats and push-ups can also improve fitness on non-gym days.
I look forward to doing more of all this stuff, and getting less pillowy soft. – Washington Post