Resistance training is a form of physical activity that is designed to improve muscular fitness by exercising a muscle or a muscle group against external resistance.
In this article, we are gonna look at different ways to do resistance and strength training and some of the benefits of each of these methods.
Examples of resistance exercises:
- Free weights Exercises
- Resistance Bands
- Exercise Cable Machines
- Body Weight Exercises
- Stability Exercises
- Medicine Balls
- Suspension Trainers
1. Free Weights Exercises:
Free weights include mainly kettlebells barbells and dumbbells. Barbells and dumbbells have a bar with a weight attached to each end. Exercises Performed with free weights are known as resistance exercises or pieces of training.
- Some of the Benefits of free weights
- Allow full range of motion for joints
- Free weight exercises work more muscles
- Most free-weight exercises almost always require assisting and stabilizing muscles to be broadened to help the targeted muscle to perform the movement.
- Free weights are more efficient such as going squats, to a bicep curl to a shoulder blast.
- Free weights are very versatile, you can do squats or train your biceps with dumbbells anywhere.
Resistance Bands:
Resistance bands are typically made up of rubber and come in different lengths and thicknesses. The different lengths and thicknesses denote the degree of resistance and are usually color-coded based on their resistance amount.
Advantages of using Resistance Bands
- They are also very versatile
- All you need to do is wrap them around something or, in many cases, can be wrapped around your body.
- Resistance can be easily changed
- Bands also provide progressive resistance, which means they provide an increase in resistance throughout the range of motion of the exercise.
Exercise Cable Machines:
Most of the machines in the gym are based on a cable Polly system to provide resistance, and all the gyms have machines for all major muscle groups. Such as training your back using a cable exercise machine.
Some Advantages are:
- In cable machines, the amount of weight and the resistance can easily be changed by moving a pin which helps to lock and hold the weight.
- These machines can be used to isolate certain muscles.
- Less intimidating because most of the machines usually have a diagram of the movement to be performed.
Body Weight Exercises:
Another way to perform resistance training is through bodyweight exercises. In these types of exercises, your body provides resistance against the ground gravity. Such as push-ups, chin-ups, and squats.
Some Advantages of doing Body Weight exercises:
- No cost of equipment. You don’t need to buy any equipment to perform body-resisting exercises.
- Can be workout anywhere.
- Allows a full range of motions for the joints.
- Require assisting and stabilizing the muscles to be engaged to perform different movements.
Stability Exercises:
Balancing required exercises to perform a certain movement, can be done by the body being in motion or in a stationary position, such as standing on one leg, chair pose, or doing a plank.
Benefits of stability exercises:
- Stability exercises can be done by using just body weight or free weights.
- Stability exercises require the recruitment of the many muscles in the body to perform movements.
- These Exercises improve agility, coordination, and overall athleticism.
- Can be done by just doing body weight or dumbbells.
- Can be done almost anywhere.
Medicine Balls:
Medicine balls are another way allow to perform resistance training. They are usually made up of rubber of different sizes and weights.
Advantages of Medicine Balls resistance training:
- Medicine Balls can be used in different ways. They can be forcefully thrown against the wall to help to improve speed and power.
- Can be used as a free weight to perform exercises
- Allows full range of motion for the joints.
- They can also be used to improve stability and coordination.
Suspension Trainers:
Suspension training is another way to perform resistance exercises. Suspension trainers are straps that are mounted to bars or even with door ranges in your house. They allow you to use your body weight against gravity in a variety of ways to perform exercises to target different muscle groups.
Advantages of Suspension Trainers:
- Suspension trainers are affordable and usually cost $70-$200.
- They can be used at home gyms and even in a park.
- Can be mounted to a poll or a door.
- Allows full range of motion for the joints.
- Use assisting and stabilizing muscles to perform different movements.
These are just a few of the tools or methods you can use to perform resistance training and all of these are great ways to improve strength and overall fitness.
It’s a great idea to mix up fitness routines using all of these to challenge your body in different ways.
