Whether you’re new to exercising or are a pro, sometimes it helps to try something new. Depending on your fitness goals, adding strength training into the mix can help you reach your goals faster. Find out what types of strength training exercises are out there and how you can choose the right ones for your body’s needs.

Simply put, strength training is a balanced exercise routine that includes aerobic activity and flexibility exercises using weights or other forms of resistance training that will help you improve your individual strength. Sounds pretty cool, huh? In the past, strength training exercises were reserved for professional athletes, but as more and more people turn to physical exercise to improve their health and quality of life, it was only a matter of time before the general public jumped on the strength training bandwagon.

The types of benefits associated with regular strength training are numerous: reduced risk of premature death, reduction in high cholesterol, reduced risk of developing high cholesterol, reduced depression and anxiety, improved psychological well-being, reduced/maintained body weight/fat, build/maintain healthy bones, muscles and joints, and reduced high blood pressure or the risk of developing high blood pressure.

Despite the health benefits that come with strength training, there are also some precautions you should take. Before embarking on a strength training routine, it’s best to consult with your doctor first. The following conditions may affect your ability to successfully participate in strength training exercises: smoking, high cholesterol, family history of heart disease before age 55, preexisting conditions such as cardiovascular disease, abnormal ECG, chronic hypertension, diabetes, asthma, arthritis, obesity, and chronic muscular or joint problems. If you qualify for one or more of the conditions listed above, it may not be safe to do strength training, or you may have to do so under the guidance of your doctor.

Once you’ve got the green light to begin strength training, you’ll have to learn the basic principles. In order to progress in your strength training, you must always stimulate your muscles more than they are used to. For muscle to build faster, you must continue to work against a gradually increasing resistance factor so your muscles can meet the overload. If you want to strengthen your muscles, you’ll have to train with higher weights, as well as improve your endurance through the use of lifting lower weights and practicing higher repetitions.

The most commonly used exercises in strength training are the bench press, overhead press, triceps pulldown, squat, lat pulldown, bicep curl, leg extension, leg curl and abdominal crunch. Once you know you’re ready for strength training, head over to your local gym or fitness center and get together with a personal trainer who can help set and meet your goals.

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