Weight Training Tips For Beginners

Weight Training is when you lift heavier weights than your body is used to, so that your muscles can get stronger and grow larger. When you're a beginner to strength training, it's best to work with a certified personal trainer or coach, who can help ensure proper technique and safety, as well as guide your progress. Once you're comfortable with the basics (training each muscle group a few days per week and doing multiple sets of 8-12 repetitions), it's time to add some new moves or reps.

The first few times you try a new exercise, you should focus on the movements and correct your form rather than on how much weight you can lift. If you're a beginner, try working up to two or three sets of each exercise, but only as many reps as you can comfortably complete with good form. It's recommended to rest between each set for at least 48 hours.

When you're ready to increase your reps and move up in weight, it's a good idea to get a spotter to help out on the bigger lifts like the squat or deadlift. This will allow you to work up to a higher load more safely and avoid injury.

It's important to change your routine every four to eight weeks, so your muscles continue to experience a challenge and grow. Whether you're looking to add some bulk or want to improve your current strength, these weight-training techniques are sure to hit the mark.

Negatives
Negatives -- the eccentric phase of a movement, or the lowering portion -- are one of the most challenging and effective ways to build strength. By slowing down and lengthening the target muscle, you can generate up to 20 percent more force than you would when performing a concentric contraction.

Adding negatives to your routine is relatively easy, and can be done by incorporating them into your existing exercises. For example, when doing a dumbbell press, you can slow down the movement to your chest before returning to the starting position (rather than lifting up directly to your shoulders). Or, that gym bro who strikes a pose right before each lift might actually be on to something: Isometric contractions (holding your muscles in a contracted position) before you lift can help recruit more muscle fibers for a stronger finish.

Power Training
To increase the speed and explosiveness of your lifts, power training is a great option. This involves using light loads and a short amount of rest between each set, to achieve high contraction velocity. For this type of training, it's also recommended to train on different days of the week — for instance, chest and shoulders in session one, back, biceps and triceps in session two and legs in session three. This allows your muscles the time to recover between each workout. This is especially true for if you're using a lower weight range, such as 30-60% of your one-rep max (1RM). A shorter rest interval also helps to keep your heart rate elevated, which promotes a greater muscular reaction.Styrketräning