There are numerous benefits of resistance training.  Resistance training can use weights, home gym machines, resistance bands, or even your own body weight: 

Benefits include:

  • gaining muscle mass
  • toning muscle without muscle mass
  • revving up the metabolism and losing fat
  • body sculpting
  • improved strength and stamina  –  very beneficial for sports and other physical activities
  • improves balance
  • helps lower blood pressure
  • helps lower your resting heart rate
  • helps maintain good bone density –  particularly useful in post-menopausal women and all older adults.

Those looking to gain muscle mass, resistance strengthening exercises are the only way to do that.  The only way to gain muscle mass it to increase the weight load. 

Those who want to lose weight without gaining muscle mass, or who want to tone the body, should do repetitions.

With proper nutrition you will lose more weight and gain a leaner, healthier body than is possible by diet alone.  When you build muscle you burn fat.  Remember muscle weighs more than fat, so just looking the scale can be very discouraging, because you may actually gain weight.  Check your progress by how you look and feel.  Things may seem to be going slowly at first, but with persistence the results can be remarkable.

Always warm up before (helps prevent injury) and cool down after.  Stretching the muscles used helps prevent tightness and muscle fatigue and is best done after exercise when your muscles are warm.

No matter what level you are at, increasing weight or resistance before you are ready it can lead to strained muscle fibers and even torn tendons.  Rule of thumb, if your muscles still feel sore 48 hours after a workout, it is time to ease up. 

Also whether you are using bands, dumbbells, machines, or even household items like soup cans, proper form is essential. 

If you are working out every day, it is best to alternate between muscle groups.  Upper body one day, upper body, an other day a lower body workout.  Maybe another day abdominals and back exercises.

If you are looking for a low cost, highly effective home gym system, that can travel with you and be stored in an area the size of a shoebox, I highly recommend Bodylastics.