{"id":202287,"date":"2023-07-23T08:00:38","date_gmt":"2023-07-23T12:00:38","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barbend.com\/?p=202287"},"modified":"2023-09-25T18:35:00","modified_gmt":"2023-09-25T22:35:00","slug":"strength-training","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbend.com\/strength-training\/","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Strength Training (and How to Get Started)"},"content":{"rendered":"

The jury has reached a verdict: strength is very much in vogue. From \u201cstrong is the new skinny\u201d slogans peppering social media platforms, to pro-lifting hashtags like #gainz adorning progress posts, to celebrity workouts<\/a> built around a foundation of weight training, getting swole<\/em> is all the rage.<\/p>\n

But strength training is no fad \u2014 it\u2019s a borderline prehistoric pursuit. The ancient Greeks competed in boulder lift-offs centuries before the first Olympic Games<\/a> tested primitive weightlifting in 1896. 150-ish years later, \u201chitting the iron\u201d is considered an integral part of any fitness routine worth its salt.<\/p>\n

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Credit: Chokniti-Studio \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why? Well, there’s a veritable mountain of scientific evidence legitimizing strength training (not that the Greeks needed proof of concept). One widely-cited study from 2012 all but confirms that strength-based exercise can improve “physical performance, movement control, walking speed, functional independence, cognitive abilities, and self-esteem<\/strong>.” (1<\/a>)<\/p>\n

So, if you\u2019re itching for some lifting, you\u2019ve come to the right place. This guide will teach you everything you need to know about strength training \u2014 how to start, how getting stronger actually works<\/em>, and what you stand to gain along the way.<\/p>\n

What Is Strength Training<\/h2>\n

On the surface, strength training is pretty self-explanatory; you train your body, both physically and mentally, to be stronger. Colloquially, \u201cstrong\u201d can refer to any number of different qualities (a distance runner certainly has a strong heart), but strength training generally refers to lifting weights \u2014 external objects like barbells<\/a> or dumbbells<\/a>, or working with resistance machines<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

How to Gain Strength<\/h3>\n

Gaining bodily strength is as much a mental game as it is about developing your muscles. Your body\u2019s strength levels rely on both the size of your muscles<\/strong> and how adept your central nervous system is at contracting them<\/strong> quickly to produce force. However, strength is also contextual.<\/p>\n

In the field of exercise science, clinicians and researchers recognize the SAID principle: That\u2019s \u201cspecific adaptations to imposed demand.\u201d Simply put, the SAID principle states that you will respond to the specific challenges you give yourself<\/strong>. If you try to throw a heavy rock as far as you can every day, you\u2019ll get better at throwing that rock. The same idea applies to lifting a barbell, performing push-ups<\/a>, or holding a plank<\/a> as long as you can. <\/p>\n

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Credit: Dusan Petkovic \/ Shutterstock<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

[Read More: The Complete Guide to Pre-Workout Supplements<\/a>]<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

However, you won\u2019t develop strength indefinitely if you don\u2019t challenge your body to acclimate to heavier loads (or longer bouts). Eventually, that once-heavy rock will become manageable or even easy to throw. To make long-term progress, you need to apply some form of progressive overload<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n

Progressive Overload<\/h4>\n

Any well-designed strength training routine adheres to what\u2019s called periodization, which refers to the organizational structure that guides your progress and gets you from \u201cA\u201d to \u201cB\u201d. <\/p>\n

Periodized strength training programs are far more effective at developing strength than simply winging it in the gym, (2<\/a>) largely because they guarantee that you\u2019re inducing a level of progressive overload<\/strong>. <\/p>\n

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https:\/\/youtube.com\/watch?v=_1U9H_2luY8<\/a>