Weight Lifting - What Every Beginner Should Know!

May 15th, 2007

Weight Lifting - What Every Beginner Should Know!

Author: Mark Petersen

Here are a few things that beginners should know about weight
lifting.

First you put good strain on your joints as well as your bones
when you lift weights. This strengthens your bones. Strong
bones protect our bodies against breakage and osteoporosis.

Another important point about weight lifting is that as your
muscles increase in size your body becomes more shapely and
firm - more attractive.

Weight lifting also helps you more vigorously perform your
aerobic exercise, which in turn will increase your
cardiovascular endurance and help your heart. The reason you
are able to perform at a higher level is the weight lifting has
increased your muscular strength, and therefore your ability to
tolerate more intense exercise.

Weight lifting also gives you nice after effects to your
metabolism. By adding muscle to your body through weight
lifting, you likely will increase your metabolic rate. If you
increase your metabolism you increase the amount of fat burning
enzymes in your body. This means you’ll burn more body fat even
at rest! What a great bonus!

When you lift weights you should find the right weight that
allows you to do 8-12 repetitions of the same movement with the
same weight. If you are able to repeat it more than 12 times the
weight is too light for you. If you can’t do at least 8 reps the
weight is too heavy.

This 8-12 repetition practice is called a set. A beginning
weight lifter should only be doing one or two sets of any
weight lifting movement at one time.

Beginners often forget to breathe when they lift weights, which
is dangerous because it can elevate your blood pressure. You
should concentrate on inhaling on the eccentric or lowering
phase of the lift and exhale on the concentric or lifting phase
of the lift.

When weight lifting, you should always work your largest
muscles first. Smaller muscles get tired faster. If they tire
too quickly they can’t help you work your large muscles. The
first things you are going to work are your chest, back,
shoulders and thighs. Then you do weight lifting exercises for
your arms, abdominals and calves last. If you’re new to weight
lifting, I would suggest picking 6-8 exercises that covers all
the major body parts above. Perform these exercises 2-3 times
per week making sure you allow at least 48 hours between
workout sessions, so your body has time to recover.

Good Luck!

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