Strength training gets a bad rap. I mean, who actually likes to go to the gym and lift weights? In fact, the term “strength training” may even make you cringe. It conjures up memories of being forced to do countless sit-ups in gym class when you were a kid. In reality, strength is one of the most important qualities to maintain as we age.
Fortunately, there is a better way to get strong and fit without dreading your workouts—you just have to make a few adjustments. Below are our top five tips for making strength training more enjoyable.
Focus on strength-building exercises
Exercises that strengthen your muscles increase bone density, improve balance and reduce fall risk. These include squats, lunges and planks. Strength training also helps with weight loss. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn even when at rest—so don’t be surprised if you start noticing a difference in the number on the scale once you start strength training!
Vary your routine
If you always do the same exercises every time you hit the gym with no variation in your routine, it won’t take long before you get bored or injured. Without a change in your workouts, you will never see results.
Find a workout partner
It can be fun to train with someone else and it gives you something to talk about during the workouts. Make sure your workout partner is doing the same workout as you and in roughly the same level or you’ll end up having to hold back in order to allow the other person to keep up.
Change your attitude toward failure
Put simply, if you fail, that means things are getting harder—and that’s good! It means you’re challenging yourself and making progress toward accomplishing your ultimate goal. If you’re really struggling with a particular exercise, try changing the way you approach it. For example, let’s say you are currently doing bicep curls on an exercise ball—but can’t seem to get those last few repetitions in before your muscles give out. Switching from using dumbbells for this exercise might be easier on your arms.
