We know that exercising regularly is important for overall health, but it’s important to understand that all exercise has different benefits. and promote blood circulation. Swimming, on the other hand, is a less impactful workout that can improve endurance and strengthen and tone your muscles.
Strength training is one of the most popular types of fitness that can increase muscle mass while contributing to weight loss. It also helps you live longer, according to recent research. Researchers found that those who did strength training once or twice a week had a lower risk of death than those who did not.
Ready to start lifting? Here are some trainer-approved workouts to help you get started.
10 strength training workouts
lateral step down
“This exercise needs to work your front leg (the leg that rests on the chair), so keep most of your weight on that leg and move slowly.” Kaisa Kelanen, NASM-PES Certified Trainer And C4 Energy Ambassador.
How to:
- Make sure you have a sturdy chair or stool to start.
- Stand on your chair and make sure your entire foot is firmly on the ground.
- Gently hinge your hips and lower your body toward the ground
- Pause when your back foot touches the ground and put most of your weight on your front leg (the leg on the chair).
- To stand up, press the heel of your front foot to return to the starting position.
RELATED: What You Need to Know About Functional Strength Training, and the Types of Exercise That Make Your Daily Life 10 Times Easier
single leg hip thrust
from keranen
How to:
- Find your bridge position and make sure the top of your shoulders are on the chair/sofa and your heels are just below your knees.
- In the top position, tighten your glutes and keep your body in line from head to knees.
- Lift one foot off the ground before starting.
- As you sit down, crease your hips and slowly lower them to the ground.
- Push your heels up and squeeze the tops of your buttocks to return to the starting position.
- Always pause at the top and hold the position for 1 second before lowering your body. Squeeze your glutes and keep your torso in a straight line to make sure you’re in a full thrust position.
Side Lying Hip Raise
from keranen
How to:
- Start in a sideways position (similar to a side plank) with your knees overlapping and one elbow on the ground directly under your shoulder.
- Consider pressing your lower knee and elbow to lift into a side plank position. As you do so, raise your top leg into an “open shell” position.
- Keep your knees bent and hold the top position for 1-2 seconds so that your glutes are fully engaged.
- When you reach the top position, consider pushing your hips forward as if you were hitting the “wall” in front of you.
modified dumbbell deadlift
from Emily SkyFitness Program Trainer and Creator, Emily Skye FIT
How to:
- With this modified deadlift, you only need to lower the weight to just below your knees. This helps build strength and good form before tackling traditional deadlifts.
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart, core engaged, arms straight, and hold a dumbbell in each fist in front of your thigh.
- Then, hinge at your hips and lower the dumbbells toward the tops of your legs.
- Return to standing with a strong core and repeat.
dumbbell squat
from sky
(scroll to read more)
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and lift a dumbbell over your shoulders with both hands.
- Keeping your core engaged, move your hips back and forth into a squat, then press back into the floor and tighten your glutes at the top of the move.
- repeat.
kettlebell swing
from sky
How to:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, your core engaged, and your hands holding the kettlebell handles.
- To initiate the swing motion, push the booty back and allow the kettlebell to swing back between your legs.
- Then move your hips forward until your body is straight and the kettlebell swings in front of your chest.
- Go on and make sure you’re using your glutes to move, arms, or momentum.
RELATED: These Trainer-Approved Dumbbell Exercises Strengthen Your Back and Can Be Done in 15 Minutes or Less
shoulder press
“The shoulder press not only builds core strength and stability, but it also promotes shoulder strength and muscle development. I love doing single arm presses to correct my strength imbalances,” she says. Eiryn Hernandez, NCSF Certified Personal Trainer NASM Certified Nutrition Coach.
How to:
- Stand with dumbbells or kettlebells over your shoulders, arms bent, palms facing inward.
- Tighten your core and press the weights overhead until your arms are straight.
- Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat for the programmed number of repetitions.
line
Rowing correctly with one arm strengthens your back and helps correct strength imbalances by focusing on one side at a time, explains Hernandez.
How to:
- Grab a dumbbell in one hand, bend the opposite knee, and place your hand on the bench. Make sure your hands are directly under your shoulders and your knees are directly under your hips. Keep your back flat and your head aligned with your spine.
- Extend your dumbbell arm toward the floor without rotating your torso or moving your shoulders toward the floor. Keep your shoulders back.
- Slowly pull the dumbbells up toward you. Keeping your arms close to your body, keep pulling the dumbbells up until you can’t lift them any further without rotating your torso.
push ups
“They’re not fancy. They don’t require anything other than a flat surface and yourself. But push-ups are also a great exercise for strengthening your upper body and core. After all, it’s just a moving plank.” ” says Hernandez.
How to:
- Get on the board and place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Lower your body toward the floor so that your elbows are at a 45 degree angle
- Push back to the starting position.
groot bridge
Say, “This workout is for people with bad knees.” Jadon Kobe Potter, ISSA Certified Personal Trainer at The Camp Transformation Center. “Like squats, glute bridges help develop the muscles in your back, but take pressure off your knees by engaging your core and shifting your weight onto your legs.”
How to:
- With your back, shoulders, and feet flat on the floor, bring your feet closer to your body so that your knees are on top.
- Keep your head, neck, and shoulders straight (but relaxed) and lift your back and back off the floor. Squeeze your glutes as you lift your body into a flat “ramp” from your chest to your knees.
- Raise and lower your body 15 to 20 times in smooth, controlled movements to complete one set.
- Keep your weight on your hips to make the exercise more challenging.
Next: These are the best strength-building workouts, and they’re a lot easier than you think
sauce
- British Journal of Sports Medicine: “Dose-response relationship between aerobic and strength-strengthening physical activity and mortality: A national cohort study of 416 420 US adults.”
- Kaisa Kelanen, NASM-PES Certified Trainer, C4 Energy Ambassador
- Emily Skye, Trainer and Creator of Fitness Program Emily Skye FIT
- Eiryn Hernandez, NCSF Certified Personal Trainer and NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
- Jaydon Corby-Potter, ISSA Certified Personal Trainer at The Camp Transformation Center
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