When you come to work out, it’s much more motivating and exciting to come with a purpose, whether it be one more push-up or adding more weight to the bar, you must always try to progress. The best way to measure strength is the same as the best way to attain it, and that is good old fashioned barbell training.
Benefits Of Strength Training
The information is out there but many people still don’t know the benefits of strength training in a progressive manner. The common mistake new gym members make is grabbing a magazine and jumping on the cardio equipment for a half hour or more and then calling it a workout. You have to cross the line into the weight room to complete the picture of fitness.
“Strength training will increase your lean muscle mass, reduce your body fat, burn calories more efficiently, help you develop strong bones, control your weight, reduce your risk of injury, manage chronic conditions, and boost your stamina,” wrote the Mayo Clinic Staff on Fitness, led by Dr. Edward Laskowski. I agree and would add that strength training done in a progressive manner is also a lot of fun.
For All Age Groups, & Genders
I work with clients in all age groups and find that they all gain muscle and get stronger. Clifford Snow is 66 years old and just dead lifted 250 lbs. Clifford has been training with me for just over a year and actually had knee replacement surgery in August of 2011. “If you would have told me that I would be dead lifting 250 lbs ever, I would have told you that you were nuts” says Snow.
Strength training is definitely not just for men either. Well known strength trainer Mark Rippitoe wrote in his book Starting Strength that, “Women are not a special population. They are half (actually more) of the population. With very, very few exceptions, they are trained in exactly the same way as men.” Many women are afraid of getting too big and bulky but it isn’t likely to happen without the use of drugs because of the difference in testosterone levels in males and females.
My female clients get amazingly strong and they don’t buy into the pink dumbbell hype that you see in the magazines. The first thing I do with a new female client is hand her a 30 lb. dumbbell and within a few seconds they stand up with it off the floor effortlessly. The benefit of doing this is two-fold: they learn the technique, and it instantly gives them confidence that they might not have had when they entered the weight room.
Progressive strength training is healthy for women, men, and even children. For years, strength training with weights was considered bad for children because it was thought to damage the growth plates in bones. Dr. Avery Faigenbaum, a professor of exercise science at the College of New Jersey is quoted in a November 2010 New York Times article, “The scientific literature is quite clear that strength training is safe for young people, if it’s properly supervised.” Dr. Faigenbaum also said, “It will not stunt growth or lead to growth-plate injuries.” As long as children are properly trained and supervised they can get stronger safely. Just look at how strong children are that were raised on a farm.
Case(s) for Progressive Strength Training
While you don’t have to be a competitive athlete, toning and maintenance are worn out terms that should no longer exist in the gym. When you train in a progressive way, you may end up like the clients of my personal training company. Dawn Johnson and Anne Ducey can stand up with over 200 lbs off the floor in a dead lift. This kind of strength training transfers over to other activities like when Anne swam a 1.5 mile distance in Hawaii in 2012, faster and stronger than she ever had previously, or when Dawn completed an intense snowshoe hike/climb with the ‘Thursday Night After Burners,’ an experienced hiking group, after only having worn snowshoes twice before on recreational hikes.
The case for progressive strength training has been made, but we must also consider that it is hard work. It still comes down to commitment and the desire to make your body stronger and healthier. That doesn’t mean that you have to live in the gym. If you work hard in a progressive manner with proper technique you can gain great full body strength in one or two workouts per week. I call it “real world strength” and it will improve all of your other activities including cardio workouts (without the magazine.) Strength training is a skill that must be learned and supervised by a qualified trainer, and then practiced regularly. The benefits are well worth the effort.
About the Author: Todd ‘Oly’ Olsen is a Certified Personal Trainer, CPR/AED/First Aid Certified, Former Competitive Bodybuilder including a 3rd place finish in the very first Emerald Cup Contest in 1983, with a 15-year career in Professional Wrestling, and a record as one of few Americans inducted into the Slam Sports Canadian Pro Wrestling Hall of Fame. Contact Olsen at 425/319-0476 or www.toddolyolsen.com
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