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Sports & Leisure

Exercise & Fitness

Training with Weights or Resistance

Resistance training, also known as weight and strength training, is important in developing optimal physical conditioning.

POTENTIAL BENEFITS OF WEIGHT TRAINING:

  • Increased strength and muscle tone.
  • Increased heart and lung efficiency.
  • Increased flexibility, mobility and coordination.
  • Reduced risk of high blood pressure.
  • Lower cholesterol level.
  • Provides an outlet from work or other stressful elements.

PRELIMINARY STEPS TO RESISTANCE TRAINING:

  • Get physician consent.
  • Attend a facility orientation.
  • Dress appropriately in loose fitting, breathable clothes.
  • Obtain belts, wraps, or other supportive devices to fit your individual needs.
  • Prior to an exercise session ensure an appropriate diet and adequate sleep.

GOAL SETTING:
Setting goals is an important part of resistance training. The first step is to set appropriate individualized goals. The second step is to re-evaluate your goals periodically. Ask yourself if you have met your goals, reassess what needs to be done to meet your goals, and create new goals. To use goal setting you must continually create goals and reassess your goals.

Goals should be:

  • Realistic
  • Clearly defined
  • Achievable
  • Short-term and long-term

Examples:

  • Perform resistance training 3 times a week.
  • Do a certain number of repetitions for a given weight.

DEFINITIONS OF KEY CONCEPTS AND PRINCIPLES:

  • Repetitions: One complete movement of an exercise or lift.
  • Sets: A group of repetitions performed continuously.
  • Rest period: Recovery periods can be between sets, between exercises, and between training sessions.
  • The overall principle is the longer the better. The most common recommendation is rest between sets for the length of time it took you to complete one set.

SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS:

  • Breathing: Do not hold your breath while resistance training. Instead, exhale or breathe out while pushing/pulling the weight up or out and inhale or breathe in while letting the weight down or in, slowly returning it to it’s original position. To maintain correct posture “think tall”.
  • Spotting: While lifting heavy weights a bystander should be present to assist if the person lifting is unable to finish a lift or should need medical attention. The picture shown below includes a spotter.
  • Full Range of Motion (ROM): To develop strength throughout a joint’s full ROM, training must be performed through the full range of motion.
  • Proper technique: Follow instructions from a trained professional; without proper technique injury is more likely to occur. Correct posture is key to proper technique

APPROPRIATE TYPES OF RESISTANCE TRAINING:

  • Free weights: Weights that are not connected to anything. Usually they are in 5 pound increments. The exception is from 1-5 pounds they are 1,2,3,4, and 5 pounds each.
  • Stationary weights: These weights come in two forms: machine with more than one lift and machines with a single lift.
  • Circuit program/training: A program that consists of a series of resistance training exercises performed one after another, with minimal rest of about 15-30 seconds between each exercise.

TRAINING PRINCIPLES:

  • Incorporate goal setting in your program.
  • Overload Principle: To increase muscle strength you must place a heavier load/weight on the muscle than it is typically used to. The amount of weight is dependent on the individual’s abilities.
  • Principle of Individuality: Everyone’s bodies are unique and have individuals needs. It is important to set up a resistance training program with your individual needs and abilities in mind.
  • Avoid training the same muscle groups on consecutive days. Balanced training program includes all four regions of the body when possible.

COMPLETE TRAINING PROGRAM:
This is an overview of a complete resistance training program; not every body is able to perform every exercise listed. Consult a trained exercise professional for individualized exercise prescription.

  • Warm-up: A time when your muscles warm up by increasing in temperature and blood flow, stretching and light aerobics are good modes for warming up. Approximately 5 minutes is recommended.
  • Lifting session: Repeititions: 8-12, Sets: 2-3

Do exercises focusing on the four regions:
Region 1: Lower body movements. Examples: leg extension, leg curl, calf raise

Region 2: Upper body movements. Examples: bench press, upright row, lat pull, pull-up, biceps curl, triceps extension

Region 3: Lower back movements. Examples: squats (both back and lower extremity), back extension

Region 4: Abdominal movements. Example: sit-up (knees bent)

Cool-down: Keep active, in other words, keep moving your muscles, for five minutes after training to allow your muscles to cool-down and transition. It is very important to properly stretch the muscles that were used in the resistance training.

NOTE: If you want to build muscular endurance you should use lighter weights and perform more repetitions per set. If you want to build muscular strength you should use heavier weights and perform less repeititions per set.

EXAMPLE OF AN AT-HOME TRAINING PROTOCOL FOR SENIORS OR INDIVIDUALS STARTING A PROGRAM FOR THE FIRST TIME:

  • For upper body exercises use soup cans or an object with light resistance.
  • Perform 1-3 sets, 8-12 repetitions, 1-2 minutes of rest between sets.
  • Example exercises: (individual assessment is crucial): front shoulder raise (raising an object forward/up with straight arms), wall push-ups (stand 2 feet from a wall and push away), toe raises (while standing straight lift and lower your body on your toes, hold onto something for balance), arm curls (bicep curls), 1/4 squat (lower your body slightly, bending at your knees, with your back straight, and chest forward), and side shoulder raise (raise an object directly to your side with your arm straight).

    NOTE: This program is designed to improve range of motion and abilities of daily living. Progression to heavier resistances, especially for the lower body region, is vital for optimal progression.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:
See NCPAD’s factsheet on weight training equipment.

More information on this and related topics may be available in the NCPAD Citation Database. Try searching with keywords: resistance, training, etc.

NOTE
The information provided here is offered as a service only. The National Center on Physical Activity and Disability, University of Illinois at Chicago, the National Center on Accessibility, and the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago do not formally recommend or endorse the equipment listed. As with any products or services, consumers should investigate and determine on their own which equipment best fits their needs and budget.

Source: NCPAD