Weight lifting is one of the best forms of exercise for building strength, muscle mass, and power. Lifting weights provides a huge range of physical, mental and functional benefits that can improve quality of life. Let’s dive into the world of weight lifting and explore how to start training for maximum results.
The Benefits of Weight Lifting
Weight lifting provides far more value than simply building bigger muscles or getting six pack abs. Incorporating weight training into your lifestyle can provide these 9 key benefits:
1. Builds Strength
The primary adaptation that occurs from lifting weights is increased muscular strength. As you put muscles under load through resistance, the body adapts by getting stronger. This allows you to lift heavier weights over time and apply greater force. Strength is the foundation of power, speed, endurance and other physical qualities.
2. Increases Muscle Mass
In addition to getting stronger, your muscles will also grow larger as you lift weights. The gradual process of muscle protein synthesis leads to hypertrophy (muscle growth). The greater your muscle mass, the higher your metabolism will be. More muscle means burning more calories 24/7.
3. Improves Bone Density
The mechanical forces exerted by weight lifting actually stimulate bone remodeling and formation. Lifting progressively heavier weights can increase bone mineral density. This reduces the risk of osteoporosis and fractures.
4. Boosts Endurance
While cardio is great for endurance, strength training also improves your body’s ability to exercise for longer periods. Lifting allows you to apply force longer before fatigue. It also increases oxygen uptake capabilities.
5. Enhances Power
Power refers to the combination of speed and strength. Weight lifting develops power by recruiting fast-twitch muscle fibers. Olympic lifts like cleans and snatches are especially great for building explosive power.
6. Supports Functional Mobility
Full range of motion strength develops the mobility and stability required for daily movement. Lifting enhances motor control, coordination, balance and agility - all key to efficient movement.
7. Prevents Injury
Lifting develops the tendon, ligament and muscle strength needed to dynamically stabilize joints during activity. Strong connective tissues and muscles protect against injury and overuse.
8. Boosts Metabolism
As mentioned earlier, the muscle you build from weight lifting burns a lot of calories. But weight training also increases your metabolism by stimulating mitochondrial adaptation and hormone production.
9. Improves Mental Health
Resistance training boosts the production of key neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin and endorphins. This leads to what’s known as a “post-workout high”. Lifting reduces anxiety and elevates mood.
This diverse range of physical and mental benefits make weight lifting an essential component of health, fitness and wellbeing. Let’s look closer at how to start training effectively.
Getting Started with Weight Lifting
Weight lifting can seem intimidating at first, but anyone can get started with proper preparation and sensible progressions. Here are 7 tips for beginners:
1. Seek Guidance
Getting coached on proper form and technique is extremely valuable when beginning. Consider hiring a professional trainer for a few sessions or asking an experienced friend to mentor you. This ensures you understand how to lift safely.
2. Start Light
Don’t make the mistake of piling on the plates when just starting out. Lifting too heavy with poor technique is a recipe for injury. Build a foundation first with lighter loads focusing on form before progressively increasing weight.
3. Prioritize Compound Lifts
Exercises like squats, deadlifts, presses and rows work multiple muscle groups and are most effective for beginners. Include bodyweight exercises like push-ups and pull-ups which also strengthen multiple muscles.
4. Focus on Form
Perfecting lifting technique should be the priority, not how much weight you’re moving. Slow down reps, use lighter loads and film your sets if needed to self-assess form. Good technique prevents injury.
5. Balance Pushing and Pulling
To avoid muscle imbalances and postural dysfunction, include both pushing (bench press) and pulling (rows) exercises. Work opposing muscle groups equally.
6. Prioritize Consistency
The key is sticking to a lifting program consistently for months and years. Make it a habit like brushing your teeth, not something you do here and there. Consistency and progression are key.
7. Be Patient
Strength gains happen slowly over time. Adding just 5-10 lbs to a lift each month will result in great progress over the long haul. Avoid comparing yourself to others and focus on your improvement.
If you follow these principles as a beginner, you’ll build a strong foundation of strength, mobility and functional muscle that lasts a lifetime. Let’s examine some of the most important lifting techniques.
Proper Lifting Technique
Applying proper technique when weight training is crucial to maximize results and prevent injury. While lifting looks simple from the outside, each exercise has very specific form cues you must follow.
Here are some key coaching points for the five most important compound lifts:
Squat
- Feet slightly wider than hip-width, toes angled out 15-30 degrees
- Push hips back and down into a sitting position, knees tracking toes
- Chest and chin up, keep weight centered over midfoot
- Reach at least parallel with tops of thighs, go deeper if possible
- Drive through full foot to stand back up to start position
Bench Press
- Retract scapulae and grip bar with even spacing at just outside shoulder width
- Keep wrists straight and elbows tucked, not flared out
- Lower bar slowly until it touches middle of chest
- Press bar back up in straight vertical line over shoulders
- Avoid bouncing or heavily arching lower back
Deadlift
- Feet hip-width apart, bar starting over midfoot directly below shoulders
- Bend at hips and knees until hands reach below knees
- Chest up, shoulders packed, neutral spine from top to bottom
- Drive heels into floor and extend hips forward to stand up
- Return bar to floor with control, resetting each rep
Overhead Press
- Hold bar in rack position at collarbone, elbows below wrists
- Press bar directly upwards while maintaining straight wrists
- Once overhead, arms should be straight but not locked out
- Lower bar back to rack position above chest under control
Row
- Hinge at hips with flat back, soft knee bend
- Retract and depress scapulae, keep chest up
- Pull bar straight into lower abdomen under control
- Squeeze shoulder blades together fully at end of each rep
- Slowly extend arms back to starting position
Mastering these five patterns builds overall strength, muscle balance and proper movement mechanics. Film your sets and compare to tutorials online if unsure about form. Lifting with proper positioning prevents injury risk.
Programming for Beginners
When first starting out, follow a simple linear progression lifting program focusing on the major compound lifts 2-4 days per week. Here is an example 3 day full body beginner lifting program:
Monday
- Squat - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Bench Press - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Bentover Row - 3 sets x 5 reps
Wednesday
- Deadlift - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Overhead Press - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Assisted Pull-ups - 3 sets x 5 reps
Friday
- Squat - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Bench Press - 3 sets x 5 reps
- Bentover Row - 3 sets x 5 reps
Add weight weekly to each lift before you hit the top of the rep range. Once you reach 3 sets of 5 with your 5RM weight, switch to 3 sets of 3 working up to a 3RM for continued progression. Stick to this program for at least 3-6 months before attempting more complex periodization.
This simple progressive overload model works well for beginners building their first strength foundation. Ensure you recover properly between sessions - don’t train the same muscle groups on consecutive days.
Now that you understand the basics of lifting, let’s explore some more advanced programming tactics.
Advanced Weight Lifting Programming
Once you’ve built a solid base of strength and have your form dialed in, more advanced periodization tactics can take you to the next level. Two key principles for programming are exercise variation and progressive overload.
Exercise Variation
The body adapts very quickly to repeating the same movements. Varying your exercises through manipulation of angles, ranges of motion, stance, grip and more provides variation so you can continually make progress.
For example, the squat can be front squatted, taken through a full deep squat, performed on a Smith machine, done with different foot positions, and more. Changing up these variables provides a new stimulus.
Some ways to vary exercises:
- Alter grip width, foot stance, bar path, joint angles
- Use machines, dumbbells, kettlebells, cables, and bodyweight
- Emphasize tempo and time under tension
- Change order of exercises
- Use ascending or descending pyramids
- Perform unilateral and bilateral movements
Programming these variations into each mesocycle and exercise block keeps the body adapting.
Progressive Overload
The second key principle is progressive overload through adding weight, reps, sets, or exercise density over time. You must