Welcome to the
beginning of your lifelong strength training journey with personal trainer Etobicoke.
Years down the
line, you'll look back and thank your past self for taking that first step into
strength training today.
And rest assured,
you will embark on this strength training journey today.
Strength
training, also known as resistance training, need not be intimidating or overly
complex!
In essence,
strength training revolves around two fundamental principles:
Movement
involving any form of weight or resistance (including your own body weight):
Engaging in exercises that challenge your muscles, pushing them beyond their
usual limits, compelling them to rebuild stronger in anticipation of future
challenges.
Progressive
overload: Consistently doing slightly more than your previous session (lifting
heavier weights or doing one more rep). This constant progression forces your
muscles to continually adapt and grow stronger. The tiny, painless micro-tears
in your muscles lead to hypertrophy, causing them to increase in size and
strength to meet the exercise demands.
That's the crux
of it: engage in resistance training and strive to make it progressively more
challenging, and you'll witness your strength grow.
For instance, if
you drop down and perform a single knee push-up right now, you've essentially
completed a strength training workout.
Likewise, if you
attempt two knee push-ups tomorrow, you're officially following a strength
training routine.
There are several
paths in the realm of "strength training" and "resistance
training."
Think of it like
a skill tree in a video game, offering branching paths and progressions. You
can advance on one path while incorporating movements from others based on your
objectives and the equipment available to you.
What Are Some
Examples of Strength Training?
1) BODYWEIGHT
TRAINING
Bodyweight
training involves exercises where your body acts as the resistance you are
lifting.
Simple, right?
This is the ideal
starting point for anyone, regardless of weight or age, to initiate their
strength training journey.
Why is bodyweight
training the perfect starting point?
Two compelling reasons:
A) Your body is
always with you (unless you're a ghost, in which case, things get awkward).
This means you can work out ANYWHERE with bodyweight training:
Our Beginner
Bodyweight Workout Routine can be performed in your living room.
Our Hotel Workout
is designed for hotel settings (obviously).
Our Park Workout
is suitable for, well, parks—you get the idea.
B) Utilizing your
body for resistance training is inherently "human"! By mastering
movements such as pushing, pulling, hanging, squatting, and lunging, you're
essentially doing what your body is naturally designed to do.
Strengthening
with bodyweight exercises contributes to making you antifragile and less
susceptible to injuries.
Let's delve into
some SCIENCE!
When you learn
these movements through bodyweight exercises, you're allowing for the proper
development of communication between your neuromuscular systems.
This efficient communication
results in what's known as "proper motor unit recruitment."
You might wonder,
what exactly is a motor unit?
That's perfectly
fine—I had the same question myself.
A motor unit
consists of a single motor neuron and the muscle fibers it activates.
There are two
main types of motor units:
Small motor
units: These involve a single motor neuron innervating relatively few muscle
fibers, ideal for precise and detailed movements (e.g., moving your fingers).
Large motor
units: Here, a single motor neuron innervates hundreds of muscle fibers,
excellent for generating substantial force (e.g., engaging larger muscle groups
like the quads to generate force for sprinting).
When you commence
strength training, you essentially enhance communication between your muscles.
This is why we recommend commencing with bodyweight exercises to kickstart this
process.
However,
bodyweight training isn't as easy to 'scale' in difficulty as some other
strength training methods ("add more weight to the barbell"). Nonetheless,
you can attain remarkable strength levels solely through bodyweight training.
For instance, you
can begin with knee push-ups, progress to regular push-ups, then elevated
push-ups, and even advance to challenging exercises like handstands and handstand
push-ups.
2) DUMBBELL TRAINING
Dumbbells serve as an excellent introduction to the realm of
weight training and strength training:
Most gyms, even basic ones in apartment complexes, typically
have dumbbells available.
They are space-efficient, making it feasible to own a pair
at home without taking up much room.
Dumbbells offer an easy way to intensify bodyweight
exercises, for example, by incorporating them into lunges.
For some individuals, dumbbell exercises may seem less
intimidating than barbell training, marking a stepping stone towards the
latter.
Dumbbells present an additional stabilization challenge and
can help identify muscle imbalances (e.g., realizing one arm is stronger than
the other).
They allow for single-arm and single-leg exercises, aiding
in addressing muscle imbalances, especially after an injury.
Easy to scale: as the 10-pound weights become too light,
simply switch to 15-pound ones!
3) KETTLEBELL TRAINING
A kettlebell essentially resembles a cannonball with a
handle. They are available in various weights, occupy minimal space, and offer
a versatile compact workout.
Our 20-minute kettlebell workout encompasses 8
straightforward exercises that can be performed using just one kettlebell.
While there are "adjustable kettlebells," typically,
you'll work with a single kettlebell and adjust your movements for
"progressive overload" (gradually increasing the workout's
difficulty).
Gyms usually provide multiple kettlebells, allowing you to
progress to heavier ones.
4) BARBELL TRAINING
Irrespective of age, gender, or sex, if your objective is
rapid strength gain, summon 20 seconds of courage and become comfortable with
training using a barbell (I'll guide you through it, I assure you):
Achieving "progressive overload" is simple—by
adding weights to each side of the bar, you progressively lift more weight each
week.
It's safer and more manageable to lift heavier weights,
especially for lower body movements like squats and deadlifts.
The primary drawback of barbell training is the necessity for
equipment at home, including a squat rack, a barbell, a bench, and sufficient
weights for your space (an initial expensive investment, particularly for
beginners!).
The Top Beginner Strength Training Programs
1) NOVICE BODYWEIGHT WORKOUT:
Our Novice Bodyweight Workout incorporates a range of rep
counts to enhance endurance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness.
Perform one set of each exercise, progressing directly to
the next:
- 20 bodyweight squats
- 10 push-ups
- 20 walking lunges
- 10 dumbbell rows (using a gallon milk jug)
- 15-second plank
- 30 Jumping Jacks
- Repeat for 3 sets
Interested in sticking with bodyweight training? Explore our
advanced bodyweight training circuit when you're ready to level up.
Alternatively, transition to weight training once you feel
comfortable!
2A) INTRODUCTORY NERD FITNESS DUMBBELL WORKOUT
For those new to dumbbells seeking a beginner workout
routine, we present our Level 3 Gym Workout, "Dumbbell Division":
- 10 goblet squats
- 10 push-ups
- 10 dumbbell rows per side
2B) BEGINNER FITNESS KETTLEBELL WORKOUT
Our Beginner Kettlebell Routine is a workout that you can
perform anywhere with sufficient space to swing a kettlebell.
However, a phone booth, closet, or bathroom stall may not be
ideal workout locations. Any other place works just fine.
Complete 3 Kettlebell Workout Circuits:
- 8 Halos (each side)
- 10 Goblet Squats
- 8 Overhead Presses (each side)
- 15 Kettlebell Swings
- 8 Bent Over Rows (each side)
- 6 Front Rack Reverse Lunges (per side)
3) BARBELL TRAINING: 2-DAY WORKOUT SPLIT
As detailed in our "How to Train in a Gym" guide,
this routine is a focused weight training and strength-building workout that
introduces you to barbell training.
BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY A
Complete 3 rounds of:
- 10 barbell squats
- 10 push-ups
- 10 bodyweight rows
BEGINNER BARBELL STRENGTH WORKOUT: DAY B
Complete 3 rounds of:
- 5 barbell Romanian deadlifts
- 10 push-ups
- 10 dumbbell rows per arm
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER POPULAR STRENGTH TRAINING PROGRAMS?
1) “Starting Strength” is regarded as the premier beginner
barbell weight training program by many. We strongly recommend purchasing the
actual book if you are committed to barbell training – it’s a pivotal training
read.
2) Strong Lifts 5X5: A reliable workout program that
commences at a slow pace, using only the barbell initially, to master form
before progressing to heavier weights. It keeps things straightforward with
"do 5×5." Strong Lifts has a long-standing reputation and is a sound
program.
3) Jim Wendler’s 5/3/1: This program offers more flexibility
to perform exercises of your preference or work on personal weaknesses, as you
choose some of the assistance work.
Note: You can adapt any of the barbell training programs for
dumbbells if that’s what you have at home!
Lastly, feel free to design your own workout plan! I crafted
my workouts for a decade, and it imparted extensive knowledge about training
and health.
We also offer our personalized 1-on-1 Online Coaching
Program, where you’ll collaborate with a coach who will devise a strength training
workout program tailored to your body type and goals. The coach will evaluate
your form for each exercise via video and assist in planning your nutrition as
well.
