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The Best Weight Training Exercises For Weight Loss
Finding the best weight training exercises for weight loss can be a real challenge for many. Not only do you need the right equipment, but you also need to have some level of knowledge to get the best results.
But if you can learn how to incorporate weight training into your workout routine, you will find yourself getting results much quicker as opposed to just doing cardio training alone.
That’s why in this article, you will learn how weight training can help you eat more, get better sleep, reduce your risk for injury, and improve your health overall.
But before we get into all that, what you really want to know is….
Can Weight Training Help You Lose Weight?
Of course it can! Yes there’s usually a weight gain initially due to the new muscle mass that will be created. But long term, your body will learn how to use that energy to help feed those muscles, which will help you burn more calories throughout the day.
Here are some ways weight training can help you lose weight:
Eating habits – one of the biggest things you will notice when starting your weight training, is that you will find yourself hungry more often. So when you hear fitness experts suggesting eating every 3 hours, this is a big reason why.
But won’t you gain more weight eating this much?
Remember, gaining and losing weight is all about CALORIES. If you burn more calories than you consume, you will lose weight. If you consume more than you burn, you will gain weight.
So when it comes to losing weight, it’s all about creating a caloric deficit. And because you are incorporating weight training into your workouts, you will find yourself burning much more calories than you consume.
Assuming you are eating healthy foods of course.
Water intake – there’s no secret that we don’t drink enough water throughout the day. Even though the benefits of drinking water are tremendous.
But if you find yourself struggling to drink water now, I promise this won’t be the case once you start weight training. A big reason for this is weight training requires so much in terms of energy and nutrients like protein.
This will cause the body to need to hydrate much more often than you’re used to.
To be honest though…
That’s not a bad problem to have. If there’s any negative, it would be the amount of times you will find yourself having to get up and use the bathroom. But look at it as a way to get your steps in throughout the day.
Sleeping habits – there’s no secret that exercise can help improve the overall quality of sleep you get each night.
But if you’ve never tried weight training, building muscles requires the body to get rest in order to get the best results. Because if you didn’t know, muscles are trained in the gym, but they are built while you sleep.
The energy required to help repair your torn muscles from training, will help improve your sleep quality. You will find that you’re sleeping longer throughout the night and feeling more rested when you wake up.
Which we all know is key to making sure you are starting your day the right way.
Metabolism – I think more and more people are realizing that the key to losing weight is not starving yourself. A big reason for this is due to the slowdown of your metabolism.
And as we all know, if you’re trying to lose weight, then you need that metabolism to be as fast as possible.
Which is what makes weight training so effective.
Not only is your metabolism being put to work while you’re lifting weights, but it’s after the workout where weight training makes it’s money. EPOC, which is key to burning calories after your workout is done, allows you to get amazing results.
Even when you’re resting, your body continues to burn calories throughout the day. Almost as if your body has been put on auto pilot.
So if you’re consistently training your body on a daily basis, this is one of the best methods to getting the best results possible.
Losing Weight vs Losing Fat
Although losing weight is a very important fitness goal for those looking to get in shape, losing weight isn’t always the most important thing.
When it comes to understanding the difference between losing weight vs losing fat, I think many people get the two confused.
Sometimes when I ask people what their goals are, there response is usually weight loss. A lot of times though, what they really want is to lose fat.
Think about it…
Try remembering the last time you lost anywhere between 5-10 pounds, and still wasn’t satisfied with what you saw in the mirror?
I’m pretty sure that happens more times than not. A reason for this is, it’s not the weight that bothers you, it’s the way you look.
We often look at magazines and the first thing that comes to mind is not that I wish I weighed that amount. You usually say to yourself, damn I wish I could look like that.
Now don’t get me wrong, there are weight levels that can be considered unhealthy, but most of the times our unhappiness is from the way we look, rather than how much we weigh.
So what’s the best way to change the way you look?
Weight training duhhh! Daily exercise can help you lose weight, but it’s weight training that allows you to sculpt the body you desire.
Building muscles can help you develop that nice toned physique that has you looking great in any piece of clothing you wear.
More Reading: How To Get Paid To Lose Weight With HealthyWage
Are Bodyweight Exercises Considered Weight Training?
It’s easy to think of fitness equipment when it comes to weight training. And although that may be true, if you really break down what it’s really about, then you’ll find that there is more to weight training than just dumbbells and bars.
The purpose of weight training is to use some form of resistance to help develop both strength, and muscle growth. So if that’s the case, then few could argue that the body is very capable of accomplishing both.
Now obviously you can get only so much in terms of results comparing results gained from body weight training vs weight training.
Mainly because with weight training you can add more resistance with the increase in weight, and with bodyweight training, you are pretty much limited to how much you weigh.
How To Weight Train
When it comes to weight training, it’s important to understand how to maximize your training to get the best results. So when trying to lose weight, many people think that it’s possible to spot reduce fat.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but spot reducing fat is pretty much impossible. So if you have flabby arms or have a bit of back fat, I would suggest you stop with all the isolation exercises which is considered to be the least effective way to get rid of the flab.
But what are isolation exercises?
Basically doing exercises that target one part of the body. For example, you have some arm fat you want to get rid of, so you decide to do a bunch of barbell curls to get rid of it. Unfortunately that won’t work.
So what’s the best way to lose weight and burn that stubborn fat?
The best way is to work out the entire body or target the larger muscles in the body. Now before I get into which muscles are considered the largest, I’ll explain how to effectively target multiple muscles at a given time.
This will help cut your workout time at the gym big time so that you’re not wasting time trying to hit every muscle.
Understanding How Exercises Affect Different Parts of The Body
Pulling Exercies
Pushing Exercises
Leg Exercises
Pulling Exercies
Any exercise that uses a pulling motion, will target the bicep and back muscles.
Pushing Exercises
Any exercise that uses a pushing motion, will target triceps, chest and shoulder muscles
Leg Exercises
Any exercise that requires the legs to push against gravity, will work the quads, hamstrings and glutes.
So instead of doing exercises that target just one muscle, knowing those three things, you can do exercises that target multiple body parts at a time.
Muscles to target when working out:
Best Back Exercises
Exercise
- Pullups
- Seated Rows
- T-bar Row with Handle
Workout Routine
- 3 sets of 10 reps
- 3 sets of 8 reps
- 3 sets of 12 reps
If you struggle doing pull ups, there are machines at the gym that can assist you as you attempt each pull up. You can also use resistance bands as well to help support you.
You also have to decided if you will be performing your workouts either at the gym, or at home. If you plan on doing them at home, then you will need a pull up bar.
Best Chest Exercises
Exercise
- Pushups
- Barbell Bench Press
- Dumbbell Press
Workout Routine
- 4 sets of 25 reps
- 3 sets of 8-12 reps
- 3 sets of 8-12 reps
The great thing about push ups is that it can be done anywhere. It’s an exercise that is easy on the joints and doesn’t require equipment to perform it. Great if you need to get in a quick workout.
Unless you have a workout bench at home, you will need the gym to perform this exercise. It’s important to be cautious of how much weight you use with this exercise. Use a spotter if you need to.
Dumbbells are a very versatile piece of equipment. If you exercise at home, you will save the most amount of money getting adjustable dumbbells to perform your dumbbell press exercise instead of having to purchase multiple weights.
Best Leg Exercises
Exercise
- Squats
- Leg Press
- Bulgarian Split Squats
Workout Routine
- 3 sets of 10 reps
- 4 sets of 8-12 reps
- 3 sets of 8-12 reps each leg
There are a variety of ways to perform squat exercises. You can use just your bodyweight, dumbbells, kettlebells, or barbells. Each are effective in building up your legs.
The leg press usually requires a machine that is usually found at the gym. This is a more stable machine to use for those that are new to weight training the legs.
Bulgarian squats can be done with with or without weights.
Weight Training for Weight Loss for Women
When it comes to women and weight training, there’s a common myth that lifting weights will make women bulk up like men. Because of this reason alone, many women shy away from touching the iron.
When the reality is, women do not produce enough testosterone to even get anywhere near the muscle mass that men do.
But as more women start to educate themselves on the benefits of weight training, they are coming to find out that they can get results much faster by incorporating it into their fitness routine.
Also, adding supplements like protein and BCAA’s to your diet can help speed up the rate at which you build muscle.
Regardless if you prefer to workout at home or at the gym, finding time to learn how to effectively use weight training as a part of your regiment is key to getting the best results.
More Reading: Is Whey Protein Good For Women
Weight Training for Weight Loss for Men
If you’re a man that is in need of some weight loss, believe it or not, getting results can be easier for you due to your metabolism.
Men have a tendency to burn calories at a faster rate than women. So adding weight training to your workout will only increase that rate.
With the addition of supplements like protein, BCAAs and creatine, you can find yourself getting results much quicker.
Of course all this is dependent on the level of effort you commit yourself to on a daily basis. But if you make weight training a part of your daily routine, I have no doubt you will reach your fitness goals.
Weight Training For Health: A Simple Guide
When you hear the term weight training, it’s easy to think of huge muscles and dudes letting off huge grunts in the gym.
But in reality, weight training for your health is all about making your body stronger overall. So many times we deal with chronic injuries like low back pain and not really know what the cause is.
Most of the times it can be due to lack of core strength…
…and weight training can be a great way to develop that core strength which is key to overall health.
So I’ve developed this simple guide to weight training, that will help give you a better idea of how you should go about your daily fitness routine.
Depending on your fitness goal, you will find the many benefits weight training can have on your body.
What Is Weight Training?
You can think of weight training as a form of strength training that helps to develop the strength and size of the skeletal muscles. Using any form of gravity as resistance to help in building up the muscles.
The goal should be to add enough resistance that helps you get the right amount of muscle development during your exercises.
But what is the right amount?
Without boring you with all the technical stuff, I will break it down by the amount of repetitions.
- 1-6 reps will help develop strength
- 7-12 reps will help develop hypertrophy (muscle growth)
- 13-20 reps will help in developing endurance.
So in order to increase muscle size, you want to make sure that you select a weight amount that allows you to fail when reaching that max number of about 12 reps.
Now I know when talking about muscles, this may scare some of the women out there, but females fear not. There’s no need to worry about getting overly bulking as women do not produce testosterone as the same levels as men do to get the huge muscles.
But the benefits of having muscles can be tremendous for women looking to get that nice toned look. Also I will be going over the benefits later in this article, so no worries.
So when it comes to weight training, it’s important to not fear the weights and make it a part of your fitness routine.
I know it can be difficult to get started especially if you’re new to it. That’s why it’s a good idea to either get a friend, or hire a personal trainer to help get you started until you get comfortable going on your own.
The main thing is to take your time and practice caution as the level of injuries are increased when dealing with heavy weights. Also, bodyweight training is another form of weight training you can do if you’re a beginner.
It’s a great way to ease into the whole weight training process as you get more comfortable with it.
Reasons You May Want To Start Weight Training
Weight Training for Weight Loss
Cardio has been known to burn more calories than weight training during an actual workout, but it’s after the workout that weight training makes it’s money. And although you may gain a bit of weight due to you new found source of muscles. You will find yourself potentially losing weight in the long term due to the calories being burned to maintain that muscle mass.
Weight Training for Fat Loss
The most efficient way to burn fat is grouping both your cardio training and weight training during your workouts. This will allow you to burn the most amount of calories to help you lose weight and get your heart rate up to help you burn the most amount of fat. The muscles you develop during this process will help sculpt that body you’ve been dreaming of for a while now.
Weight Training for Women
Maybe one of the biggest myths when it comes to women lifting weights is the bulk you will develop. Let me be clear, women do not produce anywhere near the levels of testosterone that men produce to develop such muscle mass. So if you ladies out there are looking to get beachbody ready, then you should definitely add weight training to your workout routine.
Weight Training for Men
For those getting started with fitness, weight training can be one of the fastest ways to get results. But it can also be very overwhelming if you are someone that primarily does their exercises at the gym. Learn how you can overcome that fear and develop the confidence one needs to reach your fitness goals.
Weight Training for Beginners
Improving your endurance is key to performing at your best when it comes to any physical activity. Whether you tire easily when walking up a flight of stairs, or lack energy when playing with the kids, weight training can be very beneficial when it comes to performing daily activities. You will notice the difference in how you feel physically when adding weight training to your fitness routine.
Weight Training for Endurance
Improving your endurance is key to performing at your best when it comes to any physical activity. Whether you tire easily when walking up a flight of stairs, or lack energy when playing with the kids, weight training can be very beneficial when it comes to performing daily activities. You will notice the difference in how you feel physically when adding weight training to your fitness routine.
Weight Training for Bigger Muscles
There’s a reason why bodybuilders are in the gym 24/7. I mean yeah, you can definitely question the ethics in which they go about getting such massive muscles. But in order to get those muscles, weight training is a huge part of their fitness routine. If you’re worried about looking like a bodybuilder, then fear not, as it is possible to get normal size looking muscles without adding any questionable supplements to your diet.
Weight Training for Legs
Have you ever seen someone with a huge upper body and a not so huge lower body? Well that’s probably because they skipped leg day at the gym. Yea I know that working out the legs isn’t the coolest thing to do, but weight training your legs is essential to forming balance to your body overall.
Weight Training for Arms
Having toned looking arms is an easy attention grabber. For some reason, people love seeing the definition of a person that makes exercise a part of their life. I know that arm curls and tricep dips are goto exercises, but there are other exercises that not only target your arms, but other essential body parts as well . Learn what it takes to develop those lean looking arms that gets everyone to stop and notice all your hard work.
Weight Training for Your Back
For the ladies, having a nice toned back makes wearing dresses that showcase the back so much easier. For the fellas, if you’ve ever heard of the V look, then you how popular a look it is in the weight training world. But what exercises are great for developing a better back?
Weight Training for Abs
It is true that genetics and diet has a lot to do with getting nice looking abs, but it is possible to weight train for better looking abs. So if you’re looking to get the 6 pack that people envy, making weight training a part of your workout routine is essential.
Weight Training to get Lean and Ripped
Cardio alone isn’t going to get you the body you desire. Especially since too much cardio has the potential to break down muscle. Therefore building muscle is key to sculpting your body the way you want. By combining both cardio and weight training, you can get that lean ripped body that helps you look good in whatever you wear.
Common Mistakes To Avoid
Although there are many benefits when it comes to weight training, just like anything you try in life, you want to make sure you do it correctly. So below are some mistakes you want to avoid when starting your weight training routine.
- Trying to lift too much weight, too soon. This is especially true for guys that have huge egos and don’t want to look like some wimp in the gym. It’s important always to start off with lighter weight and build yourself up to something heavier. Lifting heavier when you’re ready for it can affect your form and increase the risk of injury. For not only yourself, but for those around you as well. Mastering weight lifting takes experience, so it’s important to be patient when performing exercises involving weights.
- If you’re serious about getting results, then not lifting enough weights can also affect the type of results you get. Like I mentioned earlier, shoot for 7-12 reps to maximize muscle building effectiveness. If you’re able to perform anything more than that, then you should increase the weights by like 5 lbs.
- Going too quickly through your repetitions. Some of the benefits of taking your time as you lift weights include more tension given to muscle fibers which is key to muscle growth. Also, there is less risk for injury as you are performing your weight lifting exercises.
- One of the biggest struggles for those that are new to weight training is knowing how much to rest in-between sets. Resting too much or not resting enough can be a huge workout killer for anyone starting off. The recommended amount of rest is anywhere between 30-90 seconds. As you gain more experience and get a better feel for your body, use this as a metric.