Beginner's Top Ten Guidelines to Building Strength

Strong muscles are important to your health and well-being; without them, daily activities such as carrying groceries and climbing stairs can become quite a task! Lower back pain and injuries also become more likely to occur when we don’t have the support of a strong muscular system. Healthy muscle mass does many things for our bodies including burning extra calories, so those with fit muscles have an easier time maintaining a trim figure. There are many great reasons to incorporate strength training into your fitness program but sometimes it is hard to know where to begin. Let’s talk about the top ten beginner’s guidelines to building strength.


10. Keep it Safe Speak with a doctor before you begin an exercise program, you want to focus on activities that are safe for you. Start your program slowly and gradually increase your intensity as you feel ready.

9. Schedule Your Time You can complete an effective workout in as little as 30 minutes! With

8. Find a Tempo Keep a steady pace and avoid moving with any momentum. Much of your strength is build in the negative portion of the movement where your muscle resists lowering the weight. Try lifting for a count of two and lowering for a count of four.

7. Maintain Good Posture Proper alignment is a foundational component of any program. Always keep a soft bend in the knees and shoulders rolled gently back. Maintain a natural curve through the lower back to avoid excess compression in the lower spine.

6. Warm Up First Begin your routine with a brisk walk or 5-7 minutes on a cardio machine to get your blood flowing and warm up the muscles. Save your stretching until after your workout.

5. Stop if it Hurts Remember your S’s - Sharp, Shooting, or Stabbing pains mean Stop! Learn the difference between pain and sensation, it is natural to feel the burn of a working muscle but a sudden, intense pain is a sure sign to stop and evaluate.

4. Quality over Quantity Never sacrifice your form for one more rep. If you have worked to the point of exhaustion, that is a good time to stop, rest, and repeat if needed. There is no magic number so pushing through bad form for the sake of finishing your 15th rep is not worth a potential injury!

3. Enjoy Variety Mix it up, if you find that you have been dong the same routine three times a week for the last eight months, it is time to mix it up. This goes for those in group classes as well, don’t be afraid to try something new! Making a change in your routine is also an excellent way to get past a plateau.

2. Ask for Help If you are uncertain about what to do, you haven’t been able to be consistent or stay committed, or you are just plain lost don’t be afraid to ask for help. Speak to a gym attendant or a class instructor about your concerns or set up a consultation with a personal trainer. The initial session is generally free and you can get some great direction even from just a few quick sessions.

1. Have Fun! If you don’t look forward to your routine then you need to make a change. There are so many options available when it comes to working out sometimes you have to be adventurous to find what you truly enjoy.


Be creative, beginning an exercise routine takes commitment and determination, but it is never too late to start. The benefits you will find are well worth the efforts, not to mention the camaraderie that you can find and the knowledge that you can gain about yourself and the beautiful machine that is your body.

More Results, Less Time

That is what we want ; more for less.  Unfortunately it doesn't work out that way, in fact the opposite is likely to be true and we end up with less for more.    One of the few times when we can see more for less in in our workouts or our fitness routines. 

So how do you go about getting more for less? First off let me be totally honest - we aren't talking about putting forth less effort.  If you aren't willing to break a sweat then you might as well click back over to Pinterest or Facebook.  If you want to get in, bust your buns working out for 20-30 minutes, get out and start seeing some results that's what I'm talking about!  Lets get you a plan of action! (And of course if you're not already exercising please speak with your physician and/or a professional before beginning any program to ensure that you are in sufficient shape and that you plan safely.)

Step one: Forget your old routine.  All of it, I'm serious. If you're doing the same routine week after week you are eventually going to stop seeing results, not to mention get bored, lose focus, and likely become sloppy with your movements.  You still need to warm up but get creative with that too; take what you usually do...and do something else!

Step two: There are many ways to build your workout so let's take a look at one of my favorites.  Those of you who know me know that I have the attention span of a squirrel so I like to bounce around for short bursts of activity.  My goal is to keep the heart rate up throughout the workout.
Pick out 4-6 complementary exercises for the day, some involving weight or toning work and others simple exercises to increase heart rate.  Machines do not generally work well in this format so stick to bodyweight, calisthenics, plyometrics, etc. Do them slow and easy one time around as the final portion of your warm up, then get moving!

Pump up the Sweat!

Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds and rest only 15-20 between exercises.  Alternate bouts of your 4-6 exercises with a quick sprint on the treadmill or a burst on the rowing machine.  If you don't have access to these machines sprint town the driveway or do some jumping jacks.  Remember, we want to get sweaty and I didn't promise less effort only less time!  After what feels like an hour goes by and you notice it has only been ten minutes don't be upset just move on to the next step.

Step three: Keep going! This is the point where I like to kick up the cardio work so if you're at the gym pick out a gnarly machine like the stairclimber and keep on sweating!  If you're at home take that run from the driveway down the block.  Moderate pace for at lease 5-7 minutes.  This is NOT your cool down!

Step four: Cool down. You've earned it.  Take a stroll and I mean a nice leisurely stroll.  Your breath and your heart rate should level out, drink some more water (you have been drinking water this whole time right?) and maybe finish up with a relaxing sun salutation.

Like I said, there are many ways to rev up your intensity this is just one that I happen to enjoy.  Always be aware of your safety and don't do anything outside of your level without consulting a professional.  Now, get to work!

Fitness Challenge!

Muscular Balance...or Imbalance

The path of least resistance.  If given the chance, this is the path our bodies will lead us down. This could mean anything from not getting off the couch to making a small adjustment in form to allow a stronger muscle to compensate for a weak muscle.  For example, the gluteus maximus is known as the strongest muscle in the body yet we often bypass the glutes and call upon hamstrings or erector spinae for hip extension (back swing of stride) leading eventually to pain in the low back, hips, and knees. Our bodies will always sacrifice posture and movement to maintain integrity

Regardless of whether you work out intentionally or you only get activity through your daily tasks or work this can affect us all.  In a weight training program you want to be conscientious to work all muscles adequately to create balance, and if you don't work out buy go through repetitive motions daily you should consider some exercise to balance your movements out especially if you feel uncomfortable and achy at the end of the day. 

Repetitive motion is repetitive motion regardless of if it is sitting at a desk,running, or doing the same workout day after day. This can lead to pain in the neck and back, bulging discs, shoulder impingement syndrome and more, says Chris Estafanous, a physical therapist with Set Sports Physical Therapy, in Washington. “It starts like little aches and pains and becomes chronic because your brain begins to process an abnormal movement as normal movement, and because the body wants to prevent pain at any cost, it will start compensating.” Another common place of imbalance is through the chest and upper back, either from sitting at your desk or from hunching forward due to being cold. Muscles through the chst become tight and shortened while the backside across the shoulders bcomes stretched and more lax.

How do you address this?
Mobilize, Stabilize, Move, and Strengthen.

Generally speaking, muscle balance is an equality in length and/or strength between opposing muscles groups. As this balance is lost it leads to changes in movement patterns, compensation from other areas, and added stress and pain. Larger muscles that work across multiple joints creating movement tend to shorten, while stabilizing muscles are likely to lengthen.

• First work to increase your range of motion by creating length in tight areas using passive and active stretching, foam rolling, or dynamic movements.
• Build stability across joints, allowing you to move from a safe and supported position.

Physical therapist Bill Hartman gives a simple explanation of these two ideas:
Mobility — The ability to produce a desired movement.
Stability — The ability to resist an undesired movement.

• Evaluate movement patterns to look for an ideal balance of mobility and stabilization, avoiding compensation and poor body alignment.
• Begin a program to intentionally build strength in order to maintain balance. 

 This does not mean that you must run out and begin bodybuilding program but participation in a well rounded exercise routine can help you to address imbalances and alleviate pain and/or increase your general feeling of well being. Enlisting the help of a certified trainer ensures that you approach this journey in a safe and educated manner.  Your trainer can perform a functional movement screen and create a personalized plan of action specific to your needs and goals.