For all the changes to fitness in recent years, one thing remains constant: You have to move against more than air if you want to get your body to grow. And any exercise movement that places you against a resistive force is considered resistance training.
Such training is the key to foundation of modern fitness, and the key to building the body you want. Resistance training works because youre challenging your muscles and tendons in ways that you couldnt do with, say, a four-mile walk or light pedaling on a stationary bike. And if you overload your muscles correctly, they generally respond by growing - in size and strength - to face new challenges.
Resistance training is a fundamental piece of your muscle-building journey. Not sure where to start with it? Weve got you covered in this resistance training primer.
Are weights the only form of resistance training?
No. Essentially, any exercise in which you muscles must a resistive force is considered resistance training. When your muscles face a resistive force, they must produce greater force than normal in order to create some sort of movement (or, in some cases, to stop movement). Thats resistance training.
Barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells are obvious examples of such resistive forces, but theyre not your only options. Bodyweight resistance training is also common-and can offer considerable challenge. Moves like pushups, squats, and pullups are all examples of bodyweight resistance training, and theyre packed with challenge, too.
There are options beyond bodyweight and barbells, too. Keiser resistance machines, which are driven by pneumatic resistance, are increasingly popular among major sports teams, offering smooth, continuous resistance. Resistance bands are also popular options. Even water can offer resistance, especially if you use tools to magnify its power; Life Time Fitness and Speedo partnered to create a WTRX class that challenges your muscles in the pool.
Other examples of resistance training include sled pushing, row- and ski-ergs (which offer variable resistance) and parachute- or partner-resisted running drills.
What about isometrics?
Isometrics are a somewhat overlooked and forgotten method of resistance training. In most muscle contractions, such as a biceps curl, the target muscle changes length. Your biceps contracts to shorten as you lift the dumbbell, then lengthens as you lower it.
In an isometric, your muscle creates force, but it does not change length - or move at all. Picture yourself pushing against a wall. The wall wont move, but if you push incredibly hard, you can still create force with your muscles. And the wall does actually present a resistive force, inertia, which can provide challenge. Dont build your entire strength training program around isometrics, but if youre dealing with injury, they can offer training benefit; studies have shown that you can gain strength with isometric training (although that strength may not always translate over the full range of motion).
Is resistance training the only way to build muscle?
No. Quick physics lesson: Force = mass times acceleration.
Your goal in training is to challenge your muscles to produce force, because thats what makes them grow. Facing a resistive force, or a mass that your muscles must accelerate, makes it easier for your muscles to produce force. But your muscles can also produce force with lighter mass (or no mass at all, too).
Sprinters, for example, ask their legs to produce massive amounts of force so that they can accelerate forward at great speeds. And you won't find a sprinter without wildly muscular legs.
Whats the best kind of resistance training for building muscle?
Weights and bodyweight. Dumbbells and kettlebells let you train the body through a variety of ranges of motion, and in a variety of movements with very little setup. Theyre also joint-friendly, so theyre an ideal starting point for any resistance-training program.
You can also get a lot done with bodyweight, and managing bodyweight is a valuable tool for overall fitness. All the dumbbell curls in the world wont help your total body strength or total body fitness if you cant do a pushup or squat or hold a plank for 30 seconds.
How often should you resistance train?
Its generally assumed that more resistance training is better, so your instinct may be to hit the gym and lift weights 7 days a week. But thats not always necessary-or the best way. According to Mens Health Advisor Brad Schoenfeld, Ph.D., C.S.C.S., training frequency is overrated; you can build muscle training three days a week or six .
How many reps and sets should I be doing?
If youre aiming to build muscle, youll want to do 3 or 4 sets of every exercise, and stay in the 8-to-12-rep range, which research has shown is the best range for packing on muscle. This is also a good rep range for fitness beginners, because it gives you a chance to learn each exercise and get consistent with the motions.
Start with light-to-medium weights at first, so you can learn each movement and start learning to contract your muscles correctly. You can go heavier down the road.
What are the best resistance training exercises for muscle-building?
Aim for multi-joint motions, like bench presses, rows, squats, and deadlifts. These moves hit multiple muscles at once, which is how your body works in real life. You can also generally move more weight on these exercises than you can on more single-joint motions like biceps curls and lateral raises.
And facing more resistance will help your body grow in size and strength. Very often, multi-joint motions will also insure that your core, from abs through glutes, is active in the motion as well.
Facing more resistance and challenging multiple muscle groups has one more virtue too: Itll rev up your metabolism more than single-joint moves, leading to greater calorie burn and fat loss.
Sprinkle in isolation techniques, like concentration curls and triceps extensions, near the end of your workouts.
Your Starter Workout
So what should a resistance training workout look like? Heres a three-days-a-week all-dumbbells beginner routine that can get you started on the road to major muscle.
Directions: Do this workout three days a week, resting one day in between workouts. Do only as much weight as you can while maintaining good form and staying in the target rep range. On days when you dont resistance train, aim to stay active in other ways, going for a walk, taking a run, or playing rec sports like basketball and flag football.
Dumbbell Bent-Over Row