Getting the Most From Strength Training

You're in for a surprise if you think those weight machines at the health club are just for bodybuilders.

"Almost everyone can benefit from strength training," says Thomas R. Baechle, Ed.D., C.S.C.S., chair of the department of exercise science at Creighton University in Omaha, Neb., and co-author of several books on strength training, including Weight Training: Steps to Success .

"When your muscles are strong and well-toned, your body has more horsepower and you can do more work with less effort," Dr. Baechle says. "You will also burn more calories because you have more muscle mass."

Strength training may help prevent or slow osteoporosis, which strikes many women after menopause. It also shapes the body faster than aerobic exercise because it isolates specific muscle groups. "You'll feel better all over, very quickly. In just five minutes, your muscles will feel different -- and good," Dr. Baechle says.

Weight machines build strength by allowing muscle groups to work against resistance. The muscles respond by producing protein, which expands and strengthens them.

Keep the resistance moderate to build strength and endurance, rather than bulging muscles. Bodybuilding is different from strength training and requires special skills.

To exercise a muscle group, set the machine's resistance at a level that will permit you to do a set of 12 to 15 repetitions with effort but without feeling pain.

Meet your machine

Barbells and other free weights can be used in strength training, but resistance machines are considered safer.

Machines can easily be set to provide an exact amount of resistance. They work one set of muscles at a time and guide you through the full range of motion for each muscle contraction. Some machines work one specific muscle group; others, called multi-station machines, allow you to work 10 to l5 different muscles.

Starting out

Take it easy at the beginning. "Start out with light resistance so you can concentrate on form and technique," Dr. Baechle says. "Use a book or video or get help from an instructor."

Build up to two or three sets for each major muscle group: chest, shoulders, arms, back, stomach, thighs and calves. Workouts should take about 20 minutes at first, but you can gradually increase the time as you build strength.

Do it right

Dr. Baechle recommends these additional training tips:

• Always warm up with a light exercise similar to the ones you’ll be doing.

• Be sure a machine is adjusted correctly to prevent fatigue, pain and injury.

• Be sure the keys used to set the weight level are firmly in place.

• Work at a slow, controlled pace and complete the entire range of motion for each exercise. Movements should take a second or two in each direction.

• Exhale whenever movement phases are difficult; inhale during less intense phases.

• When doing multiple sets to work a specific muscle group, rest a minute between each set to let muscles recover. You can work a, different muscle group without pausing.

• Be consistent. Stick to the same exercises during each workout and do them in the same order. Keep the same routine for at least two months to give muscles time to adapt.

• Keep a workout record to help you stay motivated. "You'll be amazed at how much strength you'll develop in a short period," Dr. Baechle explains.