The gym is one effective fat burner that is very beneficial for shedding unwanted weight, as well as building muscle mass. The gym in combination with a weight-loss diet can be very fruitful, but it is worth preparing for it first. How to do this … in the following text.
Strength training and its impact
Gyms have been one of the trendiest places lately, with more and more people heading to them. However, this is not surprising, as a well-executed workout has a very good effect on our body and our mind.
This is because the right number of repetitions and the right load have a significant effect on significantly improving muscle structure and strength through a systematic increase in the strength and endurance of muscle tissue. In turn, strong muscles allow you to maintain correct posture, which has a positive effect on your appearance. Strength training is also a sensational solution for those who would like to lose weight. This is because weight training leads to an increase in muscle tissue, which needs quite a lot of energy to be able to function properly. As a result, the metabolism increases. Regular strength training is like a natural fat burner, so in weight loss it will translate into a noticeable loss of centimetres in circumference. Muscle will start to appear in place of fat, which is an extremely beneficial replacement.
It is also worth remembering that strength training not only acts as a slimming patch and has a positive effect on the strength and endurance of our muscles, but regular weight-bearing exercise also improves the strength of bones, joints and ligaments. By gradually increasing the load, the ligaments strengthen while becoming more flexible. As a result, the entire musculoskeletal system starts to function better.
In addition, strength training strengthens the heart and normalises blood pressure. Weight training improves the condition of the heart muscle. In practice, this means that people who do weight training are less likely to suffer from heart attacks, ischaemic heart disease, atherosclerosis, etc. For this reason alone, it is worth considering regular visits to the gym. And how does strength training affect blood pressure? When performed regularly, strength training definitely improves blood flow. In addition, the elasticity of the blood vessels increases. As a result, the risk of developing high blood pressure, which, incidentally, is often conditioned by a lack of physical activity and obesity, is reduced.
Rules … how to prepare
Strength training can be the answer to ‘how to lose weight fast’ and also build muscle mass. However, it is worth preparing for strength training. Therefore, when buying your first cardio pass, it is worth keeping the following rules in mind first:
- Define your objective
First of all, it is important to determine your training goal, as this will allow you to establish a suitable plan of action. Hence, it is worth remembering that when building muscle mass, a sufficiently high number of kilocalories should be consumed. Conversely, when working on weight reduction, the calorie balance must be negative. It is therefore very important that the goal we set ourselves is realistic and achievable.
- Plan the intensity
We should also remember that it is a good idea to gradually increase the intensity of your training in order to safely beat the path to your goal, and not to throw yourself into the deep end straight away. It is best to seek the advice of specialists who will suggest how to reach your goal in a safe way. Functional tests will allow you to detect your weakest points, and eliminating all kinds of movement dysfunctions will significantly speed up the effectiveness of your training.
- A weight loss diet is essential
A balanced diet is the answer to the question “how to lose 10 kilos” and one of the key factors in changing your figure. Without it, we will not achieve a satisfactory effect, even if we catalyse ourselves with intensive workouts at the gym. First of all, you need to change your eating habits and establish an appropriate calorie balance adapted to your goal. The diet must include both macronutrients and micronutrients. It is important that it does not lack wholesome protein, carbohydrates and, of course, healthy fats. All macronutrients must be chosen in the right proportions.
- Individual plan
When working on your training plan, you need to take into account your body type, structural characteristics of your joints and ligaments, age, height, weight, training level, medical conditions and develop an individual training plan. In order to assess whether a plan is working, a certain period of time must pass, so you should not expect results after the first few weeks of exercise. Only after a longer period of regular training can you assess whether a plan is effective.
- Range and intensity of movements
The range of movement should be full, maximum. The greater it is, the more work the muscles have to do, which will translate into muscle development as well as increased fitness. A beginner, if there are no contraindications, should not perform exercises with an incomplete range of movement. Such exercises can cause contractures, which in turn can lead to reduced joint mobility and, consequently, injury. If we want to achieve results when training with weights, we must avoid performing rapid movements, which can lead to injury if not controlled.
- Choice of equipment
More often than not, beginners face a dilemma when they arrive at the gym: train on machines or with free weights? There is indeed a difference between these two types of training. The best choice is to work with free weights and your own body weight. In professional bodybuilding, training machines are very important, allowing you to maximally isolate the relevant muscle groups, but without free weights it is impossible to increase muscle mass. They are base exercises, i.e. multi-joint exercises that engage more muscles and develop them to the maximum. Machine exercises can only be an adjunct to free weight exercises.
The gym can be the place where our phase of shedding unwanted weight begins. It can act as a slimming patch or an engine to build our muscles. All of this is possible, provided we approach it head on and with caution. Hence, before going for strength training, it is worth reading and remembering the above rules.
