Today we are going to talk about resistance exercises. They are called this way because, precisely, the objective of them is to be able to increase the resistance capacity of our body, gradually, either simply to improve our general state of health, or with the aim of increasing resistance to perform a specific sport.
We must perform this type of exercise gradually, without overdemanding our body, to avoid injuries. In any type of training, it is important to respect the limits that mark our breathing or muscles. Rome was not built overnight. Endurance is increasing as long as we are consistent in whatever activity we choose to improve our endurance.
Choosing what types of exercises to do will depend on our age, our general health and our work goals: whether I simply want to improve my cardiorespiratory fitness or strengthen muscles specifically, or some of them combined. Whatever your case, it is always advisable to consult your family doctor regarding what type of activity is convenient considering your current physical condition.
What do you need for Resistance Exercises – Do Resistance Exercises?
- Energy and desire to improve every day.
- Constancy in practice.
- Between 40 minutes and 1 hour of your minimum time, at least three times a week.
- A space that is to your liking to train: the backyard, the living room, a park, etc.
- Stay hydrated before, during and after training: drinking plenty of water is essential to have an optimal state of health and avoid dehydration while exercising.
- Healthy eating: fruits, vegetables, foods rich in fiber and protein, are the main ingredients to keep fit and help in your training.
- Appropriate clothing.
Instructions for Resistance Exercises – Doing Resistance Exercises
- Organize your schedules so that you can dedicate at least 40 minutes of your day to resistance exercises.
- Choose a place that you like where you can do the practice, it depends of course on the type of activity you choose. We will talk about them below.
- Warm up a little before starting to avoid injury.
- Don’t rush. You must be patient and do things calmly. Over-demanding our body is sometimes counterproductive. Resistance exercises require increasing the intensity or time of exercise little by little.
- Always carry water with you when training.
- Consistency: To see results, the only way is for you to keep performing the exercises as often as required to be effective. Starting twice a week if you’re not fit or older is wise. You can add a day the following week. Three days a week is enough; If you have the time and energy to train daily after you’ve gained stamina, nothing beat!
- Wear comfortable and appropriate clothing: avoid clothes that limit your movements or do not allow your body to breathe. There is some sportswear that fulfills the function of absorbing sweat, if it is within your reach it is recommended. We also suggest you take clothes with you to change at the end of the exercises.
- Choose footwear well: this is of utmost importance. Bad shoes when doing resistance exercises can cause injuries.
Some types of resistance exercises
- To begin with, the simplest and most known: walking or jogging (running): they are the easiest resistance exercises to carry out and no less effective. Recommended mainly for those who have some limitation for other types of activities or older people. This is an enjoyable exercise, as it allows you to be outdoors. Choose a nice park or some area of your city where you feel good. You can carry your phone with music and use your headphones to accompany your exercises. Something important to consider in this training in particular, is that the rhythm with which we do it is very important: it has to be intense and constant. If you’re just starting out, it may be important to start walking at a considerable pace and without stopping for at least half an hour. If you feel capable or already have experience, you can opt for jogging. As with walking, it’s important to keep a steady pace and sustain it for at least half an hour. If you feel it’s too much you can slow down before, of course. Next time you can spend more time doing the exercise without having to stop.
- Another alternative is to ride a bike: whether you spin in your gym, use a stationary bike at home or go for a bike ride in your neighborhood, keep in mind that you must do it at a speed that allows you to work your physical endurance. The intensity in this exercise is key. Breathe properly while exercising and try to keep up. You can do it in series, for example two sets of 15 minutes, lowering the intensity in the middle to recover strength. Or do three sets of 10 minutes. Each day you can increase the number of sets or the intensity with which you do the exercise. Both options are valid to increase your resistance.
- Swimming: it is a recommended option in people with obesity or a respiratory problem. This exercise is very useful for increasing our physical endurance. The muscles of our body work more intensely in the water, so you will burn fat more easily. With prolonged practice you will notice great benefits: circulatory, muscular and joint. If you have any postural problem also swimming will be very effective to maintain the balance of your spine, avoiding discomfort and pain. It is a very pleasant activity, so it will be pleasant to do. You can enjoy while improving your physical endurance and your quality of life.
- Stairs: if you have stairs at home or somewhere like a stadium or park with scales near home, take the opportunity to try this fun resistance exercise: it is about jogging or at an intense pace of walking, all the stairs, from bottom to top and back down. You will mainly work your legs, but your whole body will be favored. Maintain intensity and set goals. If you do not manage to reach the end the first time, increase, each time you exercise, the number of stairs you manage to climb and/or descend. You can do series too. Going up and down once, taking a moment to catch your breath and doing another series of ascent and descent.
- Weights: whether it is dumbbells or weights, this is a widely used and very effective resistance exercise. Be careful, you may require the guidance of a trainer to be able to properly perform this type of work. You can incorporate the weights to other exercises such as running or jogging, to get the body to work with an extra weight, and thus add resistance. Or you can dedicate yourself to working specifically on weightlifting, also gradually, according to the levels of resistance that you acquire over time.
- Circuit: in this type of activity, you will combine different exercises that will help you improve the resistance of your aerobic, cardiac and muscular part. The types of exercises used are varied: small jogging, combined with squats, sit-ups, weight lifting, jumping, step, push-ups, etc. Repetitions of the circuit are performed and you can increase the intensity of them as you advance in your training.
Resistance Exercise Tips – Doing Resistance Exercises
- Remember to consult your doctor about what type of resistance exercise is appropriate for your overall health.
- Set goals: These exercises are based on a progressive improvement of our general endurance status. The goals in life serve to encourage us to go further, and the fact of achieving those objectives is something that fills us with satisfaction. Use this technique in your training: set goals according to your ability and overcome them, you will see how rewarding such a task is.
- Maintain a training rhythm: if you do not have the strength on the day you have assigned to perform the exercises, at least go out for a short walk at a good pace, to keep the muscles and the rest of your body in shape.
- Eat well: no workout will be useful if you do not take care of your diet. Eat protein, fiber, fruits, and vegetables. Avoid junk food, fried foods and soda.
Finally, trust yourself and your ability to overcome. Training to improve your endurance is a good way to realize the ability to overcome that we possess in our lives in general. It only requires perseverance and tenacity in what we undertake. Go ahead!
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