The Fitness Benefits Of A Weight Lifting Workout

If you want to build your muscle mass and create a more defined physique, there is no better form of exercise than weight lifting. However, you do need to combine this with other efforts in order to see results – simply lifting heavier weights each week won’t give you your dream body.

Plan ahead

Bodybuilding requires planning, so don’t dive into an intensive workout without thinking about how you are going to achieve your goals. Firstly, set your goals and then write up a plan as to how you’re going to achieve them – this should be as detailed as you can make it, including exercises and diet. There are plenty of books and online resources to help you do this, as well as fitness coaches or experts who you can seek advice from.

Keep a journal

Keeping a note of your progress is important to help you see how your bodybuilding journey is coming along, as well as providing a great source of motivation for those days when you feel as though you’re not on track. Be honest here and try to keep an accurate, detailed account of your progress – this will help you understand what is working and what isn’t, so that you know what you need to change or adapt in order to reach your goal.

Change up your workout

As well as keeping your exercise regime interesting, mixing up which activities you take part in can also help to keep your body working hard – if you do the same exercise routine throughout your training, your body will become used to it and you’ll stop seeing results. Try to mix cardio training with aerobic exercises once or twice a week, as well as your regular weight lifting exercises.

Be sure to separate weight lifting and cardio

Don’t do cardio and weightlifting on the same day – by doing these exercises on different days, you can help to make your workout more effective. If you must do them on the same day, opt for an aerobic exercise which will help to emphasize the areas of the body you are working on in the weightlifting exercise. Do the weights first so that you give your body the most energy to lift – if you leave them until last, you risk an injury from not having enough energy to work out safely. Likewise, don’t perform intensive cardio exercises – this will only harm your body by causing micro trauma in the muscle tissue. The body has enough to contend with, so giving it extra work won’t be beneficial to achieving your goals. There are easy ways to do this, such as cycling, swimming or using an elliptical training machine.