Strength training is the use of retention to muscular contraction to build the strength, endurance and size of skeletal muscles. It has a number of benefits for individuals such as prevention of injury, increased bone density, weight loss, muscle gains and better sports performance. The key to developing strength for maximum benefits lies in selecting the right strength training equipment and using it to the fullest. The type of equipment, its quality and durability plays a vital role in enhancing your workouts resulting in optimal gains.
Factors to be considered while purchasing equipment:
If you are looking to purchase equipment for your home gym, you must consider the following factors:
Space: This is one of the most important factors that must to be taken into consideration before making the final purchase. You must decide where you plan to work out — the basement, garage, balcony, bedroom etc. This will give you an idea of the space that you have at hand and enable you to plan your purchase accordingly.
Budget: Most exercise equipments are very expensive. Therefore, you must fix your budget accordingly and try to keep within the range. This will also prevent you form getting carried away with striking pieces of exercise equipment that is good to look at but is otherwise useless.
Information: If you have planned to invest in good home equipment, you must understand that it will cost you a fortune. Most exercise machines are very expensive and are a one time investment. Thus, you must settle in for machines that enable you to perform maximum exercises. You must gather adequate information on various types of equipment through the internet, website forums, blogs, discussion boards, magazines, sports goods stores and professionals. You must also compare the benefits and prices of various brands before buying any equipment.
Garage sales: If you have an extremely low budget, you can look out for garage sales where people sell good quality exercise equipment. A number of individuals tend to get easily bored with their workout routines and put up the latest quality equipment for sale.
Goals: It is extremely important for you to consider your goals while purchasing any equipment. You must not forget to include all major muscle groups including the calves, shoulders, abdominals, back, legs, thighs etc. and go in for a machine that offers maximum potential to train them.
Types of strength training equipment:
A select Home gym: This is one of the safest buys for any home gym. It is also one of the best ways to train and offers a variety of exercises. It includes:
Adjustable weight stack
Highly adjustable lifting positions for a number of user sizes and shapes.
Accessories to increase the number of exercise one can perform.
Barbells: They are long iron bars measuring between 4 to 7 feet in length on which weight plates are placed. You can find Olympic barbells, and standard barbells.
Plates: They range from 2.5 lbs to 100 lbs. and are usually made of iron. Plastic weight plates are also available.
Dumbbells: There are various types of dumbbells to select from such as hex style dumbbells and pro style dumbbells. They are short barbells usually, 5 to 10 inches long. Dumbbell exercises are performed by carrying them in each hand.
Fitness Balls: They develop strength by extending resistance and increasing the core strength of the muscles. They are also known as Swiss balls, flexibility balls or stability balls and are large, inflated balls that are used for exercise.
Weight Benches: They are the most commonly available piece of equipment. They are of three types— adjustable benches, hyper extension benches, preacher benches, abdominal benches etc.
What to look for in good strength training equipment:
Stability: This means that the more welds, the better the strength and stability. This causes the machine to wobble less while working out and is durable for the long term.
Cables and Pulleys: Look out for nylon pulleys and test cable of at least 1500lbs. This will hold up to the use of the most rigorous workouts for long durations.
Accessories & Attachments: These include padded ankle straps, abdominal straps, straight bars for working the arms and racks.
Over exercising:
Once you have bought the ideal strength training equipment, you will be eager to exercise but it is recommended that you refrain from indulging in over exercising as it tends to put immense strain on the muscles and exhausts them. Exercising tired muscles can result in an injury or permanent damage of a specific muscle group.
Before performing any exercises, you must consult a registered medical practitioner in order to determine if your body is capable of handling the stress or not. You must take proper guidance from a certified trainer prior to beginning any exercises on your own to avoid any injuries.
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