Strength training
[1] Training works by progressively increasing the force output of the muscles and uses a variety of exercises and types of equipment.
[7] Weight trainers often spend time warming up before starting a workout, a practice strongly recommended by the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA).
A warm-up may include cardiovascular activity such as light stationary biking (a "pulse raiser"), flexibility and joint mobility exercises, static and/or dynamic stretching, "passive warm up" such as applying heat pads or taking a hot shower, and workout-specific warm-up,[8] such as rehearsal of the intended exercise with no weights or light weights.
[9] Dynamic warm-ups (performed with greater than 20% of maximal effort) enhance strength and power in upper-body exercises.
[14] On the other hand, for people working with extremely heavy loads (such as powerlifters), breathing à la the Valsalva maneuver is often used.
[15] However, as the Valsalva maneuver increases blood pressure, lowers heart rate, and restricts breathing, it can be a dangerous method for those with hypertension or for those who faint easily.
Research has not yet isolated the effects of concentric and eccentric durations, or tested a wide variety of exercises and populations.
There may be a fatigue recovery effect in which spreading the same amount of training over multiple days boosts gains, but this has to be confirmed by future studies.
[31] Similarly, holding training volume constant but performing upper–lower body supersets and tri-sets reduce elapsed time but increased perceived exertion rate.
However, to maximize progress to specific goals, individual programs may require different manipulations, such as decreasing the intensity and increasing volume.
Except in the extremes, a muscle will fire fibres of both the aerobic or anaerobic types on any given exercise, in varying ratio depending on the load on the intensity of the contraction.
Because the anaerobic muscle fibre uses its fuel faster than the blood and intracellular restorative cycles can resupply it, the maximum number of repetitions is limited.
[49] In the aerobic regime, the blood and intracellular processes can maintain a supply of fuel and oxygen, and continual repetition of the motion will not cause the muscle to fail.
Regular endurance exercise leads to adaptations in skeletal muscle which can prevent lactate levels from rising during strength training.
[52] A light, balanced meal prior to the workout (usually one to two hours beforehand) ensures that adequate energy and amino acids are available for the intense bout of exercise.
[59] The increase in mean power output was attributed to creatine's ability to counteract the lack of intramuscular phosphocreatine.
[65]: 153 The urine of well-hydrated persons should be nearly colorless, while an intense yellow color is normally a sign of insufficient hydration.
[67][68] Progressive resistance training may improve function, quality of life and reduce pain in people at risk of fracture, with rare adverse effects.
[70] For many people in rehabilitation or with an acquired disability, such as following stroke or orthopaedic surgery, strength training for weak muscles is a key factor to optimise recovery.
[83] Although resistance training has been less studied for its effect on depression than aerobic exercise, it has shown benefits compared to no intervention.
[86] Strength training can substantially prevent sports injuries,[87] increase jump height and improve change of direction.
By limiting range of motion, lifters can target a specific joint angle in order to improve their sticking points by training their neural drive.
[90] By staying active and following a resistance training program, older adults can maintain their movement, stability, balance, and independence.
The genealogy of lifting can be traced back to the beginning of recorded history[91] where humanity's fascination with physical abilities can be found among numerous ancient writings.
Another Greek, the physician Galen, described strength training exercises using the halteres (an early form of dumbbell) in the 2nd century.
[97] Orthopaedic specialists used to recommend that children avoid weight training because the growth plates on their bones might be at risk.
[101] Another study saw results that suggest that both high-load, low-repetition and moderate-load, high-repetition resistance training can be prescribed to improve muscular fitness in untrained adolescents, as well as the jump height had also increased.
As a result, supervision of minors is considered vital to ensuring the safety of any youth engaging in strength training.
[106] Resistance training can improve physical functioning in older people, including the performance of activities of daily living.
[106][104] Resistance training programs are safe for older adults, can be adapted for mobility and disability limitations, and may be used in assisted living settings.
