The current coronavirus crisis changed many everyday habits. Many people decided to try something new or they finally have time to exercise more and to lose weight or gain muscles. Cardio exercises are an essential part of every fitness routine, but you also need to include weightlifting so you can improve your muscles and their endurance and to strengthen the joints.
The good thing about lifting weights is that the muscle groups stay active and your body gets stronger even 24-36 hours after the exercising when you rest. Cardio exercises will help you burn a lot of calories, but that happens only while you exercise. Weightlifting exercises have after-effects, and that is why you need to combine these types, so you can get the body you want, even when you work out at home during the lockdowns due to the COVID-19 situation.
Here are a few tips on how to start weightlifting exercises if you are a beginner:
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Use your bodyweight first
At the very beginning, you have to learn to work out with your own weight, especially if you’ve never exercised before. They are effective for body strengthening. Start with squats, push-ups, planks and their variations. You can follow some YouTube channel so you can see the instructions. A few days later you can include dumbbells or resistance band so you can see if you are ready to add more weight, or you need to continue with your equipment-free exercising.
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How many times per week do I need to exercise?
Two days a week is enough for beginners. You need to train your body. Don’t go straight to four or five days because it may seem that you are ready, but your body isn’t and that may shock you. Start with 20-30 minutes exercising sessions, and add 10 minutes every few weeks. After a month or two, you will be ready to add a third day to your routine.
Keep using your bodyweight a few months in a row, before you are fully ready to add some dumbbells or kettlebells and to increase the resistance. After three months of a three-times-a-week routine, you can expect that you will have one hour sessions per day. Don’t skip the cardio and aerobic exercises, so you can reach your weight loss goal for a shorter period.
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Warm-up your body
The warm-up exercises are a must. You need to include them in your pre-workout routine, so your muscles are prepared for the weightlifting session. The warming-up is important so you can reduce the risk of injuries and joint swelling. When your body is warm, you can push harder during the exercising process and see better results in a short time.
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Do I need supplements for muscle gain?
Many people are asking if they actually need supplements in their diet while exercising. But, no matter what your final goal is, the supplement will make your nutrition plan even better for your general health.
You can choose between a lot of supplements on suplementosmaisbaratos.com, depending on your goal (weight loss, fat burn, muscle gain or strength gain). But, you don’t need to include them at the very beginning. Keep in mind that the supplements work only if you have a proper nutrition plan together with your exercising sessions.
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Repetitions are important
You will see no effect if you don’t repeat the lifting in series. You need to repeat the movement 8 to 12 times per set. Don’t force yourself at the beginning, but don’t forget to put more effort, so you can see the results. With every next session, your body will get stronger, and you can increase the number of repetitions, but also the weight you lift.
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Which exercises to choose?
To get a full-body workout, you need to combine a few exercises that target different muscles and muscle groups in your body. For the chests, pushups are the best, but you can also try bench press and dumbbell press and see what fits you. To target the back, you will need pull-ups and pulldowns. The pushups and planks also target your arms and shoulders, but you also need to try overhead press and deltoid flies.
As you expect, the best exercises for your legs are squats and lunges, that you can perform using a resistance band. Crunches will help you get the abs you want and after a few weeks, you need to practice more side planks. As you exercise, your body will be getting stronger. Don’t experiment by yourself so you can avoid injuries and always have a fitness instructor on hold, even when you need to work out at home.
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Create a habit
Once you include the workout sessions in your everyday life, you will see that they are an important part of your healthy living routine. In the ideal conditions, you will need to visit the gym three times a week so you can have a full-body workout. But, in a time of global crisis, when we actually need to stay home so we can save the world, the exercising habit will help you to stay healthy and stress-free. After the coronavirus pandemic ends, you can hit the gym and continue with your exercising routine.
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Home dumbbells alternatives
Let’s be real, while at home, you can’t use anything close to the gym exercising. But, everyone has dumbbells alternatives at home, such as milk jugs, canned food or plastic water bottles. You only need to get creative and see what you have at home that can add more weight to your routine.
Weightlifting beginners need to know their limits, so they can avoid overdoing it. You need to have an initial goal and stay focused on it. Don’t start with too much weight, but increase it as you get stronger. Never work for the same muscle group a few times in a row, because you need to target the whole body during the session.
You shouldn’t overwork one area, even if you feel that you need to. Don’t forget the legs, because many people miss these exercises, often on purpose, thinking that they are easier to work. During the whole session you need to keep a proper posture, and the best results come together with a proper nutrition plan that may include supplements too.
