🏋🏼♀️Start Small: You don’t become CEO on day one of a new job, right? You start with the small stuff, the grunt work, and build your way up from there. Strength training is similar. When we are new, it’s more important to learn correct technique with a lighter weight. In the first 4-8 weeks of strength training, our greatest adaptations are neural! That’s the brain’s ability to recruit muscle fibres to contract and perform the movement required. If you’re brand new, resistance bands and light dumbbells are a great place to start. Master the basics before you get into the sexy stuff.
🏋🏼♀️Get help (if you need): We don’t google how to re-wire our house, we hire an electrician. So why don’t we apply that same rule to our health? There’s a lot to be said for hiring an educated and certified coach. If you are looking for one, don’t be afraid to ask someone what their certifications are before handing over your hard earned cash💰
🏋🏼♀️Warm up properly: This should be a no-brainer; but it’s easy to rush the warm up, or neglect it all together when we’re short on time or just excited to get going! Your lifts will feel SO much better with an appropriate warm up, trust me 😉
🏋🏼♀️Get mobile: This somewhat goes hand in hand with a warm up, as mobility exercises are often included in a good warm up! Range of motion is an asset for improving your technique and preventing injury.
🏋🏼♀️Be patient: Remember how I said the gains in first 4-8 weeks are mostly neural? Ya. You can’t see that happening 🤷🏼♀️ So don’t worry if you’re not seeing any physical changes right away, be patient, and consistent, and they will come 💪🏼
What’s the best tip you’ve ever been given for starting strength training?