Strength Training (BUILD)
Lesson One: The Basics of Strength Training
In Lesson One of Move we will be delving into the foundations of Strength Training and Core Strength. Strength or Resistance Training is crucial for developing lean muscle mass, improving metabolic rate, building strength and improving movement patterns. Strength is also important for confidence, resilience to stress and developing a character that is about pushing through obstacles rather than avoiding them. In the Be Powerful Program we call Strength Training sessions “Build” sessions.
Strength exercises are exercises done for predetermined sets and reps.
REP
A repetition is one concentric (raising) and eccentric (lowering) phase of an exercise. The number of reps is important because they have different stimulus on the muscle. Lower rep ranges (1-8) are usually completed for strength athletes such as powerlifters or Olympic lifters, whereas slightly higher (8-12 reps) is usually the most common for muscle development and hypertrophy (size) and fatigue. Any higher (12+) is mainly for muscular endurance. Although there is and overlap and you will gain strength and muscle definition with most rep ranges, we like to abide by the rule of maximum return for effort. SO if you can get just as great results putting your intensity into fewer reps, rather than more reps and losing intensity, that is preferable.
SET
A set is a completed set of repetitions completed in conjunction. Sets add up to overall volume.
CORE STRENGTH
Before we begin training or lifting weights we must be aware of our posture and particularly our core strength. If we are able to stabilise our core, stack our spine correctly and engage the correct muscles, we will be able to train safely and get the most out of our exercises. Without core strength, you are more likely to get injured, and will not be as powerful and efficient in your training.
NEUTRAL SPINE
Neutral spine is the natural curve of your spine that bears weight the safest and evenly distributes load. This position is the best for your core to stabilize your body. This involves a neutral pelvis that is balanced under your ribcage, with your deep core muscles engaged. Your shoulder blades should be back and down and eyes ahead with head balanced over your ribcage. Practicing neutral spine is important to be able to pressurize your abdomen correctly and keep you safe in exercise, and also means you will alleviate aches and pains from poor posture. I use neutral spine as "Cue Zero" before you start any exercise. To initiate neutral spine I think:
Tuck hips
Draw Belly in 20% and Keep Ribs Down
Keep Shoulders Back and Down
THE CYLINDER OF THE CORE
In neutral spine we also aim to maintain a "cylinder" of the core. This has a "lid" of the diaphragm under the ribcage, a "bottom" of the pelvic floor in the bowl of the pelvis and the "walls" of our deep abdominal muscle transverse abdominis and our multifidi at the back. They all act together to stablise and prepare for movement. Maintaining neutral spine and evenly engaging the muscles of your cylinder when you breathe and move is very important for stability. Also be aware that other smaller muscle groups are also used in stabilising the core. These include the abdominals, glute medius, multifidi and smaller muscles of the back, and we will include exercises at the end of our Build sessions to help strengthen these muscles too.
BREATHING
We want to breathe into our diaphragm and ribcage as much as we can and avoid breathing shallowly up into our neck and upper chest. Focus on breathing deep into the belly first, then expanding the ribcage out from all sides then exhaling completely. When we train, we do actually want to pressurise and brace our core in heavier lifts. In those situations you will want to take a big bracing breath and hold into the abdomen before you lower into the movement and exhale sharply on the last part of the lift. Holding the breath at other times is dysfunctional and causes everything from increased stress to tight muscles and low energy! The breath is the foundation to our health and if often taken for granted!
CORE PRONE
Core exercises on your front (prone), you must start with neutral spine. Tuck your hips, draw your belly in and ribcage down and set your shoulders back and down. Whether you are on your forearms or hands, knees or toes, doing a plank, mountain climber or commando.
CORE SUPINE
Core on your back (supine), you still have to attain neutral spine and engage your core. Start on your back with hips tucked and rib cage down. Visualise the cylinder of your core and keeping engagement through your transverse abdominis muscle that wraps around. Then you can go into the movement, whether it be deadbugs, cycles, jack-knifes or any other supine core.
THE BIG FUNCTIONAL MOVEMENT PATTERNS
The body is designed to move. In particular the body moves in these planes. For simplicity’s sake, these are the best exercises to start with as they build the foundations of a functional movement pattern and help to re-pattern natural movements that our modern lifestyles do not do
LOWER BODY
Squat
The squat is a movement that involves both the knee and hip bending simultaneously, whilst maintaining neutral spine to produce a “sitting” movement. It is a movement that uses primarily the quads and glutes, but also the calves and hamstrings and many stabiliser muscles in the body because it is a compound movement.
Lunge
The Lunge movement is very similar to the squat movement in that it involves both the knee and hip bending simultaneously however the lunge is completed in a split stance and is often dynamic.
Hip Hinge
The Hip Hinge is a movement that uses a “hinging” action at the hips. This means that the spine stays neutral as the hip joint closes, the hips shift back and the torso tips down. The knees do not bend very much and the exercise primarily uses the glutes and hamstrings as well as many stabiliser muscles in the body because it is a compound movement. Exercises that involve a hip hinge include deadlifts and hip thrusts.
Deadlift
Hip Thrust
UPPER
Horizontal Press
The horizontal press is a movement that involves pushing a resistance away from you in a horizontal plane. This exercise primarily strengthens the chest and triceps. This includes bench press, chest press and pushups.
Horizontal Pull
The horizontal pull is a movement that involves pulling a resistance towards you in a horizontal plane. This exercise primarily strengthens the mid-back muscles. This includes rowing movements.
Vertical Press
The vertical press is a movement that involves pushing a resistance away from you in a vertical plane. This exercise primarily strengthens the shoulders. This includes shoulder press and overhead press.
Vertical Pull
The vertical pull is a movement that involves pulling a resistance towards you in a vertical plane. This exercise primarily strengthens the lats. This includes lat pulldowns and pullups.
TRACKING
It is important to track your results to see the change in your strength over time and make sure you are practicing progressive overload. The Be Powherful Program comes with a hard copy Journal, or you can download the pages from your dashboard.
EXERCISE ENCYCLOPEDIA
For more detailed descriptions on each exercise, see the Exercise Encyclopedia.