Does strength training help you lose weight? Strength training program for weight loss

Benefits of Strength Training for Weight Loss

The goals of a person losing weight are to reduce their size and increase the attractiveness of their figure.
To do this, he most often resorts to long-term aerobic exercise, such as running, cycling or swimming. Fear of strength training among those wishing to lose weight is primarily associated with an increase in muscle mass. However, they are the ones that will help increase basal metabolism, avoid re-accumulation of fat, draw beautiful muscle definition, and most importantly, move off the plateau in weight loss or training. The larger the muscles, the greater the amount of calories burned, even at rest. Strength training will not only help you burn a lot of energy during exercise, but it will also prime your body to burn more calories after your workout. Such exercises improve tendon strength, bone density, and form a muscle corset that provides postural support for the skeleton. And don’t be afraid to pump yourself up to the size of a professional athlete—it’s impossible to achieve this effect at home, without exercise equipment and sports nutrition to build muscles.

To master the correct strength training technique, it is better to contact a professional trainer, but there are situations when personal consultation and training in the gym are not possible. In this case, you need to create a program yourself, without using special equipment.

Features of training for burning fat

Fat burning workouts for women will help you regain your fit figure. The same effect cannot be achieved either with miracle creams or with the best diets. These options do not work separately - extra pounds and cellulite will remain in any case.

This type of training has two distinctive positive qualities:

• they can be used with any physical fitness;
• classes are possible at home or in the gym.

However, they need to be selected carefully. If you perform the entire list of exercises that are known in the gym or at home, this will not be enough. This attitude often makes losing weight difficult, even if you exercise regularly.

Modern workouts for burning fat for women are striking in their diversity.

To choose the type of training, you need to decide on the goal:

1. To keep your body in good shape and prevent you from gaining unwanted pounds, you should give preference to aerobic cardio training.
2. Strength exercises are perfect for significant weight loss.
3. For those who want to achieve the best results, many professionals advise combining strength and aerobic training.

For any workout to burn fat, it is important to:

• maintain regularity;
• adhere to a certain diet plan;
• combine types of training;
• gradually increase the load.

Exercises for burning fat - the main rules

1. High pace of training. You should not focus on training in the fat-burning sector (50-70% of maximum heart rate).

This method primarily uses fat, but this is often reflected only as a percentage and not in quantity. For example, running burns more calories over the same period of time than walking.

2. The selection of activities should be approached with special attention. How much energy is expended during exercise depends not only on it, but also on the effort applied, duration and regularity of training.

It is recommended to give preference to loads that will be performed regularly. You should not choose a program that makes you experience negative emotions.

3. Increase endurance and strength. By increasing the load on large muscle groups (legs, chest, back), you can increase the rate of fat burning. The more muscles are involved in the work, the faster calories are consumed. Such exercises include squats.

4. Maintaining the required pace. Exercises that are performed at a good pace throughout the entire time will help achieve the best fat burning effect.

5. Take a closer look at interval training. Interval training involves alternating periods of exercise and recovery. They are able to maximize the number of calories expended, which will give amazing results in a shorter period of time.

To begin with, you should practice for 2 minutes. and give the body 2 minutes. rest.

6. Use your own weight. Exercises that involve effort against gravity are more effective. For example, walking or running instead of swimming or cycling. Working with your own weight causes the body to burn more calories.

7. Let your day be active. Scientists have proven that people who are active spend 300-400 kcal more than those who are lazy.

8. Try to train on an empty stomach. Exercising on an empty stomach allows you to burn more fat.

But you need to be extremely careful: a prolonged “hunger strike” before exercise can have a side effect - it is quite possible that the body will not be able to withstand the intensity or duration of the load.

9. Use the afterburn effect. High-intensity exercise has one great quality - the fat-burning effect continues even after the workout is over.

This is the “afterburn” effect (or increased calorie consumption). Its activation occurs under load with a heart rate of 75% or higher of the maximum.

10. Try to increase the intensity of your exercise. A smooth increase in training intensity allows you to improve the progress of fat-burning training.

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Circuit training rules

Strength exercises at home are most effective in a complex called circuit training. It includes up to 8 cycles of several sets of various exercises, the implementation of which is limited in time. The circuit training program includes working a large number of muscle groups. For novice athletes, it gives an excellent athletic effect, which helps to consistently lose weight.

A repetition is one exercise performed in a full cycle from contraction to stretching of the muscle being worked. Set (approach) - several identical repetitions in a row without a break.

The effect of circuit training depends on the number of repetitions:

• a set of 1-5 repetitions increases strength and muscle size, working with the maximum possible weight;
• a set of 6-12 repetitions balances strength, endurance, and muscle size;
• a set of 13-20 repetitions primarily develops endurance and has almost no effect on muscle size and strength, working with light or no weights.

For weight loss purposes, the second option is best - each set of 6-12 repetitions with a small additional load in the form of dumbbells, expanders, backpacks, etc.

How to exercise properly to lose weight

We offer you several basic principles that will help you understand how to train for weight loss at home. Videos of exercises will help you better understand the technique and achieve maximum results in a short time.

• Do basic exercises . One of the common mistakes that newcomers to the gym make when trying to lose excess weight is that they unnecessarily load the areas that they consider problematic. They do a lot of exercises specifically targeting these areas. But such a decision can have a bad effect on your metabolic rate. If your goal is to lose weight effectively and quickly, then you should opt for several basic techniques that allow you to simultaneously develop several muscle groups. The mandatory list of your exercises should include squats, bench press, and deadlift. Thanks to these simple exercises, you will burn a large number of calories and be able to achieve your goal in a short time.
• Exercise regularly . The results of losing weight are determined primarily by how intensely you burn calories and body fat. If you want to achieve high results, then training should become an integral part of your life. The need for regular exercise has been scientifically proven. According to the study, people who exercised four times a week lost weight much more effectively than those who only exercised two days a week. But do not forget that muscles should not only work, but also rest. Find your optimal regimen that will allow you to effectively train your body without overloading it.
• Load your body correctly . Muscles take an active part in metabolic processes. By increasing muscle volume, you increase your metabolic rate and, accordingly, stimulate the process of losing weight. The goal of strength training is to increase muscle mass. In accordance with this goal, you need to build training. First, you need to warm up with light weights, and then move on to a thorough workout. For each exercise you need to perform 3-4 circles of 5-6 repetitions. The load for the main part of training should be 80%. For example, if the maximum weight you can perform squats with is 30 kg, then 24 kg will be enough for your workout. This issue has been carefully studied and proven to be effective in building muscle mass.
• Choose the right workout regimen . During strength training, rest breaks should be no more than 1.5 minutes. A high training pace has a great effect on results. During intense exercise, the production of testosterone increases, and the production of cortisol, which is responsible for the accumulation of fat reserves, on the contrary, decreases.
• Practice in circles . The essence of circuit training is to perform a set of exercises in a row with minimal pauses. The optimal choice would be 3-5 exercises that work the main muscle groups. Each technique must be repeated 10-15 times. Having finished with the first exercise, immediately move on to the second. When you have completed all the planned exercises, it will be considered that the first round of training is over. After it, you can allow yourself to rest for 1.5 minutes. And then proceed to the second round. There should be 3-4 laps per lesson. When you feel that the load has become too light for you, increase the weight. This will keep your training efficiency at a high level. For the same purpose, you can shorten pauses between sets and increase repetitions.
• Use the Tabata protocol . It lies in the fact that one technique must be used for a limited amount of time. Typically this period is 20 seconds. After this, you need to rest for 10 seconds and move on to the next exercise. In total, training in this mode lasts 4 minutes and includes 8 cycles of work and rest. Perform as many repetitions as possible in one 20-second set. Squats with weights, presses, and deadlifts are ideal for training according to the Tabata protocol. It is best to choose those loads that force the maximum number of muscles to work. Research shows that exercise in this mode is most effective in burning fat deposits.
• Be patient . Don't forget that working on your body takes time. Of course, working out in the gym is more effective than fitness training at home. Weight loss videos will help you choose the best options for complexes to perform on your own. Wherever you practice, you should not expect instant results.

At first, your body will only adapt to the loads it receives, and the process of active weight loss and body transformation will begin later. But if you are persistent and hardworking, you won’t have to wait too long for results.

Types of strength exercises without machines

• Chest muscles - push-ups from the floor, with an expander or on parallel bars. Over time, you can add explosive exercises and weights to your wrists and ankles.
• Back muscles - pull-ups with your own weight. When the muscles get stronger and your own weight decreases a little, add a backpack with weights. The backpack is also used for deadlifts and abdominal pulls.
• Leg muscles - squats with a backpack, lunges (squatting on one leg), calf raises.
• Abdominal muscles - crunches, backpack press, bridges.

The plank is a strength exercise for a large number of muscle groups.

A strength training plan must necessarily include a warm-up: bending the head, torso, squats, lifting and bending the arms and legs. This stage is aimed at preventing sprains of tendons and ligaments.

To create a program for yourself, test your fitness level. Perform one set for different muscle groups, working each repetition as efficiently as possible. Divide the resulting number by two. Start from this. For example, you managed to do 8 push-ups, 10 pull-ups, 20 squats, 20 crunches, 20 calf raises, one circle of your workout at the initial stage may look like this:

1. 4 push-ups.
2. 5 pull-ups.
3. 10 squats.
4. 10 crunches.
5. 10 calf raises.

There should be no pauses between exercises, and after completing the circuit, rest for 1 minute is required. Then repeat the circle. The number of laps can be increased to 5 with each workout, and then change the program a little by introducing new elements into it. The most difficult and time-consuming exercises are performed at the beginning of each circle.

Strength training without machines helps you use your body weight for good.

Exercises for arms, chest, back, shoulders

1. Dumbbell bench press. Stack several chairs together to form a bench of sorts. Lie down on it, straighten your arms, which should hold dumbbells (I will also call them weights or weights for variety). Lower the dumbbells to your chest, bending your arms. The basic movement is not just down-up, but down-up in an arc.

2. Dumbbell press while sitting or standing. Stand or sit on a chair and raise your arms with weights above your head. From this position, lower your arms down, bending your elbow joints, but not forward, but to the sides. Lower until your shoulders and forearms form a right angle. Afterwards, straighten your arms.

3. Biceps curl with dumbbells. Stand up straight, hold a dumbbell in both hands and place your palms facing away from you. Simultaneously or alternately bend your elbows, bringing the weights almost to your shoulders. But don't move your elbows away from your body.

4. Bent-over dumbbell rows. Take dumbbells in your hands, lean forward (your back should be arched) with your gaze directed forward, not down. Bend your knees slightly (weights are located near your knees). From this position, begin to pull the dumbbells toward your lower torso, along your thighs without touching them. Return to original position. When lifting weights, it is necessary to bring your shoulder blades together.

5. Straightening the arm from behind the head. Take a weight in one hand, bend it behind your head, pressing the front part to the side of the back of your head. Start straightening your arms and bending them. After this, change the position of your hands.

6. Dumbbell raises to the sides, lifting dumbbells forward, to the sides, to the sides while bent over, pullover and other exercises. All this is freely available on the Internet. But I don’t advise you to use them: they are isolating in nature and technically more difficult than the basic exercises mentioned above.

Basic principles of home strength training for weight loss

Unlike cardio exercises, which are aimed at increasing endurance and working under long-term light loads, strength exercises increase the strength, volume and quality of muscle mass. To successfully lose weight while simultaneously forming a beautiful figure, you need to:

• Develop the maximum number of muscle groups. All muscles must be trained in a balanced manner to avoid overloading the musculoskeletal system, poor posture, and figure asymmetry. Giving preference only to those muscles in the area where the largest amount of fat is observed, you will not help reduce it only in this area.
• Get out of your comfort zone, regularly change the program, introducing new exercises. Manipulate the number of sets and repetitions to avoid the body adapting to the same loads. The more you like this or that exercise, the less effective it is.
• Use additional equipment and weights to develop muscles, using your own weight as much as possible.
• Focus on doing the exercise. Each exercise should be performed with maximum amplitude, and the weights should be selected in such a way that you can complete the prescribed number of repetitions to failure, but without pain.
• Restore. For weight loss purposes, 3-4 workouts per week with mandatory recovery periods are sufficient.

How to do a warm-up correctly

Warming up before strength training is aimed at warming up the body. Can I do standard cool-down exercises? Turns of the head, shoulders, joints, etc. But this is not enough. The ideal option for warming up is 10 minutes of cardio before strength training. If you have an elliptical, treadmill or exercise bike at home, you can warm up with them. 10 minutes of intense cardio will get your blood pumping and warm up your muscles. Afterwards you will need to rest for a couple of minutes, drink water and start doing strength training.

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Training program for beginners

An approximate training program for people who have not previously visited the gym might look like this:

• Classes for beginners are held 3 times a week , days: Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
• Cardio training: if you are overweight, it is important not to overload yourself; a quick walk on a treadmill is a good place to start, followed by running at a moderate pace.
• In the first week, on Monday and Friday, training is carried out according to scheme A, which includes: squats with weights, bench and pulley presses with increased load on the triceps, reverse barbell rows, calf raises using a special machine.
• On Wednesday of the first training week, classes are carried out according to scheme B, which includes: plank, barbell lift, deadlift and classic body pull-up.
• In the second week, classes are carried out according to a similar program , according to scheme A and B changing by day.

Fat burning workout in the gym for men

1. Warm-up (fast walking – 5 minutes + joint warm-up – 5 minutes)
2. Exercise bike or Orbitrek – 7 minutes (pulse: 120 – 130 beats per minute)
3. Rest – 30 seconds
4. Squats with a barbell on the shoulders (emphasis on quadriceps) – 6 reps
5. Wide grip barbell rows - 6 reps
6. Bench press on a horizontal bench with a narrow grip – 6 reps
7. Rest – 2 minutes
8. Interval running on a treadmill - 5 approaches in this style:

• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)

1. Rest – 2 minutes
2. Wide grip pull-ups - 6 reps
3. Bench press on a horizontal bench – 6 reps
4. Standing barbell curl - 6 reps
5. Rest – 2 minutes
6. Interval running on a treadmill - 5 approaches in this style:

• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)
• 40 seconds – slow pace (pulse: 120 beats per minute)
• 20 seconds – fast pace (heart rate: 160 beats per minute)

1. Rest – 2 minutes
2. Deadlift on straight legs with a barbell – 10 reps + Seated leg extension in the machine – 15 reps
3. Military standing press – 10 reps + Bent over dumbbell swings – 15 reps
4. Dips – 10 reps + French bench press – 15 reps
5. Exercise bike or Orbitrek – 10 minutes (pulse: 120 – 130 beats per minute)
6. Bent-over rows – 10 reps + Hummer rows – 15 reps
7. Incline bench press (30 degrees) – 10 reps + Chest flyes – 15 reps
8. Barbell curls with reverse grip – 10 reps + Dumbbell curls with supination – 15 reps
9. Exercise bike or Orbitrek – 10 minutes (pulse: 120 – 130 beats per minute)

Main factors:

1. Rest comes only when it is prescribed. That is, exercises No. 4, 5 and 6 are performed in just 1 approach and without rest between these approaches. Rest only under numbers: 3, 7, 9, 13 and 15. Everything else is done without rest.
2. Interval running on a treadmill - 5 approaches in this style (40 sec + 20 sec = 1 approach). For convenience and example (to make it clear), I described all 5 approaches.
3. Exercises No. 16, 17, 18, 20, 21 and 22 are performed in superset style.
4. In those exercises that say 6 to 9 reps, you do a 3 second negative phase + 1 second positive phase (in this style, one set should last from 30 to 40 seconds for girls and from 20 to 30 seconds for men).
5. In those exercises where 10 – 20 repetitions are written, you do 1 second negative phase + 1 second positive phase (regular easy pace).
6. Number of workouts per week: 3 workouts (Monday, Wednesday, Friday... or... Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday).
7. All exercises, rest and cardio must be done in strict order. Do as it is written (for convenience, everything is signed with numbers).
8. I have selected the best exercises (in my opinion). But, if you don’t like something, you can replace these exercises with your own. Just follow these rules:

• Exercises No. 4, 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 – basic
• Exercises No. 16,17,18,20,21,22 – basic + isolated
• Do not combine muscle groups (one after the other) where the same functions are used (for example: back + biceps = pulls + pulls). As you can see, I put the chest between them, and in the end it turns out: pulls - pushes - pulls.

1. For the first time, you can reduce the amount of interval running to 2 - 3 approaches + add 20 - 30 seconds of rest between each approach and each superset. This, of course, will slightly reduce the intensity of the workout, but will allow you to enter the training cycle smoothly and without much stress.

PS I also recommend that you allocate some of your precious time to watch this video.

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Popular mistakes

To summarize, we look at the most popular mistakes that people make when visiting the gym to lose weight:

• Refusal of water during the period of weight loss. The opinion about the advisability of such restrictions is a misconception; the rate of water consumption is calculated individually depending on weight, but to lose weight you will need to consume a lot of liquid.
• Ensuring maximum loads at the initial stage of training. A gradual increase in intensity should be the basic rule for both beginners and experienced athletes; in the first 1-2 months it is recommended to perform only half of the norm.
• Load and activity are important, and the technique of performing exercises is secondary. In fact, performing the exercise incorrectly may have no beneficial effect or increase the risk of injury.

The time frame for which people manage to lose weight in the gym is individual and depends on the frequency and intensity of training, diet, current weight, characteristics of a particular person’s body and other factors.

Regular and intensive exercise in combination with normalization of the diet will definitely give a positive result, but the program and training plan must be correctly drawn up and aimed specifically at burning fat, therefore it is recommended to involve professional trainers in their formation.

Alexandrova Anastasia

Nutrition and healthy lifestyle specialist and author of myfitnesblog.com. For many years, she has successfully helped women and men lose weight and maintain a beautiful figure.

General principles for creating weight loss programs

More often, overweight people who have never worked out in the gym want to get rid of fat. If you are a beginner, you should approach the start of training very responsibly, since your body is not yet ready for the stress. To lose weight, you first need to get your cardiovascular system into working order. Standing on the treadmill for 30 minutes straight away can overload your heart.

Focus on nutrition

A good trainer must understand that complex training in the gym to save fat is only part of the success. If his client, who wants to lose weight, eats as before, there will be no result. Indeed, in most cases, obesity is precisely a consequence of an incorrect diet and bad eating habits.

The diet of men is somewhat different from that of women. Therefore, you first need to determine the body’s need for nutrients: proteins, fats, carbohydrates. Weight loss occurs due to a slight reduction in the carbohydrate part relative to the norm. A trainer (or nutritionist) will be able to offer you a specific nutrition program.

If you introduce this diet into your daily lifestyle, weight loss will depend only on the gym program and its adherence. That is, 70% of the path will be completed.

Number of repetitions and exercises

In order for men to have an effect from working in the gym, you need to clearly understand how a set of exercises for weight loss is structured.

The first element of training is cardio. You should start with 5-10 minutes, without much acceleration. If it’s an ellipsoid or an exercise bike, you can work even more in the first workouts. If it’s a treadmill, you need to dose the load.

If you are overweight, exercise on a treadmill should begin with walking at a brisk pace. Then everything depends on the state of the cardiovascular system and joints. If walking is easy for you and you do not experience any discomfort either during or after training, increase the speed a little. Gradually build up to an easy jog. Speed ​​running is not needed here. Do not forget about sneakers with thick soles, as the load on the knee joints will be significant.

After the cardio comes the main part of the workout, which consists of strength exercises. Here your task is to expend maximum energy.

The goal is to get rid of fat over the muscles and tone them. Muscle mass will not grow at this stage. You will do it later, when you lose weight. Of course, the program will be different.

As for the weight loss program given in this article, even some exercises should not be excluded. Try to use everything: both the base and secondary elements to strengthen the muscles. All this will ensure active burning of calories and reducing your weight.

If you use another program, remember that the base is the most energy-intensive among the exercises, so it is better that they are included in your complex. Even with a little weight, they will make you work up a good sweat. All that remains is to ensure control on the part of the trainer so that you do not harm yourself by doing anything incorrectly.

Selecting weights and taking a break between sets

Burning body fat in men is not an easy task. To lose weight, you should choose medium weights in the gym. To understand whether the weight is right or wrong, do 15-20 repetitions in each exercise. There should be enough strength until the last repetition and still remain for a couple of additional ones. If so, the weight is chosen correctly.

Break between approaches – 30-45 seconds

When losing weight, the important thing here is that you rest little and do a lot. So prepare dumbbells and the necessary weights in advance

And don't forget about the correct technique. There's no hurry. We work intensively, but thoughtfully! No complex will help if you work incorrectly or half-heartedly.

Now let’s give an example of a program that can be used as a base program for burning fat in men.

Upper training

Providing stress to the upper back and chest is a challenging task because these muscle groups require highly specialized loading.

You can organize it by training 3 times a week according to the following program:

• First week: dumbbell bench press in a lying position on an incline bench - 3-4 sets of 10-12 repetitions, crossover raises in a standing position - 2-3 sets of 10 repetitions, arm press exercises using the Butterfly simulator - 3 -4 sets of 12-15 repetitions.
• Second week: dumbbell press in a lying position on a bench without an incline - 4-5 sets of 8-10 repetitions, crossover curls in a standing position - the number of approaches increases to 3-4, curls on the Butterfly machine - the number of approaches decreases up to 2-3.
• Subsequently, the schemes described above should be changed weekly.

Leg workout

The following program, consisting of supersets, will promote accelerated weight loss in your legs:

• Beginning of the workout: warm-up with aerobic exercise, duration – 5-10 minutes.
• Leg press on a special machine - 20 times, manual dumbbell press at an angle in a sitting position - 15 times.
• Bending the legs at the knees and subsequent extension on the machine - 20 times, pulling the upper block behind the head - 15 times.
• Lowering and spreading the legs in a sitting position on the simulator - 20 times, raising the toes on the simulator in a standing position - 20 times.
• Reverse and classic crunches on the simulator - 15 and 20 times, respectively.
• As a cool-down, exercise on an exercise bike is suitable. A short rest is allowed only between the given supersets.

Is it possible to lose weight by training only at home?

It is certainly possible to lose weight. The main thing is to have enough motivation and self-discipline. Most often, girls stop working out at home to lose weight because there are more important things to do: cook dinner for themselves, go to the movies with friends, do homework with the children.

Another factor that prevents you from continuing training is soreness. As soon as you feel it, you immediately want to quit everything so as not to experience unpleasant sensations. Muscle pain occurs because the load on unprepared muscles was incorrectly distributed or because you did not warm up first.

Exercising at home for weight loss will help if you approach physical activity systematically and systematically. In addition, it is important not only to train, but also to eat right - to comply with the daily norm of KBJU. An integrated approach to nutrition and physical activity will not keep you waiting for results, and soon the reflection in the mirror will definitely please you.