There are 1001 different ways to exercise. If you're new to fitness, choosing one to start with can be daunting. Getting into a gym you will find lots of Weight Training. Use this guide to learn where you should start!
The good news about there being so many modalities for training is there is bound to be one that works for you. Remember, it is extremely important that you like what kind of training you're doing. Adhering to a program, showing up for sessions, being motivated; it all is made easier when you enjoy your workouts!
Training Styles
Each of these training styles is approachable for a beginner. If you have the right coach/teacher/program, then you will find a way in even if you're fresh off the block.
Weight Training (resistance training)
Centered around external resistance, this is a form of training that most people think about when they think of the gym.
Using an external resistance means you're challenging the muscles in your body with something other than just your body weight. This is typically thought of as using weights such as dumbbells and barbells, but this can also mean resistance bands, cable machines, kettlebells, and anything else you can think of that you lift or move around! This is a very approachable fitness style, and almost all gyms accommodate it.
Weight training comes in a lot of specific forms that we will cover down below, but this is the most common form of exercise in a gym setting. It is crucial for a healthy lifestyle that adults perform some strengthening activities each week. Using weights or resistance in your training will help increase bone strength and density, as well as strengthen muscles to keep you strong for Activities of Daily Living (ADL's). ADL's refer to daily self-care activities like moving from sitting to standing, grabbing things from overhead, and getting up out of bed or off the floor.
Types of weight training
Bodybuilding (hypertrophy): Focused on growing skeletal muscle tissue. If you want big muscles and an aesthetic-driven training, this is the one for you
Bodybuilding has always been popular (glorified in the 70s and 80s), and has remained a staple for gym-goers as most people are looking to transform their body in some way
Professional bodybuilding revolves around training for aesthetic purposes in order to compete on a stage where a panel judges based on symmetry, muscularity, size, conditioning (how lean you are), and posing
For the vast majority, bodybuilding is more casual and focused on improving the physique to reach a particular "standard" they have or an ideal body type
The most effective programs for strictly hypertrophy will usually adhere to free weights and machines/cables with a focus on making movements as difficult as possible for each muscle group and training to failure to force muscle growth
Bodybuilders are typically concerned with staying huge and staying lean. Keeping within a certain bodyfat percentage is key, although there are training methods that adhere to a classic bulk (eating more to pack on muscle) and cut (reducing calories to shred bodyfat to reveal muscle) cycle.
Powerlifting: Focused on perfecting the movement patterns of The Big Three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. To improve total body strength, give powerlifting a try!
Typically seen as a standard for training to achieve strength, powerlifting has grown in popularity as training has become more approachable for beginners
Professional powerlifters aim to compete against other lifters by weight class where the goal is to have the highest total weight lifted between the three lifts
Powerlifting is a sport of maximizing the body's strength and leverages. As each lift in competition is performed for the highest weight possible for a single rep, mastering the movement is the most important aspect
Programming for powerlifting will see the Big Three lifts worked in some way for each training session. The best programs will utilize a percentage approach for sets and reps that is based around your 1 Rep Max for the lift
Programming is also typically revolving in training "blocks" where training volume is variable between low and high (focusing on strength one block, and hypertrophy the next), and potentially a third block consisting of "peaking" where training begins to replicate competition day standards
Powerlifters are not concerned with aesthetics. Staying too lean will actually inhibit strength. If you are fine with a slightly higher body weight, you'll be amazed at your strength levels!
Powerbuilding: If Bodybuilding and Powerlifting fused, this would be the outcome!
Often considered the best of both worlds, powerbuilding is structured to offer both increased strength and increased muscle size
Lifting sessions usually begin with a heavy compound movement in a lower rep range (taken from powerlifting style training) and then the rest of the session is filled with accessory work typically in higher rep ranges
Because the point of powerbuilding is to increase the weight you can move on the Big Three Lifts as well as get in plenty of hypertrophy volume training, a lot of programs will follow a push-pull-legs split or a body part split
The perks of this training style is that both styles compliment each other: to continue progressing in bodybuilding movements it helps to be stronger from the powerlifting movements, and accessory movements from bodybuilding help address weak points in those strength compound lifts
Programming for powerbuilding is both more flexible and more tedious to write for. Balancing high volume workouts and the heavy compound lifts is paramount to avoid overtraining and too much damage to the central nervous system
Training as a powerbuilder is perfect if you aim to look strong as well as back it up by actually BEING strong
Olympic Weightlifting: Also centered around competing, Weightlifting is a sport where athletes utilize as much power and force to complete two specific lifts: the Snatch and Clean and Jerk
Training for weightlifting involves improving your maximal strength and speed to produce explosive feats
Training is very barbell focused, as both lifts required for competition use the barbell
Weightlifting is seen as a more athletic version of powerlifting, incorporating more power output for a more complex lifting pattern
There are certain qualities in weightlifting that are implied to aid other athletic activities through improving coordination and control, movement efficiency, and skeleton rigidness
Having a good trainer and program is vital as this is a high-risk sport as evidenced by moving heavy loads at heavy speeds
Complete weightlifting programs will have you performing compound exercises to train efficiently and will provide your body with appropriate stimuli for your body to adapt
There is no doubt that this sport will also transform your body as it incorporates large muscle groups to burn plenty of energy and build plenty of muscle
Where does that leave you?
These are some of the most popular weight training styles around! There is a lot more information on all of them, but by now you should have an idea of where you want to go with your training.
While weight training is essential for living like a Hero, there are many more ways to exercise that can work in conjunction with or in replacement of all the above. Just be sure to challenge your body and have fun!