Resistance Gyms

Resistance training refers to working against the force of gravity. Think of it as pitting your muscles against weight. When you apply resistance you are directly opposing your moving limbs. For instance, as muscle effort pulls the weight towards the body, resistance (barbell, dumbbell) simultaneously moves it away from the body.

Women continue to be hung up on the misconception that resistance training will give them bulging muscles. I see this time and time again at my local gym where females avoid lifting challenging weights and just go through the motions with zero effort. Believe me, they're not doing themselves any favors. In reality, to tone a muscle you have to combine a challenging weight with intense lifting. Toning and definition only occurs when a muscle is challenged to the point where it's forced to modify itself in order to lift a demanding weight. If your muscles are never challenged, then you'll get no results.

I like to compare unchallenging weight training to eating. Seriously, when you think about it, lifting a fork to your mouth repeatedly can be compared to performing bicep curls. But because the curling action of lifting a fork to your mouth takes almost no effort, the bicep muscle never grows or becomes toned. Excuse me for the foolish example, but to me lifting weights that are too light for you is an utter waste of time!

Although resistance training has its similarities to bodybuilding, the overall goals are completely different. Bodybuilders perform isolated training to maximize their muscular size, while at the same time cutting body fat. Just take a bodybuilder's diet pre-competition. They cut calories extremely low in an attempt to retain muscular mass and shed any excess body fat. This separates and defines their muscles for competition. In contrast, weight trainers focus purely on strength and endurance, while not trying to reduce their body fat below its normal level.

Using a resistance gym such as a multi gym or universal gym in your home will help you:

• Replace body fat with muscle tissue
• Increase your strength, power and endurance
• Increase bone density and protect your bones and joints against injury
• Boost your metabolism even during rest
• Lower your heart rate and blood pressure to healthy levels
• Improve your balance and coordination
• Improve your energy and overall ability to perform everyday tasks

So don't be afraid get out there and embrace resistance training.