Any physical activity guideline will prescribe muscle-strengthening activities alongside moderate-intensity physical activities. Strength training should be a part of everyone’s life, whether you’re male, female, young, or old.
When I got more serious about running and wanted to set specific goals for myself, I discovered the benefits of weight training. The more kilometers I ran, the more I needed to be conscious of preventing injury. And weight training is a great way to strengthen muscles and joints. Another benefit of weight training is that it can help improve bone density, which is particularly important as we age. Other than that, I also wanted to achieve a toned and lean physique, especially when it came to my arms.
So I bought an exercise mat and weights (3 kg and 5 kg) and just searched for workout videos on YouTube. I wanted to workout from home, but I needed someone to tell me what to do and how. I found that on the free MadFit-channel on YouTube. The workout videos are real time, so it feels like you’re doing the workout together with someone else. The best YouTube-video I found to exercise my glutes is this specific one from Tess Begg.
# Important to keep in mind
There are many great, free workout-channels out there, but there are a few important things to keep in mind when you start searching:
- Look for a channel that focuses on proper technique.
- Preferably look for a woman’s channel. I’ll explain why in a bit.
- You might feel more comfortable to workout “with” women who don’t have a sixpack. Some people are naturally lean and show more muscle and/or they might have been working out for multiple years, while you’re just starting out. Kamoya Farray has great plus size beginner workouts.
Keep in mind that there are biological differences between men and women when it comes to physical performance. Adult (biological) males have an advantage in strength and speed as a result of a higher level of testosterone. You can follow workout videos that feature a man when you are a woman and vice versa, of course. But just keep in mind that you should not compare your physical performance to the performance of the opposite gender and that you should adjust your workout accordingly.
Once you get more serious about strength training and you want to set specific goals for yourself, you can reach out to a personal trainer. They can create a personalised workout plan for you, whether that’s in a gym and/or at home.
My personal experience is that starting weight training with YouTube-videos at home is a very low-key, easy way to gain more confidence with this type of exercise. It can be a great stepping stone to start weight training in a gym, if that is where you ultimately want to do your workouts.
Extra tip
If you’re going to invest in weights or maybe kettle bells to start your weight-training journey, you might want to consider purchasing a pull-up bar and a resistance band as well. A pull-up bar is a great strength-training tool for the back, chest, arms, and shoulders and is not too expensive. You can practise standard pull-ups and chin-ups, negative pull-ups or chin-ups, or hanging knee raises, to name a few. Just hanging from the bar (“dead hang”) is great for shoulder mobility. Doing pull-ups (even one without assistance) is much easier for men than women. Using a resistance band can help you work up to your first unassisted pull-up.
Weight training and anxiety
Weight training is part of a healthy lifestyle. Maintaining or creating a healthy lifestyle when you feel anxious or experience panic attacks is important. First of all, you won’t experience the specific symptoms that accompany anxiety as easily when you’re fit and healthy. When you’re not fit, your body doesn’t use oxygen as efficiently, which makes it easier for you to feel like you need more ‘air’ when you’re in a place where there is less oxygen, like on a mountain or in a busy nightclub. A healthy lifestyle prevents you from getting sick as often, which means you won’t often feel things in your body that can make you anxious. Any form of exercise will help you get out of your head and be in the present moment. It’s also generally easier to relax and feel calm after a workout.
You can learn more about the importance of exercise for anxiety and panic attacks in The Program.