Strength Training Exercises Are Good For Building Muscle, Maintaining Bone Density And Increasing Metabolic Rate.

The equipment required for strength training exercises can be bought for home use or you can go to a gym.

Equipment includes elastic bands, dumbbells, barbells, a stability ball and resistance training machines. The stability ball has become very popular in recent years, and some exiting strength training exercises have been developed that can be done at home.

All you need is a stability ball, a set of small weights, an elastic band, a tailor made programme and a little space, and you will be ready to start changing your body and your life.

You can also use your own body to provide the resistance such as in sit-ups, push-ups and pull-ups.

Unlike aerobic exercise that can be enjoyed daily, weight lifting exercises require a period for the muscles to rest and rebuild. You can either do a full body work out every second day, or you can work the upper half of you body on one day and the lower half on the next day.

As discussed earlier do remember to start with the warm-up, stretch and rest in between sets, and cool down by stretching again.

Another important thing to remember is that you should always inhale on the easy part of the exercise and exhale on the exertion. So if you are doing push-ups, you exhale as you push up and inhale as you go down.

If you decide to join a gym it is a good idea to have a personal trainer who will vary your exercise routine (this takes care of the boredom aspect) and ensures that all muscle groups are worked equally. Your personal trainer will also see that you are doing each exercise correctly and at high intensity.

If you decide to work at home, you will need to buy the right equipment and it would be advisable to get a video or a book to guide you.

You could also improvise with things like emptied milk containers filled with sand or water, or socks filled with beans or rice and tied at the ends.

So as you can see strength training exercises can be done in any setting and with any equipment as long as you have something to provide resistance. If you would like to know how to Get a Ballerina's Butt -try these three exercises.

For more ideas for strength training exercises you can go to the National Institute on Aging. (This site will open in a new window behind this page, so please remember to return to me once you are done.)

Also have a look at aerobic exercises and flexibility exercises.

I found a site that covers many ideas on how to stay fit and healthy. so do click through and have a look. This page will open in a new window behind this one so please remember to return to me once you are done.