Dean Hodgins – Essentials of Strength Training

medical experts agree: When you make strength training a part of your fitness regimen—for only 30-minute sessions two to three times per week—you’re taking giant leaps toward improving your health. You’ll

• halt and, in some cases, reverse muscle loss and other changes that come with age;

• ward off, lessen, and even reverse the effects of back pain and other chronic health conditions;

• enhance your ability to lose weight;

• improve your memory and the quality of your sleep;

• reduce symptoms associated with anxiety and depression; and

• improve your flexibility, balance, and coordination.

You’ll discover

• how different strength-training exercises work on different muscle groups;

• how your muscles work, grow, and repair themselves; and

• how your body gains fat and how you can use strength training to promote weight loss.

You’ll also get tips for making the most of your workout and for crafting a strength-training program that fits your specific needs and goals, such as these:

• Start with light resistance to allow your muscles to acclimate to increased weight loads.

• Opt for standing rather than seated exercises, as these promote balance and coordination.

• Perform a workout routine in reverse order as an easy way to stimulate greater progress.

Exercise Your Way to a Stronger You

Each workout focuses on a key aspect or benefit of strength training.

• Functional Strength Workout: Mr. Hodgkin’s functional strength-training workout uses squat presses, lunges, planks, abdominal pikes, and other exercises that strengthen your core, improve your balance, and train your muscles so that you gain fitness you’ll use in everyday movements.

• Weight Loss and Maintenance Workout: This intense workout, with its short bursts of high-intensity exercise, results in an increased metabolic rate—which can lead to more effective fat burning.

• Partner Workout: Working out with a partner can provide a unique resistance tool, challenge your body in new ways, and motivate you to stay on track.

Empower Yourself for Life

With Mr. Hodgkin as your instructor, you’ll quickly get over any trepidation you may feel about strength training. As he delivers his lectures, he’s authoritative and informative, and he makes the science easy to grasp. And as he guides you through his workouts, he’s motivational and encouraging. It’s the perfect combination for easing yourself into a new level of fitness and personal wellness that can empower you for life.