Building strength – steadily and safely

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/01/2023 (675 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

So, you want to build up your strength in the New Year. How can you do it?

Here’s the answer: to get stronger, you’ll need to challenge your muscles at a reasonable level in each workout, then let them recover before you work them again. It’s a simple process, but many people struggle with it because they just don’t challenge their muscles enough to make them stronger.

When you’re learning to work out, it’s wise to start with light loads. For example, I often have clients use a piece of PVC pipe when I’m teaching them how to lift. They can control that object easily and focus on my cues. But once they’ve got a movement figured out, we need to add some weight if they’re going to get stronger.

That’s where a lot of people make mistakes. Instead of lifting a more challenging load, they keep using very light loads, which don’t force the body to adapt. I’ve seen people lift ineffective loads for months, and they didn’t build much strength. On the other hand, I’ve worked with people who started with light loads and then scaled up in weight slowly but steadily. The result? They built impressive amounts of strength over several months.

The key is to slowly increase the resistance over time when you’re strength training. I’ve often heard people say they lift light loads so they don’t get injured, but it’s important to remember that it’s not dangerous to lift progressively heavier loads with sound movement mechanics. Your body was designed to work, and a little “safe straining” of your muscles is just fine if you’re a generally healthy person using solid exercise technique.

You can always work with a qualified coach who can help you make sure you’re lifting the right loads the right way.

But here are my quick tips if you’re on your own. First, check YouTube for videos on proper performance of exercises or ask a staff member at your gym for instruction.

Once you know you’re moving safely with a very light load, increase the weight so that it feels like you’re “working” when you get to about 8-12 reps. You can use this rating system: if zero is “very easy” and 10 is “maximum effort,” use a load you would rate as a 6. Start with one or two sets of eight to 12 reps at that load, then move on to another exercise and follow the same pattern. In your next workout, you might use the same load if it still feels like “a 6.” If your body has adapted (and it will eventually), you might have to add a little weight to get back to Level 6.

Strength training gets more complicated the longer you do it. Later on, you’ll have to change sets, reps, rest, movements and other factors to get continued results. But the concept I described above–progressive overload–is a constant.

Remember, if you always lift the same loads, your body won’t change much. If you challenge it at new yet safe levels, it will adapt and you’ll move toward your goal of increased strength.