Increasing muscle strength is an important part of any fitness routine. It can result in bigger toned muscles, a stronger heart, improved balance, maintained weight, and many other benefits.
So, if you are into strengthening your muscles, we will tell you how to choose the best gym equipment for strength training to help you reach your fitness goals.
What is Strength Training?
Any fitness coach can coax you to get stronger, leaner, and healthier by doing strength training. Strength training, which is often associated with resistance training, is an important part of an overall fitness program.
It involves efficiently achieving these three important fitness goals:
- Reduce body fat
- Increase lean muscle mass
- Burn calories
Why Body Strength is Important
It does not always mean that the more muscle you have, the stronger you are.
If you incorporate strength training in your regular exercise regimen, you will harvest many other benefits like:
- Improved balance
- Strengthened bones
- Improved efficiency of your cardiovascular system
- Helping to keep weight off for good
- Develop better body mechanics
- Helps with chronic disease management
- Boosts energy levels and improves mood
A Variety of Strength Training Exercises
To maximize the benefits of strength training, you will have to consider choosing from a variety of strength training exercises.
And it is not surprising at all that strength training does not only involve lifting weights and barbells. There are tons of gym equipment out there to help you strengthen your body from head to toe.
And don’t limit your thinking to strength training with gym equipment because there are strength workouts that do not need any equipment at all.
Consider the 9-minute strength workout published by New York Times:
Set 1: Bodyweight squat, push-ups, and mountain climbers
Set 2: Plank, bodyweight split squat, and single-leg hip raise
Set 3: Burpee with a push-up, single-leg toe touches, and leg raises
Strength Training Gym Equipment
If you want to take your strength training up a notch, you can consider using gym equipment. Many health buffs are always looking for the next best way to increase muscle mass and strength.
Here is the best gym equipment you should be hanging out with the next time you hit the gym if you want to strengthen those muscles:
1. Dumbbells
This equipment is a good place to start when you are starting your strength training. You can see dumbbells in gyms ranging from 1 to 100 pounds.
Experts agree that they are perfect for building your strength because they are joint-friendly and allow you to move your body in a more natural motion.
2. Barbells
Quite similar to the dumbbells but bigger and heavier, you can use this gym equipment with other strength training exercises like back squats, deadlifts, and snatches. When dumbbells become too easy for you, you can start using this gym equipment for strength training.
3. Body Bars
This gym equipment for strength training is perfect for beginners because the iron bars are covered in foam rubber. You can perform all types of barbell exercises with body bars with weights that you can tolerate but just enough to challenge your strength. They are also ideal for warm-up exercises for experienced lifters.
4. Kettlebells
With kettlebells, you can move the weight quickly and powerfully, which is also a sneaky way to get your heart pumping as you do your cardio exercise. This strength training equipment trains your body to stabilize while adapting to the change of gravity, a great way to build power.
5. Resistance Bands
These simple gym equipment that you can even pack and bring with you when you travel, does more than what you think. They provide a surprisingly effective, low-impact, and joint-friendly workout.
You can build strength with resistance bands as they force your body to stay stable while in motion. There are different resistance levels, lengths, and styles that you can choose from, which would fit your fitness goals.
6. TRX
Try this all-in-one gym equipment that offers flexibility in exercises that you can do. You can do dynamic movements on this equipment making it possible to target multiple muscle groups at once.
7.ViPR
Have you ever seen hollow tubes in the gym that seem to look funny? This exercise equipment provides excellent strength training while it helps you work on mobility, stability, and dynamic strength. Fitness trainers say that the best benefit of ViPR as a strength training gym equipment is that “it can improve the strength and resiliency of muscle and connective tissue, making them more resistant to many types of strain injuries”.
8. Parallettes
Push the limits of your physical strength with parallettes, one of the most excellent strength training gym equipment that you can use. These are the smaller version of parallel bars that allow you to do strength training exercises like handstand push-ups, L-sits, and others.
9. Battle Ropes
Try battling your stress with an intense strength workout with battle ropes. These giant ropes will help you develop strong balance and upper body strength, including forearm and grip strength.
10. Stability Balls
Step up your strength training exercises by using these giant inflatable beach-ball-like tools. You can strengthen your core muscles while you perform crunches, push-ups, hamstring curls, and pikes.
You can also increase spine stability while doing planks and back extensions with this strength training equipment.
Use Strength Training Equipment at Home
What’s so good about the ten gym best strength training equipment we just mentioned? They can be strength training equipment for home, too! And, if you are thinking about losing weight, they can likewise be your weight training equipment for home.
Each piece of this equipment is so versatile that you can use them to achieve your fitness goals in developing muscle strength and losing and maintaining weight. You can visit our catalog of home equipment to see other options for your home gym needs.
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Fitness Expo caters to all your exercise needs from treadmills to fitness accessories.
First opened in 1980 by the Rice family, the store continues to offer the top brands and largest selection of exercise equipment for the home or commercial facility making it one of the oldest and most reputable fitness retailers in the country.
We have showrooms across Louisiana and Mississippi, but you can also shop on our website from the comfort of your own home. Contact us today!