Strength training is one of the most effective ways of building muscle and improving your physique. It also has a lot of benefits that extend way beyond just helping you look better—strength training can also help reduce risks of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.
These benefits result from regular resistance exercise working muscles. With variable resistance, this effect becomes even more pronounced. This article covers everything you need to know about using variable resistance in your strength training routine.
What Is Variable Resistance Training?
Variable resistance training is an exercise method that uses a variety of resistance levels throughout a set, workout, or circuit. This allows your muscles to experience varying levels of intensity as well as a greater overload over time.
This is incredibly beneficial to muscle growth and strength. This method of resistance training allows for you to change the difficulty of the exercise through altering the amount of weight you use. For example, you can use a light weight to increase your endurance and build muscle endurance.
You can also use heavier weights to increase the intensity of the exercise and accelerate muscle growth. This is one of the most versatile ways to build strength and it can easily be incorporated into your current routine.
If you’ve ever found yourself bored at the gym and looking for something new, or you have friends who are looking to change things up, then variable resistance could be the trick to help you feel more motivated again!
How To Build Strength Using Variable Resistance
When you first begin using variable resistance, start with a light weight and an easy exercise. This will help you to build the strength and endurance required to use heavier weights in the future without any injuries occurring.
You can also use this method to improve any existing weaknesses in your movement. For example, if you have a particularly weak lower back, you can use lighter weights to help improve this area. This can help prevent injuries and increase the longevity of your back training as well.
Once you feel confident with lighter weights, you can begin incorporating heavier weights in your training. If you are training for strength, it would be best to incorporate at least two different variations of your exercise for the muscles involved.
This can be done by doing the same movement but with a heavier weight and then switching to a lighter weight to focus on different muscles. You can also break up the same movement with different exercises.
For example, you can do one exercise to work your upper body, one to work your lower body, and another to work your core. This is an even more effective way to incorporate variable resistance into your routine as it combines the intensity of heavier weights with the strength of lighter weights.
Ways to Add Variable Resistance to Your Current Workout Plan
There are several different ways you can add variable resistance training to your current workout plan. These include adding a resistance band, adding a weight stack, and adding a dumbbell stack.
You can add a band by looping the band around a bar and step or jump with your feet to activate the resistance. This is an easy and effective way to increase resistance when you don’t have access to additional weights. You can also use a resistance band by wrapping it around the bar and pull it back towards you with each repetition
If you have access to a stack of weights, you can use that as your variable resistance. Just add or subtract weight as needed to adjust the level of resistance. A dumbbell stack is a more advanced variation that requires access to specialty equipment. Instead of adding and removing weights, you use a pulley system that allows for variable resistance.
Choosing the Right Type of Variable Resistance Training Equipment
When building your variable resistance workout, you may be wondering what type of equipment to use. A few things to keep in mind are to always make sure that the resistance is adjustable. This will allow you to use different levels of resistance as needed.
You also want to make sure that the equipment is properly maintained and in good condition. Otherwise, you may end up with an injury or strain. Always make sure to choose a type of variable resistance that is appropriate for your fitness level. Don’t overdo it because you could end up getting hurt easily.
Bands, Blocks and Teambend Variation
These are just some of the types of variable resistance available. Depending on your fitness level and available equipment, you can choose another variation that is more appropriate. Bands are best for lighter weight training and can also be used for cardio. They are not as effective for building strength compared to other resistance types.
Blocks are best for heavier weight training and can also be used for cardio. They can be harder to adjust than bands, so make sure you select the right type. Teambend bands can be used for strength training, cardio or both. They can be more versatile than other types of resistance bands and come in a variety of sizes and resistance levels.
The ideal type of variable resistance training equipment will depend on your fitness level and available equipment. You can also play around with the number of bands, blocks or weight stacks you use to create the perfect level of resistance for your workout.
Conclusion
If you are finding that you are getting bored of the same old routine at the gym, then try adding in a little variable resistance training. It can be easily done with any of the exercises you currently do and it will add a new challenge to your routine.
Even if you don’t think it will change your life, it could just add some variety and make you feel a little more motivated to get to the gym. This will help increase your muscle mass and prevent illnesses.
