Resistance training is extremely beneficial no matter what your sport or outdoor activity. By engaging in a resistance program as little as once or twice a week, you can see an increase in strength, flexibility, muscular endurance and bone mineral density. Other benefits include reduction of body fat and a lower risk of injury.
Resistance training programs can consist of weights, resistance bands, machines, and body weight. I personally try to stay away from machines. When using a machine you are disengaging all the muscles except the one the machine is specifically designed to work. The one exception where machines are beneficial is for rehabbing injuries. You can then
use a machine to stress a specific muscle in a very controlled environment. If you want the most out of your workout switch to free weights. Free weights are much more functional because you are forced to use your stabilizing muscles along with primary muscles to move the weight. If you want even more bang for your buck incorporate equipment that will add a balance characteristic to the exercise. For example instead of doing a dumbbell press on a stationary flat bench grab a stability ball this will take the place of the bench. By doing this you are not only engaging your chest muscles but you are also working core stabilizers and muscles in the legs. This is an advance exercise and should not be done without proper hands on instructions.
Sets and reps should be tailored to your goal. If you are training for power keep the reps low between 3 to 10 and sets high 3 to 5. For muscular strength/endurance reps should be between 10-15 and 2-3 sets. For endurance keep the reps high 15 plus for 2-3 sets. Reps and sets aren't the only way to train, try using time. Do as many reps as you can do in one min. After one min. move on to the next exercise keep track of how many reps you completed for the exercise and you can monitor improvements. Time in between exercises and sets should be limited try not to rest for more than 30sec. This will keep the heart rate up and challenge the body’s cardiovascular system.
Final thought: Resistance training is extremely beneficial for everyone especially the outdoor enthusiast. You can see benefits such as increase in strength, endurance and a decrease in injuries. Meaning you can play harder longer and more often. Whether it be hiking in the mountains, kayaking the rivers, surfing in the ocean and everything in between. Incorporate resistance training into your life and enjoy the rewards. These are only a few basic suggestions and ideas about resistance training before starting any new exercise program make sure you are cleared by your doctor and get proper instructions by a fitness professional.
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