Traditional strength training is not typically thought of as a “fun” or “exciting” style of exercise. It is typically very repetitive, slow, and difficult; probably the worst combination you can ask for when it comes to a motivating workout, but there are a lot of reasons to add it to your routine.

Though not as fun as HIIT (high intensity interval training), strength training also provides the same “afterburn” effect, but to an even higher degree. This allows you to burn a higher number of calories in the 24 to 48 hours after your workout, even while asleep, or sedentary. The degree of this metabolic boost depends primarily on the amount of weight you lift in relation to your own strength. If you use an easier weight, the change in metabolism is small; whereas, if you use a weight that is very challenging, then you can maximize the metabolic increase that strength training gives you.

On top of that short-term bump in metabolism, traditional weight training also permanently increases your metabolism by building lean muscle. This process is very slow and takes consistent training to create a large change, but over the long run, this can be the difference between struggling to maintain weight with your current caloric intake versus being able to eat double what you do now and still be able to easily maintain body weight.

Typically men are not scared of strength training and even intentionally go after it for their exercise routine, but many women tend to shy away from it—and then wonder why men drop weight so much more easily when “dieting” than they seem to. In fact, building muscle is the key to faster weight loss and making it easier to maintain a healthy body weight and you don’t have to look like a professional bodybuilder to get the benefit of weight training.  So, let go of your concerns of bulking up and grab some dumbbells, I promise you won’t regret it.

In this video we have changed up the traditional strength training to engage the core a bit more which in turn burns a few more calories. On top of this the motions we use also help to build overall body control and coordination that will cross over into many different everyday life activities.

Be sure to start with lighter weights than you may typically use as the motions will take a while to get used to.  Once you have the form down, then you can easily increase the amount of weight lifted to get more of a calorie burn while exercising, an afterburn when done, and a permanent metabolism boost from the muscle tissue built by this type of exercise.

Workout Structure:
    •    3 Groups of 2 Exercises
    •    2 Sets of 10 Reps
    •    Alternating ABAB Pattern

Equipment:
    •    Dumbbells
    •    Bench

Warm Up:
    •    Arm Scoops                  •    Side Bends with Reach
    •    Arm Swing                    •    Boxer Shuffle
    •    Torso Circles                •    Jumping Jacks
    •    Arm Circles

Workout:
    •    Alternating Chest Press
    •    Alternating Close Row

    •    Alternating Shoulder Press
    •    Alternating Dumbbell Pullover

    •    Alternating Tricep Extension
    •    Alternating Bicep Curl

Cooldown:
    •    Arm Cross Stretch  L&R
    •    Overhead Tricep Stretch  L&R
    •    Wall Chest Stretch  L&R
    •    Bentover Rear Arm Stretch
    •    Toe Touch
    •    Cobra
    •    Childs Pose