Weight training is most commonly used to improve your muscular strength. Weight training exercises improve your strength by developing more lean muscle tissue and improving your muscular endurance. Weight training can be completed with body weight, free weights such as dumbbells or weighted machines commonly found in health clubs.
Upper Body
You use all of the upper body for movements that require you to push, pull, throw and manipulate smaller objects with your hands. Exercises such as push-ups, pull-ups, chin-ups and dips will engage your entire upper body at once for maximum strength.
Bicep curls will strengthen the inside of your upper arm while tricep extensions will build the outside of your upper arm. Performing the overhead press will strengthen your shoulders and upper back. Lie on your back to perform a chest press that will strengthen your pectoral (chest) muscles. For the abdominals you can perform standard crunches, the bicycle (touching the opposite elbow to the opposite knee) or hold a weight in front of your chest during crunches.
Lower Body
The lower body contains the quadriceps (front of the thigh), the hamstrings (back of the thigh), calves (back of lower leg) and glutes (buttocks). Your legs provide a support system for your body, enable you to walk and allow you to perform explosive movements like sprinting or jumping.
Examples of common lower body exercises include step-ups, squats, lunges and calf raises. The jump squat will strengthen all of the muscles in your lower body at once. To perform this movement you squat down, explode upward into a jump, land softly by bending your knees and go right back into another squat.
Increase Reps
According to Shape Fit, you need to challenge your muscles in order to build more strength. If you wish to build more strength by adding more muscles mass it is better to use heavier weights and lower repetitions. For example you would perform one to two sets of 6 to 8 repetitions for each exercise. If you can complete more than eight repetitions easily, you need to use a heavier weight. If your goal is to build strength and improve your muscular endurance you will need to use lighter weights and higher repetitions. An example of this workout would be performing three to four sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
About this Author
Ashley Farley is a certified personal trainer. Farley began writing in 2009 for eHow, LIVESTRONG, Helium and Associated Content. She has an Associate of Science in mental health services from the Community College of the Air Force. Farley is currently attending Wright State University for journalism and English.
