Get Stronger With These 5 Movements
Strength training is one of the best things you can do for your health. Experts recommend starting with these 5 moves.
Building muscle is crucial for overall health, providing stronger bones, healthier joints, less pain, and a longer lifespan. Certified personal trainer Charlie Grundas explains that getting stronger contributes to a longer life and improved daily activities like climbing stairs and carrying groceries. He suggests five foundational movements: squat, hinge, push, pull, and carry.
These movements should be incorporated into two full-body workouts per week. As the exercises become easier, gradually increase the number of exercises or the weight used.
Some recommended strength-training exercises include squats, rear-foot-elevated split squats, push-ups, pull-ups, and farmer's carries. Squats help maintain the ability to stand up from sitting and can be modified for those with balance issues. Hinge movements, such as Romanian deadlifts, work multiple muscle groups and can be modified with single kettlebells for beginners.
Push-ups, which engage the shoulders, chest, and core, can be modified using elevated surfaces or progressively lowered. Pull-ups, which test shoulder mobility, upper-body strength, and grip strength, can be modified with resistance bands or chin-ups. Finally, farmer's carries, which improve grip strength, involve walking with heavy weights at your sides.
Aim for at least two full-body strength-training workouts per week, starting with 12 repetitions or a set distance/time.
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