A low-pressure, nine-step guide to making strength training a habit

I still remember the excruciating feeling of hanging from the pull-up bars in gym class at school, struggling with all my meager strength to get up. While other children seemed naturally gifted with physical power, I came to believe that my arms were best used for answering a question in class.

And yet I have tried physical strength ever since. I took a weightlifting course in college and loved how the muscle gain made me feel. Before my wedding, I got hooked on barbell workouts and discovered the satisfaction of being able to carry groceries for over two minutes without resting.

Beyond the visceral joys of feeling strong, I’m also aware of the health benefits of building muscle. A recent study published in The British Journal of Sports Medicine found that combining aerobic exercise with one or two weekly strength sessions not only lengthens life expectancy, but also improves people’s quality of life and well-being. Numerous studies have found that resistance training is good for mental health: it has been shown to positively influence cognition and decrease depression and anxiety. Evidence also suggests that it allows us to simply feel better in our bodies.

But every time I’ve done enough strength training to see progress, my commitment eventually petered out, mostly due to the demands of daily life. Consumed by cycles of work, childcare, and utter burnout, I have followed the path of least resistance, literally and figuratively.

So I asked exercise psychologists, scientists, trainers, and muscle evangelists for their best advice on starting a long-lasting strength training routine. This is what I learned.

1. Start small

For those of us who haven’t done much strength training, or if it’s been a while, experts suggest starting with short but consistent strength sessions. “Set some small goals,” said Mary Winfrey-Kovell, a professor of exercise science at Ball State University in the US “Some movement is better than no movement.”

How small? Depending on one’s schedule, needs, and wants, exercise scientists suggest spending 20 minutes twice a week on strength training, or perhaps 10-15 minutes three times a week.

This is supported by another recent study in The British Journal of Sports Medicine, which found that just 30-60 minutes a week of strength training can reap significant long-term rewards, including a 10-20 percent reduction in the risk of mortality, cardiovascular disease and cancer . (Notably, benefits plateaued after one hour and tapered off after two hours a week.)

2. Start simple

Fitness marketing often tries to convince us that any worthwhile routine must include fancy gadgets or specialized equipment, but in reality very little is needed. “Strength training doesn’t have to mean barbells, super-heavy weights and lots of equipment,” said Anne Brady, professor of kinesiology.

Muscle-building exercises that rely on your own body weight — think push-ups, planks, and sit-stands (sometimes called chair raises) — can be incredibly effective when done correctly and consistently, he said. You can always add equipment as you advance in strength and knowledge.

3. Embrace being a newbie

Starting a strength training routine when you have little or no experience can be overwhelming, especially if you’re working out in a gym or public space, in full view of more experienced athletes.

Many of us “hold ourselves to a standard that we need to look like we already know what we’re doing,” said Casey Johnston, author of the popular lifting newsletter, She’s a Beast, and the book, Liftoff: Couch to Barbell. “It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay to ask questions.”

More than anything, learning proper form, and what movements are safest for your body, can help prevent injury and promote a long-lasting routine. If you can afford it, consider hiring a certified personal trainer for a few sessions, either virtual or in person, who will create a training plan and guide you through the exercises. And if you work out at a gym, don’t be afraid to ask the staff for guidance.

An advantage of starting from scratch? Your strength will improve exponentially at first. “I think most people would be surprised at how quickly they can get so much stronger than they are,” Johnston said. After a few sessions, he said, “you will really feel the difference in the functionality of your body.”

4. Do it early in the day

If you are like me and plan frequently To strength train at night but find that, at 5 pm or later, you feel unable to get off the couch, experts advise making time early in the morning.

There is a reason for this. Research suggests that the more self-control we have during the day, the less we have to give at night. “So if you’ve spilled self-control on a number of things and your plan was to exercise at night,” it’s no wonder you’d give in to the desire to vegetate in front of your phone or TV rather than break a sweat, said Elizabeth Hathaway, a professor of exercise psychology. “Self-control is not an infinite resource.”

5. Try the ‘grouping of temptations’

Do you need an extra push? Kelley Strohacker, a professor of exercise physiology who researches changes in health behavior, suggests a behavioral economics trick called “temptation pooling.”

It works like this: By “bundling” something we love and look forward to — say, a favorite podcast or TV show, audiobook, or exciting playlist — with an activity we find challenging, we can increase our chances of doing the latter. . “Just pairing them can help ease that initial, ‘I really don’t want to do it, but I know I should,'” Professor Strohacker said. The key, however, is to allow yourself to only enjoy that particular pleasure while doing the workout.

6. Use (pretty much) whatever you want

If the idea of ​​changing into specific “workout clothes” presents a barrier to strength training, don’t bother!

“Wear whatever you feel comfortable with,” Professor Brady said. “The most important thing is to be able to move freely through different ranges of motion.” You might also benefit from having your clothes “breathe” so you don’t overheat, but there’s no need to buy special moisture-wicking sports gear if you’re more comfortable moving around in your pajamas.

7. Remember that the goal is to move forward

If you find that you need to miss sessions, show self-compassion, Professor Strohacker said. Strength training, like all exercise, is a long game, and the ultimate goal is simply to keep doing it throughout our lives, despite setbacks along the way.

“Our culture really pushes this narrative of ‘you can do it if you really want to,’” he said. “This is very simplifying.” Life happens. Research suggests that the true path to longevity and consistency in any activity is to “enjoy it and be fulfilled,” she added. This becomes easier when we celebrate our progress, no matter how incremental, and find our way back when we stray off course.

8. Consider a couch workout

If the desire to spend time on your couch feels overwhelming, make your couch work for you: use it as a piece of equipment to make your workout easier.

With a couch, you can do sitting and standing exercises, Professor Brady said. You can turn around and do push-ups or planks.

And if you want to watch TV while working on the couch, choose shows with ad breaks and try the “ad break challenge,” suggests Winfrey-Kovell. During these breaks, do leg walks or leg lifts, or keep hand weights by your side and lift until the program returns. Just make sure you can maintain good posture and form.

“We don’t want to exercise with our backs in a shrimp position,” he said. But “if your hips are in the right position, your spine is in alignment, your shoulders are back, and your feet can touch the ground,” there are plenty of things you can do on a couch.

9. Try this 20-minute starter routine

Ready to get started? Professor Brady recommends starting with this basic strengthening routine. The only equipment he will need is his own body and a set of resistance bands.

Complete each exercise, in order, 10 to 15 times, then go back and do it again for a second set. The exercises alternate muscle groups and should be done at a moderate level of intensity, whatever makes you feel.

• Push-ups (or modified push-ups)
• squats
• Seated Row with Resistance Band
• glute bridges
• Overhead presses with resistance band
• bird dogs
• Resistance Band Pulldowns

— This article originally appeared on the New York Times