Yes strong is the new sexyIt’s no wonder more people than ever want to start lifting weights. Instagram hashtags like “inspiration” (fitness inspiration) and #gym they contain millions of posts, typically of flexed muscles, inspirational quotes, and exercise tips.
While weight training can be a great way to lose weight and build muscle, it can be confusing and even intimidating know where to start, especially when there is so much conflicting fitness advice available online. Another problem is that most of the fitness tips you find online will tell you that there are certain “must do” exercises that you must include in your fitness regimen, or else you won’t see any progress.
These are typically barbell exercises such as barbell squats (balancing a barbell across your upper back while lowering your hips to about 90 degrees before pushing back up), deadlifts (lifting a barbell off the ground to hip level, hip thrusts) or hip thrusts (resting your upper back on a bench or flat object and using your hips to push a barbell up).
But are these exercises really essential? Well, the answer is a bit more nuanced than a simple yes or no.
While barbell exercises allow you to load heavy weights, they require you to perform very specific movement patterns. Whether it’s upper-body exercises like the bench press (lying on a bench and pushing a barbell toward the sky) or overhead pressing (standing or kneeling and pushing the bar from level chest to overhead), or lower-body exercises such as squats or deadlifts, barbell exercises are bilateral exercises – meaning that two limbs work together at the same time to lift the weight.
But weight-bearing exercises may not work for everyone. Due to the nature of the barbell, it means that a person’s individual anatomy can make these movements uncomfortable depending on a number of different factors, such as limb lengths either past injuries. This means that barbell movements could actually put some people at greater risk of injury if done incorrectly.
For example, people with long legs may find More challenging barbell squats due to the additional range of motion needed to move the bar. Muscle imbalances (which can change natural movement patterns and range of motion) can also cause shoulder pain or even injury during overhead presses or barbell bench presses.
jump the bar
Variations with dumbbells and kettlebells (smaller hand weights) can be much more forgiving, especially for upper-body pressing exercises like overhead presses and single-leg exercises. This is because dumbbell and kettlebell exercises are typically unilateral exercises, meaning each limb moves independently to perform the exercise. This means we can adjust an exercise move in ways that reflect our unique anatomies.
While there is still much debate in the scientific community about whether bilateral or unilateral exercises are better, some evidence indicates that the unique way that unilateral exercises recruit muscles during an exercise may help us. lift more weight in the long run. This may be due to bilateral deficitwhich is a phenomenon in which the force produced by using two limbs at once is less than the combined force produced when they are used independently.
But while unilateral exercise is a great way to build balance and strength, bilateral exercise is still useful if you are short on time. They can also be adjusted to make them safer and more comfortable, such as using a trap bar (a large hexagonal bar that you step on) for deadlifts, as this places less load on the lower back and can be particularly helpful. for people with back problems or longer legs.
If your goals are build muscle and get stronger, the most important thing to do is place the muscle under load (weight) and do more progressively over time. This can take the form of lifting heavier weights, increasing the number of sets and reps performed, or adjusting rest times to get more work done in less time. This is known as “progressive overload”.
But progressive overload can be done with any weightlifting exercise, not just barbell exercises. If we can remove our attachment to a particular exercise and see them only as tools to get a job done, this opens up new possibilities for making exercise more varied, individualized, and perhaps even more enjoyable, which could also mean that we are more likely to let’s do it stick to it long-term.
One could even argue that whatever exercise you enjoy and do consistently is the best form of exercise for you. And consistency, not the exercises we do, is the most important factor in achieving success. long term benefits of exercise
Weight training has many benefits, such as helping us lose weight and build muscle. It can even reduce the symptoms of chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetesY lower risk of death by 15% for all causes. So it’s important to remember that you can achieve these benefits with any weight-based exercise, whether you use a barbell or not.
David Rogerson, Senior Lecturer in Sports Nutrition and Strength and Conditioning, Sheffield Hallam University
This article was first published on The conversation
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