Building Muscle Strength: The Les Mills Approach

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Les Mills. 

This winter I’ve been on a mission to build strength. Training for half marathons and triathlons involves a lot of cardio, which is a good thing, but last year I realized my workouts were becoming imbalanced and building muscle strength was where I directed my focus during the off-season, a great time to work on getting stronger in preparation for a successful race season.

Regardless of your hobbies or even your age, building muscle strength is a really good idea.

• It increases bone density to prevent osteoporosis
• Burns more calories to make your workouts more efficient and melt fat
• Balances your hormones
• Improves your posture and puts less stress on your joints and ligaments to prevent arthritis
• Builds confidence because when you’re walking taller and you feel good, it shows!

These are a few quick pointers to keep in mind when building muscle strength:

Strength-train
Not to state the obvious but you must strength-train to build muscle strength. You can lift barbells, free weights or use your own body weight, target your full body or different muscle groups on different days. Make sure to rest at least one day in between strength-training workouts.

The Les Mills BOBYPUMP class at NYSC is a barbell class that challenges all of the major muscle groups in one workout to sculpt, tone and strengthen the body fast using the REP EFFECT, 70-100 repetitions per body part for a total of up to 800 reps in a single hour-long class, more than four times the reps the average person can achieve during a weight training workout. Low weight loads and high reps burn fat and increase strength for a leaner body.

Don’t Ignore The Core
Don’t forget about your core. A strong core supports your spine and helps with balance, both of which are super important when it comes to strength-training. You’ll be more efficient and prevent injury when your core is strong.

Eat Right
Speak to any personal trainer and most will tell you that exercise is a start but it’s only a fraction of the equation. Eating right carries more weight than how far you can run and how much you can bench press. You’ll see better results, faster with the right diet. Need help with this? Check out my services and one on one health coaching.

Rest
Any strength you gain actually happens when your muscles are at rest. That’s why it’s important to get plenty of sleep, take one day off in between strength-training workouts and know when to take a rest day.

What fitness goals have you been working toward? Share with me in the comments. 

To find a Les Mills class in your area, click here.