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Improve Your Strength With These Key Tips for Beginners

11th June 2021

11th June 2021

By Catherine Hargreaves

Strength training is a hugely important part of any workout plan. As well as improving your strength levels, having a higher muscle mass means your body will burn more calories, and it will make cardio and other workouts feel like a dream. If you're working towards a fitness goal like lifting more weights or losing weight, it sounds like this could be a good way to go, right?

If you're looking for strength tips for beginners, or just some advice on how to get stronger, you're in the right place. Here's our guide to strength training for beginners (and some general gym tips for beginners, too!) 

Slow and steady wins the race 

If you're new to weight training, keep things chill. It's really important not to overwork yourself, as this will lead to injury and put you out of the game for a while - or even do some long lasting, nasty damage. A huge no no. 

One of the biggest training tips for beginners we urge is that you should only use enough weight that enables you to complete 10 to 12 reps (and two or three sets) per exercise. You want to feel challenged but still in control.

Move the amount of weight you use up gradually when you feel ready, and avoid picking up those heavy weights before you're completely ready. As we said, you don't want to get an injury that slows down your progress.

Spend the first couple of weeks learning how to do each exercise properly, rather than worrying about how much you're lifting.

Have a plan

Here at Innermost, we're big believers in having a plan. Whether you write a to-do list or have it all in your head, make sure you decide what you're going to do during your workout before you begin, to ensure that you remain focused and driven during the session.

Firstly, pick the muscle group you want to work on, and then plan which exercises you're going to do and for how long (and at what weight if necessary). Keep your workout full of compound exercises for a well-rounded session that works a variety of muscle groups at once.

Don't feel the need to splash out

If you're just getting started with strength training, you'll find that you won't need big weight equipment systems or a hefty gym membership to get a good workout. What's more - you can do these at home, too! 

Bodyweight workouts can be a great place to start, and this is another one of our key training tips for beginners. The best part about bodyweight workouts is that they are completely free. Plus -you'll be surprised at how hard you'll work just using the weight of your own body. 

Warm up

Start your workout with 10 minutes of light cardio, and ensure you have stretched the muscles you are going to be working on. Supplement your diet with creatine to support power and endurance during high intensity workouts. Check out Innermost's The Power Booster, which will help to increase your power, strength and speed at the gym. Perfect for high-intensity training, it will take your workout to the next level.

Mix it up

As well as making sure to exercise all areas of your body (not necessarily all in the same workout!), keep things fresh with different exercises, to ensure that your muscles don't get used to the same old moves. Constant change will mean that your muscles continue to develop and feel challenged.

Don't neglect your form

If you're not sure how to properly execute a move, it's crucial that you ask someone. The last thing you want to do is injure yourself because you're too embarrassed to ask if you're using the right form for a certain type of exercise

Feed your gains

Be sure to aid muscle recovery and development with a diet rich in protein, which is vital for building muscle. Check out The Strong Protein for a tasty protein kick combined with added functional ingredients designed to enhance strength and support healthy muscle recovery.

So now you're set. Get out there and smash your first strength workout. Don't forget to keep us updated with your progress on Instagram by tagging us at @liveinnermost in your workout pics!

And then remember to relax

So you've conquered your first strength workout. Well done!

You may be feeling a little deflated, though if it doesn't it feel great. Don't worry, this is perfectly normal. Now you need to give your body some time to recover before launching back in.

Use a foam roller after every workout to prevent painful, tight muscles the next day, and ensure you're working different parts of your body on different days to give yourself a chance to heal. 

It's also crucial to make sure that you're supplementing your diet with the nutrients that your body needs to repair and develop. Get yourself covered with The Recover Capsules, nootropics that contain research-backed which support your recovery process, reduce inflammation, and regulate hormone activity.

Summary

Whether you're set on improving your leg strength, upper body strength or want to learn how to get stronger arms, our tips above will help you well on your way to getting there. If you're looking for some targeted training tips for beginners when it comes to to weight lifting, check out our dedicated guide. 

PS: If your fitness goal is to increase your strength, have you considered The Strong Protein? Born from the knowledge that just protein alone won't give you muscles, The Strong Protein supplement combines inflammation-fighting ingredients, Creatine, Magnesium and delicious Montmorency Cherries and bilberries to get a burst of flavour whilst upping your muscle growth, too. 

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From the Bedroom to the Gym: Is Your Sex Life Affecting Your Workout Performance?
The relationship between sex and workout performance is one that’s long been debated by scientists and fitness fanatics alike. It’s complicated and multifaceted, so answering the question of whether your sex life is affecting your training is difficult. That said, today we’re going to take a look at a variety of evidence, both academic and anecdotal, as well as several different scenarios and at least try to reduce some of the mystery around the subject. First, it helps to understand what’s actually happening to the body, both physically and psychologically, during both activities.   The Effects of Sex on the Body Sexual activity causes several changes to occur in the body:   Physical Changes That Occur During Sex During sexual activity and the lead up to it, the human body undergoes a process known as the sexual response cycle. This is the case for both males and females, though the cycle can be highly individual and may not be the same each time for each person. Describing the full sexual response cycle is beyond the scope of this article, however it consists of 4 phases: Desire Arousal Orgasm Resolution Factors such as elevated heart rate, increased blood flow and pressure and heightened muscle tension all come into play. If you’d like to read about the sexual response cycle in more detail, check out this great article from Cleveland Clinic.   Psychological Changes That Occur During Sex Several psychological changes occur both during and after sex. Most notable are the release of endorphins and oxytocin, which are associated with improved mood and a better sense of wellbeing. These are also responsible for reduced stress levels, which brings a multitude of additional benefits that are of particular interest to those of us participating in regular training and exercise. Cortisol, the hormone responsible for stress, is catabolic in high levels, meaning it can cause the breakdown of lean tissue. So, whilst it is unclear whether sex itself affects workout performance, the reduction in stress levels it may bring is definitely beneficial for preserving our results!   The Effects of Exercise and Training on the Body Exercise and training also cause the body to undergo a number of changes. These occur both during and after the physical activity. There are in fact a number of similarities in changes that happen during exercise and sex:   Physical Changes That Occur During Exercise The physical changes that happen in the body vary based on the type of exercise being undertaken, however, there are some that are common to exercise in general: Increased heart rate Increased blood flow, especially to the muscles Faster, deeper breathing due to additional oxygen needs Heightened activity within the circulatory, respiratory, musculoskeletal and endocrine systems A full summary of the changes that occur within these systems can be found here. More aerobically demanding exercise will, of course, place greater emphasis on the circulatory and respiratory systems as well as causing fat to be metabolised as an energy source. Resistance training, which often relies more heavily on the lactate and creatine phosphate energy systems, instead promotes greater muscular and endocrine (hormone) activity. Note the common physical changes between sex and exercise here, as they do crossover!   Psychological Changes That Occur During Exercise The psychological changes that occur during exercise are similar to those experienced during sexual activity and are mostly related to the release of endorphins and other ‘feelgood’ hormones. These help to regulate mood, and it is common knowledge that frequent exercise and leading an active, healthy lifestyle promotes a feeling of wellbeing.   Does Sex Affect Our Workouts? This is where things become complicated. Though extensive studies have been done on the subject, the results of these have varied massively. We must also take into account the experience of individuals, and this anecdotal evidence again has huge variance. Let’s look at both:   Sex and Training: What the Science Says Scientific studies on the relationship between sex and training are contradictory at best. There’s no denying the positive benefits of both activities, particularly from a psychological perspective, but as for the effect of sex on actual performance in the gym the results are inconclusive. A study, published in April 2021, by Kirecci, Albayrak and co. examined the effects of sexual activity of 50 men in the 24 hours prior to training on lower body strength. The study measured effects by having the men perform 3 separate squat sessions, each at the same time of day. Each of these sessions occurred after participating in or abstaining from sexual activity the night before. The men performed 5 sets of 5 repetitions of their maximum squat weight during these sessions and the difference in weight lifted was observed. The study concluded that ‘sexual intercourse within 24 hours before exercise [has a] detrimental effect on lower extremity muscle force, which suggests that restricting sexual activity before a short-term activity may be necessary.’ Aside from this study, most others found either no notable relationship between sex and athletic performance. A meta-analysis of 9 crossover studies, conducted by Zavorsky and Brooks and published on 16 September 2022, confirms this. The analysis concluded that ‘The results demonstrate that sexual activity within 30 min to 24 h before exercise does not appear to affect aerobic fitness, musculoskeletal endurance, or strength/power.’ This is perhaps more notable, because these studies incorporated different types of exercise and were not restricted purely to a strength/power based activity like squats.   Anecdotal Evidence: What About the Experiences of Real Gym Goers? The anecdotal evidence is, as expected, highly individualised. However, there tends to be a bias against the results of most studies, particularly in those participating in sports involving strength and aggression. For example, many fighters claim that they perform better when they abstain from sex in the days leading up to a contest. Similarly, bodybuilding forums are full of debate on this topic and many claim they note a significant decrease in motivation to train at maximum intensity after sexual activity. It has been hypothesised that this may be due to a downregulation in testosterone production after sex; during orgasm the mineral zinc is released in the body and this is also a precursor for natural testosterone production in the body and may, therefore, provide some reasoning as to the experience of many trainees.   Key Takeaways The relationship between sex and workout performance will always be a complicated one. The effects of one on the other in terms of physical fitness and, in particular, mental wellbeing, are clear, but when it comes to actual performance this appears to be highly individual. We’d advise doing what feels best for you but not worrying too much about it. Instead, prioritise your nutrition and make sure you’re fuelling your workouts properly. While you’re here, why not take a look at the Innermost range? We’re proud to be completely transparent about the ingredients in our products and we always ensure they’re of the highest quality. Check us out, and be sure to get in touch if you have any questions! Read more