Getting stronger doesn't mean getting bigger, or even necessarily healthier.
Nevertheless, I think a good, all around program of getting stronger will result in a healthier body, though not necessarily bigger.
Strength training is something both men and women of ages should be actively pursuing.
If you are going to strength train, and you should, consider these 5 tips as you exercise toward your fitness goals.
1.
Compound movements - No secret here, getting stronger means using the most amount of muscles in a given movement with the heaviest weights.
Movements like squats, chins, bench press, dead lifts, power cleans, and standing press all work not only multiple muscle groups but also involve multiple joints.
This is critical because getting stronger doesn't just mean the muscles, but the underlying foundational ligaments and tendons too.
2.
Rest between sets - Ordinarily, I recommend resting as little as possible between sets.
Some of the old time gurus suggested never taking your hands off the barbell.
For each compound movement, you should do around 4 sets; pyramiding from a warm up set of 15 to 20 reps to the final set of 8 to 10 reps.
For the first 3 sets, you should rest no longer than 1 minute.
Between the 3rd and final set, you should rest anywhere from 3 to 5 minutes.
This is your max effort; you want to be fully recovered before you jump in.
3.
Slow movements - Your movements must be slow and methodical.
Not only does this reduce your chance of injuries, but more importantly, you eliminate momentum and recruit maximum number of muscle fibers.
That said, there will always be exceptions like power cleans, but as a rule - slow and controlled is best.
4.
Always move forward - You must increase either your weight or your reps every work out.
If you are doing pushups, then increase your reps by 1 every workout.
If you do pushups 3 times a week and you can only do 10 the first time, then doing 1 more each work out translates to 25 pushups by end of the month.
You have increased your pushup strength 2 and half times.
Add 5, 10, or 2lbs every work out to get progressively stronger every work out.
5.
Change weights - Think holistically about your work outs.
Changing weights, moving barbells, and putting things back work your whole body.
When you change the pin selector and sit on the leg extension machine, you rob your body of an opportunity to build all around strength.
Stripping the barbells, adding the weights, etc.
work your forearms, your traps, and your core muscles.
It is all good stuff.
These are some suggestions for when you are working out.
Of course, to get stronger, you need to rest sufficiently between work outs to give your muscles a chance to recover.
You must eat a well balanced diet that supports strength training.
But these topics are subjects for another day.