Why should you use weight training workout routines to lose weight?

We highly recommend that you include some weight training in your weight loss exercise program. There are great benefits you will get:

1.) Weight training workout routines can be combined in an excellent way with other weight loss exercise program options. This will give you more variety and help you to lose more weight faster. It will also make your exercise program more balanced and well rounded. We recommend weight training on 2-3 days of your weekly weight loss exercise program.

2.) You will kick-start your metabolism and continue to burn calories for a long time after the workout. Your body will use energy to recover and rebuild muscles well after your workout routines are finished.

3.) You will build some muscles. This has two great benefits: You will tone your body while you lose fat. You will also increase the calorie requirements of your body over the long term.

If you do a weight training routine for weight loss, you don’t need to be afraid that you will wake up suddenly one morning and be packed with muscles. Building a large mass of muscles takes a completely different exercise and diet program than the one for weight loss.

The goal of the weight training workout routines can be purely on losing weight while toning your body. You will not build a large muscle mass if you focus on weight training for weight loss. That also means that you should be following a different routine if you want to build a large muscle mass.

What you need for your weight training workout routines:

You do not need to join a fitness gym with lots of exercise machines to start a good weight training routine. You simply need a set of safe, adjustable dumbbells and an adjustable bench. With this you can already do a wide variety of effective exercises.

Of course, you might want to join a fitness gym if you don’t have space at home or want to take advantage of extra services (like aerobic classes).

When starting out take it easy!

If you never worked with weights or if you have been absence for a long time, you should start out very easy. In the first weeks or month you should dedicate yourself to learn the movements instead of starting out with intense workout routines.

We recommend following a super-slow weight lifting routine if you are a complete beginner. Else, choose a low intensity routine and focus on building a good base for a few weeks.

The super-slow weight training method

The super-slow weight lifting method became famous in the beginning of the millennia. It says that a repetition (see below) should last around 14 to 16 seconds. You should only use 1 or 2 types of exercises per muscle group.

We recommend the method if you are a complete beginner as this concept guarantees that the exercises are done with a good form. You can concentrate your mind fully on the correct movement and on your muscles.

You will discover when and how your muscles fail (when they simply cannot go on and cannot do another repetition) and learn about using the right weight. The slow movement lowers the risk of injury and builds a good base for a more dynamic weight training routine.

We recommend that you switch to a classical routine after 3 month of super-slow training.

In a classical routine you take around 2-3 seconds for one repetition. It is always important that you never jerk the weight and use momentum to lift a weight. You need to be in total control of your movement at all times.

Weight training workout routines for weight loss - the basics

A routine consists of:

1. Types of exercise per session (based on what muscle groups are trained in the session)
2. Number of exercises per session (and per muscle group)
3. Number of "sets" per exercises and rest in between sets
4. Number of repetitions per "set"

For example, a mini-routine could be:

Type and number of exercise:
(1) Curls to train the biceps
(2) Hammer curls to train the biceps

Sets and repletion per exercise:
Do 4 sets x 15-20 repetitions for each exercise.
Leave 1-minute rest in between the sets

Check out our get-started 4-month weight training workout routines

Cycle your workout routines!

As with your diet plans, you should also change your weightlifting program with time. You should change the type and number of exercises and the number of sets and repetitions. This will not allow your body to get used to a routine. Once your body accommodates itself to one certain workout routine, the effects will be diminished. Check out our 4-month plan as an example and see how we apply the cycle principle.