The purpose of resistance training is to strengthen muscles through a continued system of tests in which they’re typically working against a given force. That force may be immovable, like a floor or wall, or it may be mobile like a free weight. Weight training is one of the most commonly known forms of resistance training.
There are two standard types of resistance training: isometric and isotonic. These represent putting pressure on unmoving muscles or giving muscles greater range and motion during resistance training, respectively.
With isometric training, your body resists a given force – such as during a bench press, when you’re sustaining a single motion rather than flexing at the joint. Your muscle contracts without extended and shortening repeatedly. The advantage is that your endurance can increase for static exercises, such as a sustained pull-up. This type of exercise can also be used if you’ve recently overworked or injured the training site; the muscle sustains less wear-and-tear with isometric activity.
With isotonic training, your muscle moves in accordance with a preexisting force, like in the event of lifting and lowering bicep curls. In this case, your muscle gains the most strength at the weakest point in the exercise. But the downside is that your muscle can also be sorer at this point of stress because it’s where the muscle contracts in the repeated movement.
Another type of well-known resistance training that gained popularity in recent years is the resistance band workout, which we’ll talk about next week.
Our Greenville sports club offers a variety of equipment to get you started. Our knowledgeable staff can help you find out what type of resistance training can help you meet your muscle-building goals. And then you can create a regular schedule with a Pivotal Fitness Greenville gym trainer to stick with your sets of choice until you see the results you desire. Remember, practice makes perfect!