Diet & Fitness 

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Introduction to weight training

Absolutely. Since you're a beginner, any weight routine will be effective and challenging, in the sense that using resistance will make you stronger no matter how many repetitions or sets you do.

Doing multi-joint exercises that recruit several muscle groups at once is the quickest way to increase strength and lean muscle mass. Remember that increasing muscle is the way to increase your metabolism and thus burn more calories at rest. Forget split routines, where you do one group of exercises one day and train another set of muscles the next. Instead, do a full-body circuit of exercises 2-3 times per week, with at least one day off between sessions. Use the other days for cardiovascular training or to practice your favourite sport. Select a resistance that lets you complete 8-12 repetitions of each exercise. Do 1-3 sets of each exercise. Here's a basic routine:

• Squats: The ‘King’ of strength training exercises works your quads, hamstrings, gluteus and lower back. Squats are the foundation of any athlete's weight training program. You can do them with or without weights, or with a bar across your shoulders. In a gym, the leg press machine will work your legs in the same way. Remember, using all those muscles at the same time will make you stronger, faster
• Bench press: Another classic ‘power’ exercise that uses your chest, shoulder and triceps muscles. You can do this exercise with dumbbells or a barbell, or use the chest press station if you have access to weight machines
• Lat pull-downs: This exercise recruits your biggest upper body muscles, your latissimus dorsi (the large upper back muscles) and your biceps. If you don't have access to a lat pull-down machine, bent-over one-arm rows work the same muscles one arm at a time.
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