Strength training for beginners

What it’s all about:

Your goal
Training method
Training frequency
What is an antagonist?
Warm up and stretch
The right execution
Nutrition
Medical aspects
Bodyweight exercises
Who is your training buddy?

If you’re looking for beginner strength training tips, you may have already decided on a workout that’s ideal for you. Congratulations – you’re off to a good start! In order for strength training to be a healthy and effective workout, it’s important that you keep a few things in mind. This will help you optimise the effectiveness of your training and make it work for you. These beginner’s tips on planning strength training are also there to make sure you don’t make any mistakes that could spoil your fun. So read our tips carefully and your training project is good to go!

1. Your goal

The first beginner’s tip for strength training starts with setting your goal. Because this is what determines your strength training method. Basically, there are two types of training goals: muscle building and definition. If you have little muscle, you should start by building muscle. Maximum strength training is suitable for this. You can read more about what that is below. If you already have muscles (perhaps because you use your muscles for work) but they’re not yet well defined, strength endurance training is the way forward (more on this later).

There are also other goals you can set, such as strengthening your back, reducing excess weight or getting toned legs, but they are all based on either building muscle or definition with the right exercises.

2. Training method

There are two main factors that determine your strength training: the weight and the number of repetitions. It’s only when you train properly that you can achieve the results that matter to you.

Maximum strength training should be designed so that you can do about 5 to 8 repetitions. For strength endurance training, it’s approx. 10 to 15 repetitions. This means that the weight is greater for muscle building training than for muscle definition. What’s important for both methods is that you should just about be able to manage the last repetition. If you can do the series of repetitions easily, it’s essential that you increase the weight.

For strength training beginners, the sets are also important. The repetitions you complete in one exercise are called a set. And the rule here is: One is not enough. You should do two to three sets per exercise and take a break in between to recover completely.

3. Training frequency

When you start strength training and start imagining the great results you can achieve, you might get a bit carried away. But it’s not a good idea to exercise every day, because it’s during the recovery phase that the muscle does what it is supposed to do: it changes. If you train too often, you might put too much strain on it. That’s why our strength training tips for beginners also stress the message: Include recovery time!

But there’s a little trick you can use if you want to exercise more than two or three times a week. You can do a workout split – that’s what the pros call dividing your workout focus in strength training. For example, you could focus on your legs and abdomen two days a week and reserve two other days for your back, chest and arms.

4. The antagonist

Every muscle has a counterpart. For biceps, it’s the triceps. For the front of the thigh, the quadriceps, it’s the back of the thigh, the hamstrings. For the abdomen, the lower back. For the chest, the upper back. And so on. It’s important that you always exercise the muscle and its antagonist equally, because that’s the basis for good posture, which not only looks good, but is also important for a healthy and evenly loaded spine.

5. Warm up and stretch

Warm muscles and activated circulation are essential for injury-free training. You can run a few laps or, if you work out at the gym, use a stepper, rower, treadmill, bike or cross trainer for a few minutes.

After training, it’s important to stretch the muscles that have been used. This is because strength training shortens the muscles and makes them more susceptible to tears. You can also reduce muscle soreness the next day by stretching gently.

6. The right execution

Top of the list? Executing exercises correctly! Ideally, you’ll learn this at the gym with a competent and experienced trainer who knows exactly how to correct you. It prevents poor execution from becoming ingrained and hindering the effect of your training. Once you’ve mastered the exercises, you can train on your own.

An extra tip: You can train on equipment or with free weights (for example dumbbells or discs). If you’re a beginner, the equipment option is highly recommended. This is because the guided movements they provide correspond to the correct execution of the exercise. However, it’s important that a trainer explains what needs to be considered in the settings so that everything is appropriate for you.

7. Nutrition

As a beginner, nutritional supplements don’t play that much of a role. A healthy diet (ideally low in fat and high in protein) is sufficient for now. Nevertheless, the well-known saying applies: “Abs are made in the kitchen”. It’s no use if you have the muscles for your six-pack, but there are still little pockets of fat covering them. So watch your food choices and calorie intake. And relevant for any sport: Drink plenty! Still water is ideal.

8. Medical aspects

A small cautionary note is also important with regard to these strength training tips for beginners. If you want to start strength training for health reasons, you should consult your doctor and only start once they have given you their consent. And, of course: If you’re ill, especially if you have a temperature, take a break from training. If you have had an injury, it’s important that you do not start strength training until you’re properly fit again.

9. Bodyweight exercises

Bodyweight exercises are exercises that you do without weights, i.e. that only involve your own body weight. They include push-ups, planks, squats and sit-ups. Such exercises are great for effective training when you’re on the move and can be done easily in a hotel room or away on holiday. There are also plenty of videos on the internet where you can just follow along. They’re often ideal for beginners, which is why these exercises are a must for our strength training tips for beginners.

10. Who is your training buddy?

A training buddy is a partner who supports you in training and vice versa. They can also give you the necessary motivation to train, for example, when you’d rather stay on the sofa than go to the gym. A training buddy can be your best mate, your partner or even someone you met at the gym. You can push each other and also encourage each other when things aren’t going so well.

Our 10 beginner strength training tips are designed to get you off to a solid start. Comfortable sportswear, your trainers, a towel and a bottle of water – you’re ready to go. Many gyms offer a trial training session, which is free and absolutely without obligation. So find your motivation and get started. Today!