This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Sports

Lift to Lose — Part 2

Here is a strength training workout that will keep you moving and keep burning that fat!

Several weeks ago, in the article  I addressed the issue of just getting started in a fitness program by going for a walk. I still think that if you have been sedentary, walking is a great place to start. It is non-threatening and everyone knows how to walk! Very quickly, however, I think your mindset should shift to lifting weights. If you have a choice between doing a cardio workout or a strength training workout and you only have time for one, the choice should definitely be strength training if your goal is losing fat.

Strength training burns calories during your workout, and it helps you build and maintain lean muscle, which in turn boosts your metabolism and helps you to burn  more calories even when you are not exercising. Along with the metabolic effects, it also helps build bone density. Being strong and fit allows you to move better throughout your day and helps to prevent injuries that can occur as a result of a sedentary lifestyle.

Now I will give you some specific exercises you can use to get started strength training. If you have never lifted weights before, you may want to check with your doctor to make sure these exercises are appropriate for you. Also, if possible, hiring a personal trainer for one or two sessions can really help to ensure you are doing the exercises correctly.

Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

For these exercises you will need a set of dumbbells. You might want to pick up a couple of sets, one heavy and one light. This way you will have the option of increasing your weights as you progress. You will also need a stability ball (sometimes called a Physioball or Swiss Ball).

Alternate Chest Press—Position yourself with your head and shoulders resting on the stability ball and the rest of your body off the ball, keeping your hips lifted in a bridge position. Begin by holding the dumbbells (DB) straight up above your chest. One at a time, lower each DB as if you were making half of a goal post. Return the DB to the starting position and repeat on the other side.

Find out what's happening in Bonney Lake-Sumnerwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Squat with Shoulder Press—Holding a DB in each hand at your side, squat down,  keeping the weight in your heels, setting your hips back. As you come back to the starting position, curl the weights up and then press them up. Lower your arms back to your sides and repeat. Repeat this 15-20 times.

Three-Point Dumbbell Row—Holding a DB in your left hand, stand with the stability ball in front of you and bend over and place your right hand on the ball. Maintaining a neutral spine, raise the DB toward you in a rowing motion by squeezing your shoulder blade. Lower the weight and repeat. After completing 10-15 repetitions, repeat the exercise with the other arm for the same number of repetitions.

Reverse Lunge with Bicep Curl—Holding a DB in each hand, step back with your right leg as far as you can, dropping that knee down toward the floor. At the same time, perform a bicep curl with both weights. Return to the starting position and change legs. Repeat this 10 times on each leg.

Alternating Lateral Raise—Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a DB in each hand. Brace your abs and lift one arm straight out to the side until it is paralle to the ground. Hold for a moment, then lower the arm under control. Alternate arms for 10 repetitions on each arm.

Stability Ball Hamstring Curls—Lie on the floor with your calves on the ball. Your arms should be out to your sides with your palms up. Raise your hips until your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your feet. From this position, keeping your hips in line with your shoulders and knees, bend your knees to curl the ball underneath you. Then straighten your legs again while still keeping your hips extended. Repeat 15 times.

All of these exercises can be viewed in the above video. My suggestion is to make these exercises into a circuit. After you complete the first exercise, perform 20 jumping jacks or 10 squat thrusts (view the video for a demo of these). Repeat this after each exercise and rotate through this circuit one, two or three times, depending on how much time you have.

Enjoy your workout, everyone!

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Bonney Lake-Sumner