You don't have to be a body builder to benefit from the weight room. Instead, you have to be dedicated to your current and future health, because weight training is part of a complete body workout.
Research has shown that incorporating a strength training program into your weekly routine can increase bone density and connective tissue strength (tendons and ligaments). which reduces risk of injury and future risk of osteoporosis.
This is important for women in particular. Without a weight training program, women deprive their bodies of the chance to absorb calcium more efficiently and preventing brittle bones as they age.
By lifting weights, lean body mass, or muscle mass, is increased, which then increases the number of calories your body burns while at rest.
If you have not started a strength training routine, you should consider it.
If you're already involved in a training program, remember safety is the most important component in any strength routine.
Remember to breathe normally and refrain from holding your breath. It is best to exhale when doing the "work," or hard part of a lift, and inhale on the easy part of the exercise.
For example, when doing a bicep curl, exhale when curling the barbell up and inhale when straightening your elbows. Holding your breathe in strenuous activity can increase blood pressure, which might cause a faint or dizzy feeling.
Another point to keep in mind when lifting weights is to lower the resistance with a slow, controlled rhythmic movement. This is best explained by "powering your lift both directions." With bicep curls, power up on the curl using a count of two, then slowly "uncurl" or lower to a another two-count. This allows gravity resistance, which prevents using momentum instead of muscle when lifting.
Remember when doing any exercise, it is important to engage your abdominal muscles and keep your back straight. This not only tones and strengthens your stomach and back muscles, but it promotes good posture, which serves as a preventative technique against back injuries during exercise.
The American College of Sports Medicine recommends strength training two times per week, incorporating exercises for all major muscle groups for a minimum of one set - eight to 12 repetitions.
Working the muscle to the point of fatigue is usually sufficient, but if you have specific training needs or limitations, be sure to consult your doctor or an exercise professional.
When you are able to correctly perform 12 repetitions of an exercise, increase the amount of resistance by five to 10 percent to continue safe progress. If you feel comfortable, you can increase your sets of the same exercise.
When lifting for tone, use lighter weights and increase repetitions. If building muscle for body shaping and sculpting, use slightly heavier weights with fewer repetitions. Your weights might be heavier for some body parts and lighter for others when shaping and sculpting.
For those who are uncertain as to which is better, realize that both machine and free weights have shown benefits in strength programs. The best approach is a combination of the two, which is recommended by the American Council on Exercise professionals. Keeping variety in your workout prevents boredom and enhances progress.
Melissa Haug is a senior in public health nutrition and dietetics and a nutrition consultant and American Council on Exercise certified personal trainer at Peters Recreational Complex. Please send comments to sports@spub.ksu.edu.
is a member of the 
