Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsEffects on Weight LossAt HomeAt the GymWhen to See ResultsConsiderations & Precautions
Table of ContentsView All
View All
Table of Contents
Effects on Weight Loss
At Home
At the Gym
When to See Results
Considerations & Precautions
Strength training for weight loss focuses on building muscle mass, which can lead to increased metabolism and calorie burn even at rest.Unlike aerobic exercises that primarily target cardiovascular health, strength training helps sculpt and tone the body while promoting fat loss.
This article reviews strength training exercises suitable for home workouts, considering different classes of weights tailored for both men and women.
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What Strength Training Does for Weight Loss
Strength training, also called resistance training, is ananaerobicactivity that offers several benefits for weight loss, including increased muscle mass, enhanced metabolism, improved body composition, and long-term fat burning.However, it does not directly burn as many calories during a workout as aerobic exercises.
Understanding how lean muscle mass relates to weight loss is necessary for grasping how the body works with exercise and diet.
Lean muscle mass is the weight of your muscles without extra fat. Muscle burns calories even when you’re inactive, boosting your metabolism and aiding in weight management. Strength training helps build muscle, improving your body’s ability to burn calories, reducing body fat, and improving overall fitness for better weight control.
In a nutshell, having more lean muscle mass can increase your metabolism and may help you burn more calories throughout the day.
One 2022 review and meta-analysis of 114 clinical trials involving 4,184 participants found that:
While resistance training is not a magic solution, it’s an important part of a weight loss plan, along with eating healthier and being more active overall.
A Word From VerywellStrength training can be a valuable tool in your weight loss toolkit. It can boost metabolism, increase energy, and even burn calories.—RAYNETTA SAMUELS, PT, DPT, CLT, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
A Word From Verywell
Strength training can be a valuable tool in your weight loss toolkit. It can boost metabolism, increase energy, and even burn calories.—RAYNETTA SAMUELS, PT, DPT, CLT, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Strength training can be a valuable tool in your weight loss toolkit. It can boost metabolism, increase energy, and even burn calories.
—RAYNETTA SAMUELS, PT, DPT, CLT, MEDICAL EXPERT BOARD
Home Strength Training for Burning Fat and Losing Weight
Body-Weight Exercises
Body-weight exercises are effective for building strength and muscle without the need for equipment. Here are some key body-weight exercises you can do at home:
Squats
This exercise targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core. To do this exercise:
This exercise targets the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, and core.
High Knees
This article helps your balance and improves endurance. To do this exercise:
Plank
The plank strengthens the core, improves posture, and enhances overall stability.
Push-Ups
This exercise targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles. To do a proper push-up:
This exercise targets the chest, shoulders, triceps, and core muscles.
Lunges
Lunges work the quadriceps, hamstrings, and glutes and improve balance and stability. To do a lunge:
At the Gym: Machines and Number of Reps
When working out at the gym, utilizing various machines can add versatility and target specific muscle groups. Here are some common types of machines and equipment you may encounter:
Strength Training Machines
Strength machines target specific muscle groups. They are suitable for beginners because they are safer and easier to control than free weights.
Bench Press
Free Weights
Barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells are versatile tools for strength training and functional movements that can be found at a gym.
The American Heart Association recommends strength-building activities a minimum of twice a week.
Consider consulting with a certified fitness professional to learn proper techniques before starting a strength training program. Performing one set of eight to 12 repetitions until your muscles are fatigued is typically effective for each muscle group.
As you build strength, gradually increase the weight or the number of days you engage in strength training. Adding more sets or increasing frequency can improve results.
How Soon Does Strength Training Lead to Results?
The time frame for seeing results from strength training for weight loss varies based on individual factors like fitness level, consistency, diet, and exercise intensity.
In addition, resistance training helps promote bone development, with research showing a 1% to 3% increase in bone density.
Special Considerations and Precautions
Before beginning any exercise program, it’s important to talk with your healthcare provider and identify any medical conditions that might put you at risk during physical activity.
Safety precautions are essential, especially for individuals with chronic pain or health conditions. Gradual progression, proper warm-ups, and listening to your body’s signals are crucial.
Summary
Incorporating strength training into a weight loss journey offers numerous benefits, including increased muscle mass, improved metabolism, and enhanced fat burning.
By combining home exercises, gym workouts, proper form, and safety precautions, individuals can achieve effective and sustainable weight loss results. It’s essential to approach strength training with consistency, patience, and a focus on overall health and wellness.
16 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Aging.How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?Penn State Extension.Strength training versus aerobic training: which is better for my health?Penn State College of Medicine.Introduction to strength training.University or Maryland Medical Center.Strength training for weight loss: Gaining muscle and losing fat.Lopez P, Taaffe DR, Galvão DA, et al.Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.Obesity Reviews. 2022;23(5):e13428. doi:10.1111/obr.13428Better Health.Resistance training - health benefits.AARP.The #1 exercise to do as you get older.The Monday Campaigns.Fitness challenges - high knees.Allina Health.One of the best exercises: The plank.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The anatomy of a push-up: Exploring proper push-up form and technique.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The lunge-an effective lower body training exercise.ACE Fitness.6 benefits of using weightlifting machines.National Academy of Sports Medicine.Bench press targeted muscles, grips, and movement patterns.Heart.org.Strength and resistance training exercise.Westcott WL.Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2012;11(4):209-216. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8Medline Plus.Physical activity.
16 Sources
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.National Institute on Aging.How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?Penn State Extension.Strength training versus aerobic training: which is better for my health?Penn State College of Medicine.Introduction to strength training.University or Maryland Medical Center.Strength training for weight loss: Gaining muscle and losing fat.Lopez P, Taaffe DR, Galvão DA, et al.Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.Obesity Reviews. 2022;23(5):e13428. doi:10.1111/obr.13428Better Health.Resistance training - health benefits.AARP.The #1 exercise to do as you get older.The Monday Campaigns.Fitness challenges - high knees.Allina Health.One of the best exercises: The plank.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The anatomy of a push-up: Exploring proper push-up form and technique.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The lunge-an effective lower body training exercise.ACE Fitness.6 benefits of using weightlifting machines.National Academy of Sports Medicine.Bench press targeted muscles, grips, and movement patterns.Heart.org.Strength and resistance training exercise.Westcott WL.Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2012;11(4):209-216. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8Medline Plus.Physical activity.
Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
National Institute on Aging.How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?Penn State Extension.Strength training versus aerobic training: which is better for my health?Penn State College of Medicine.Introduction to strength training.University or Maryland Medical Center.Strength training for weight loss: Gaining muscle and losing fat.Lopez P, Taaffe DR, Galvão DA, et al.Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.Obesity Reviews. 2022;23(5):e13428. doi:10.1111/obr.13428Better Health.Resistance training - health benefits.AARP.The #1 exercise to do as you get older.The Monday Campaigns.Fitness challenges - high knees.Allina Health.One of the best exercises: The plank.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The anatomy of a push-up: Exploring proper push-up form and technique.National Academy of Sports Medicine.The lunge-an effective lower body training exercise.ACE Fitness.6 benefits of using weightlifting machines.National Academy of Sports Medicine.Bench press targeted muscles, grips, and movement patterns.Heart.org.Strength and resistance training exercise.Westcott WL.Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2012;11(4):209-216. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8Medline Plus.Physical activity.
National Institute on Aging.How can strength training build healthier bodies as we age?
Penn State Extension.Strength training versus aerobic training: which is better for my health?
Penn State College of Medicine.Introduction to strength training.
University or Maryland Medical Center.Strength training for weight loss: Gaining muscle and losing fat.
Lopez P, Taaffe DR, Galvão DA, et al.Resistance training effectiveness on body composition and body weight outcomes in individuals with overweight and obesity across the lifespan: A systematic review and meta‐analysis.Obesity Reviews. 2022;23(5):e13428. doi:10.1111/obr.13428
Better Health.Resistance training - health benefits.
AARP.The #1 exercise to do as you get older.
The Monday Campaigns.Fitness challenges - high knees.
Allina Health.One of the best exercises: The plank.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.The anatomy of a push-up: Exploring proper push-up form and technique.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.The lunge-an effective lower body training exercise.
ACE Fitness.6 benefits of using weightlifting machines.
National Academy of Sports Medicine.Bench press targeted muscles, grips, and movement patterns.
Heart.org.Strength and resistance training exercise.
Westcott WL.Resistance training is medicine: effects of strength training on health.Current Sports Medicine Reports. 2012;11(4):209-216. doi: 10.1249/JSR.0b013e31825dabb8
Medline Plus.Physical activity.
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