Whether you like CrossFit or not, there’s a lot to learn from fundamental training philosophy of the sport. Greg Glassman, the founder of CrossFit came up with the now famous ‘Fitness in 100 words’ definition. In case you haven’t seen it, here it is…
The bit I’m focussing on today is the penultimate paragraph, in particular the bit that says… ‘mix these elements in as many combinations and patterns as creativity will allow. Routine is the enemy’…
When it comes to resistance training we can end up falling into a trap where we do the same combinations of exercises, rep ranges, weights and sets. Whilst there’s nothing wrong with that in the sense that any exercise is better than no exercise, by not adding variety you’re leaving lots of health, fitness and performance benefits on the table.
In this article we’re going to look at different types of resistance training, their advantages and disadvantages. Hopefully you’ll draw inspiration from it and mix up your training on the back of it.
I’m going to stay away from standard equipment such as barbells, dumbbells and kettlebells because they’re the obvious ways to strength train. Instead I’m going to suggest ways of strength training you may have overlooked.
Different types of resistance
Essentially your body knows four types of stimulus when it comes to resistance training…
Load (weight)
Volume (amount of reps)
Time under tension (how long it spends working against resistance)
Force (how much explosive power is used)
What is can’t tell is what type of equipment is used. It can’t tell the difference between a dumbbell, a kettlebell, a barbell, a tyre etc. It just knows the effect of the equipment, so mix things ups and see the benefits.
Here’s a range of new ideas for you to use…
Bodyweight
The ultimate in portable gym equipment - your body goes everywhere you go! Whether it’s simple bodyweight exercises or more advanced gymnastics, calisthenics or plyometrics, there’s a huge range of scope for bodyweight training.
Advantages
Portable - your body goes everywhere
Varied - there’s a lot of variety in body weight training
Safe - there’s not much in the way of damage you can do to yourself
Perfect for high rep work
You don’t need much extra kit
Disadvantages
Limited weight scope - hard to do heavy weight work
Weighted Vest
A forgotten-about method of adding resistance to training is by using a weighted vest. These are ideal because they’re easy to wear, adjustable and you can use them for either strength training or cardio. Whether you wear them for a walk, a run or a gym workout, they make every day exercises that bit tougher.
Advantages
Easy to use - put it on and get busy
Portable - can be thrown in the car, stored in a gym locker etc
Adjustable - if you get an adjustable one you can tweak it for different exercises
Varied use - you can use it for gym workouts, running, walking and even cycling
Progressive - you can start with little weight and keep adding
Disadvantages
Upper weight limit cap - you can’t ad weight forever, it’ll reach a point where there’s no more room to add weight!
Can be fairly heavy to carry around, so it’s best being stored either at home or in the gym
Suspension Trainer
Since the TRX entered the market over a decade ago, the use of suspension trainers has boomed. Rightly so too - they’re the perfect portable gym, offering a wide range of exercises in a pocket-sized bag. Apart from being cheap, they’re portable and very useful. The perfect travelling gym, allowing you to exercise in parks, hotel rooms etc.
Advantages
Varied - there’s lots of exercises you can do with a suspension trainer and you can also use it to make standard bodyweight exercises tougher
Instability training - it can be used in place of a Swiss ball for instability
Lightweight - it can be carried easily. Even taken on holiday without issue
Progressive - suitable for complete beginners and experienced trainers alike
Can offset weight for performing rehab exercises
Disadvantages
Needs a place to be hung from
Tyres
Tyres are an excellent resistance training tool. They’re challenging, come in a variety of weights, they test grip, technique and muscular strength endurance. They’re also often free - farmers and tyre yards have to pay to dispose of them, so you may often be able to pick them up for nothing because you’re doing them a favour!
Advantages
Heavy and challenging - they’re nothing like standard weight training equipment so will challenge you in new ways
Offers excellent grip strength training
Great crossover into lots of sports - a tyre flip requires power, explosiveness and great conditioning
Can be used as a platform for exercises such as jumps, set ups, feet-elevated push ups etc
Disadvantages
You need storage space
They’re best used if you’ve got at least 5 metres of space to flip them in
Using Different Types of Resistance
Training is best when there’s different types of stimulus and challenges. Hopefully the ideas from this article will inspire you to look beyond your usual routines and rep ranges, offering your body a new approach to deal with!
Your fitness and physique will thank you for it!
If you’re in East London and would the AdMac Fitness personal trainers to train you, contact us on 07921465108 or email us at admacfitness@gmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you.
