Which Workout from the App Should you choose?

Physical activity is the basis of the healthy eating and lifestyle pyramid. It shows us how important daily exercise is for our health. I do not mean only extra workouts but all-day activity at work and at home. According to the WHO recommendations from 2020, adults between 18 and 65 years of age should be active during the week at moderate intensity for 150-300 minutes or at high intensity for 75-150 minutes. Additional health benefits come from including strengthening workout at least twice a week. You can read more about it HERE.

I have already written a lot about the role of physical activity and today I want to focus on the advantages of training with various types of equipment, the so-called resistance/ strength training. You can do such workouts not only in the gym as there are plenty to choose from in my Diet & Training by Ann app (HERE). I have made a list of all training programs with equipment and their types.

Why do I think this type of training is worth a try? As you will see, there are many advantages. Of course, this type of physical activity, just like any other, should be adjusted to your abilities and level. With time, an increase in the training load or additional series of exercises become the new stimuli that will allow you to achieve your goals without stagnation.

 

The benefits of training with equipment / load

 

1. Diversification of training to prevent a decrease in motivation to perform it

The use of equipment during training not only stimulates the muscles but also diversifies the daily routine. You can replace cardio training in the form of jumpers, burpees or running with exercises with an agility ladder, jump rope or TRX. Equipment workouts can be alternated with bodyweight exercises.

 

2.Engaging all muscles to work

The use of training equipment gives you more opportunities, not only related to the variety of exercises, but more importantly, it allows you to engage your muscles more intensely. It is especially important when training the upper body parts, such as the muscles of the chest, back, and arms. When training without additional equipment, we are not able to achieve the maximum training effects if, for example, building muscle mass is a priority. The larger, stronger muscles often take over the work of the smaller ones. In such cases, injuries or overload may occur in the long run.

 

3. Fat reduction and increase in basic metabolism

Strengthening training with equipment, such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, resistance bands or TRX is a very good way to reduce excess body fat. How is it possible? Systematic training of this type affects the building of muscle mass. The higher the amount of muscle tissue, the greater the body’s need for energy. Therefore, we have a double effect of resistance training: an increase in basic metabolism and building a caloric deficit thanks to the implementation of a training unit.

 

4. Lower risk of injuries

Maintaining or increasing muscle mass, strengthening tendons and joints and preventing a decrease in bone mineralization are the health benefits of training that are not visible to the naked eye. All this means that we are less prone to injury in everyday life and during training. Strengthening the deep muscles additionally improves stabilization and balance.

 

5. Improvement in the appearance

I’ve already mentioned the reduction of adipose tissue and building muscle mass. All this affects the improvement of the body composition, which you will also notice in measurements or more clearly visible muscles. How does this happen? A kilogram of fat tissue is larger than a kilogram of muscle mass, so two people weighing 70kg may look quite different and have different body measurements due to body composition. A person who trains regularly will have more muscle mass and at the same time lower level of body fat compared to a non-training person with the same body weight.

Thanks to resistance training you can also improve the proportions of the body by prioritizing particular body parts while working out. What does this mean? If you have wide hips or massive thigh muscles, while the shoulder girdle and bust are small, then by training which focuses on the top of the body you are able to improve the proportions of the entire body. Of course, healthy eating is an important factor without which it is much more difficult to achieve your goal.

Working out with equipment can be used to train the body parts that are crucial for you, e.g. abdomen, buttocks, arms. On the other hand, other workouts can be done without equipment. This way you take care of the whole body and you won’t neglect any part of the muscles while working intensely on the goal you have set for yourself. If you feel the need, you can additionally use equipment in the training program of your choice to intensify your workout. Adding resistance bands when training your legs is great in exercises such as squats, deadlifts, jumping jacks, planks, etc. You will immediately feel your buttocks working harder.

 

 

6. Maintaining or increasing muscle mass

Unfortunately, the effect of training with load, which is muscle mass, will diminish over time without regular exercise. Of course, we are not talking about a period of planned detraining but about giving up training after achieving a planned goal. It is possible to keep the same body weight, but the body composition will change slightly, which will be manifested by a decrease in muscle mass in favor of an increased content of adipose tissue.

 

7. Maintaining bone mass

Many studies show clearly that resistance training (training with load) has a positive effect on the maintenance of bone mass which naturally decreases with age. Physical activity, especially weight training, affects the load on the skeleton, and this translates into stimulation of the bone formation process in the body and to maintain the already built bone mass. Lack of physical activity contributes to the loss of bone mass, the consequence of which is the onset of osteopenia and osteoporosis. These diseases are characterized by reduced bone mineralization, which is directly related to an increase in fractures. In addition, resistance / strength training increases strength and improves balance, which reduces the risk of falls and fractures.

 

8. Increased tissue sensitivity to insulin

Lack of physical activity and an improper high-energy diet rich in saturated fats and simple carbohydrates can lead to glycemic disorders, the consequence of which is insulin resistance or even diabetes. They are often associated with excessive body weight and a high ratio of visceral fat. Resistance training not only sensitizes tissues to insulin, but also increases the demand for glucose and supports the reduction of excess body fat.  The effect of strength training is an increase in lean body mass – muscle mass, and thus the number of GLUT4 receptors, which are responsible for glucose uptake by cells, increases. This type of training can increase insulin sensitivity – glucose uptake by cells up to 48% compared to non-training people.

 

Which training program is the best?

You often ask me and my team what training program you should choose,  which one is the best and will help you achieve your goal. Today I want to show you what factors you should consider when choosing a program for yourself 🙂

• First of all, you must consider your abilities, i.e. time, place, equipment, level of advancement and health condition.
• Secondly, what is your goal? Weight loss, body shaping, weight maintenance, better mood?
• Once you know your capabilities and needs, I recommend using the FILTERING training programs option available in the application.

Equipment in training is not reserved only for advanced users. However, it is worth grading the load at the very beginning of your adventure with physical activity. I recommend choosing programs without additional equipment. When you feel that your body has adapted to exercise, you no longer feel long-lasting muscle pain after training, your heart rate is not so high, it is worth taking the next step! In the app you will find a wide range of various programs with equipment. There are workouts with mini-bands, dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, medicine balls, jump rope, gymnastic ball, step, punching bag, TRX tapes or an agility ladder. You can start with programs that use one type of this equipment in their plan and I have listed them for you below 🙂

 

Programs with mini bands:

• Summer Mini Band Easy,
• Summer Mini Band,
• Fit Mini Band Easy,
• Fit Mini Band,
• Buttocks Workout,
• For Bad Knees,
• Easy Summer Shape,
• Summer Shape,
• Hard Summer Shape,
• Full Body Mini Band.

 

Programs with dumbbells:

• Easy Dumbbell Workout,
• Dumbbell Workout,
• Hard Dumbbell Workout,
• Karate Cardio Military,
• Easy Best Body for Man,
• Best Body for Man,
• Hard Best Body for Man,
• ABS For Men.

 

Programs with a barbell:

• Barbells Workout.

 

Programs with TRX:

• Power Tapes.

 

We also have lots of programs that use various types of equipment, e.g. challenges are often designed in this way. But that’s not all. In the application you will find programs with me and Joanna Jędrzejczyk where you can test your abilities and feel like real fighters.

 

Programs with various equipment:

• Total Body Summer Easy,
• Total Body Summer,
• JJ Ultimate Classes,
• JJ Ultimate Classes+,
• JJ Dynamic Body Combat,
• JJ Dynamic Body Combat+,
• JJ PunchHIIT,
• JJ PunchHIIT+.

 

As you can see, the app offers lots of training options, not only when it comes to choosing the equipment, but also when picking a program. If you want to progress in training, you have two options:

• Increase the load (e.g. heavier dumbbells, additional resistance band or a stronger one, greater angle in exercises with TRX).
• Extend your exercise time in subsequent training weeks. When you decide that your body is ready for higher loads, all you have to do is click on the KEY icon in the upper right corner of the application, in the WORKOUTS tab, and change the TRAINING LENGTH. READY!

I hope that the positive aspects of using the equipment in training and the wide selection of training programs in the application will encourage you to this type of activity. Remember that the most important thing is to choose a sport that you like because it will guarantee success and  will make it easier to include physical activity in everyday life!

 

Bibliography:

1. Giuliano C., Karahalios A., Nei Ch.,  Allen J., Levinger T. The effects of resistance training on muscle strength, quality of life and aerobic capacity in patients with chronic heart failure — A meta-analysis. International Journal of Cardiology. Vol. 227, P413-423. 
2. Keshel TE., Coker RH. Exercise Training and Insulin Resistance: A Current Review. J Obes Weight Loss Ther. 2015 Jul; 5(0 5): S5-003.
3. Leslie H. Willis, Cris A. Slentz, Lori A. Bateman, A. Tamlyn Shields, Lucy W. Piner, Connie W. Bales, Joseph A. Houmard, William E. Kraus. Effects of aerobic and/or resistance training on body mass and fat mass in overweight or obese adults. J Appl Physiol (1985). 2012 Dec 15; 113(12): 1831–1837.
4. Yamamoto Shuhei i wsp. Effects of resistance training on muscle strength, exercise capacity, and mobility in middle-aged and elderly patients with coronary artery disease: A meta-analysis. Journal of Cardiology. Vol. 68, ISSUE 2, P125-134.
5. Zurlo F., Larson K., Bogardus C., Ravussin E., Skeletal muscle metabolism is a major determinant of resting energy expenditure. The Journal of Clinical Investigation. 1990 Nov; 86(5): 1423–1427.