6 Best Resistance Training Exercises to Boost Your Health

Resistance training is often overlooked as an exercise choice in favor of cardio. However, if you want to build strength and tone, resistance training is the way to go.

It can help you burn calories and improve muscle tone, which leads to a healthier physique. Here are a few best resistance training exercises to boost your health.

Best Resistance Training Exercises

Here's a look at six such exercises:

#1 Squat

Squats are a great exercise for the lower body and can help build muscle in the legs, hips, and butt.

You can do squats with or without weights. If you want to start off slowly, try doing them without weights till you’re comfortable enough to add weight on your back. That way you will be able to build up gradually till you’ve achieved your desired level of fitness

Squats are also a good choice for beginners because they are easy to learn; simply stand straight up with feet shoulder-width apart. Bend at the knees till the thighs are parallel with ground (or as close as possible), and rise back up again,

#2 Dip

Dips are a great exercise for strengthening and toning the triceps. They also work well as part of an arm workout, as they target multiple muscle groups simultaneously: the triceps (back of the arms), chest, shoulders and core muscles like abs and obliques.

To do a dip:

Place your hands on two parallel bars, and lift your body off the ground.
Slowly lower yourself till your upper arms are parallel to the floor.
Push back up till you're in the starting position to complete one rep.

If you have weak knees or back problems that make dips difficult to do without pain or discomfort — or if you just want an easier way to get started — try using an incline bench instead of bars.

It may not be like doing traditional triceps dips, but it will give you most of their benefits while taking some strain off sensitive joints too (just remember not to lock out your elbows at any point).

#3 Push-up

Push-ups can improve upper body strength by as much as 80 percent in just six weeks.

They're a great way to build core strength, as they force you to stabilize your body during each rep. If done correctly, they can also strengthen the back muscles while working on balance and coordination skills.

To do a push-up:

Get into the plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder width apart.
Bend your elbows to lower yourself down till your chest nearly touches the ground, and return to the starting position.
Aim for three sets of 10-15 reps.

#4 Single-leg Deadlift

It's an excellent exercise for the lower body, especially if you're working out on your own and don't have access to a gym.

To do this exercise:

Hold a dumbbell in each hand by your sides.
Stand with feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart, with toes pointing forward or slightly outward so that you can feel the inside of your ankles against the ground as you move up into position.
Keeping your chest lifted and shoulders back away from your ears, bend at both hips till they're just above parallel with the floor.
Lift one leg behind you till it's parallel to floor (this should be a very small movement).

Make sure to go all the way down and also come back up slowly without letting yourself fall back onto either leg — don't let gravity do its job. That will ensure that both legs work equally during the exercise, which means better results faster.

#5 Overhead Press

The overhead press is a compound movement that works the shoulders but also engages the triceps and chest.

Here's how you do it:

Start with your arms straight down by your sides, with the palms facing inward.
Exhale and press the weight overhead with straight arms, keeping them directly over the elbows and shoulders.
Keep your head up and back straight throughout the movement. Don't let it droop forward.
Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, and slowly lower it back down to shoulder level.

#6 Bicep Curl

The bicep curl strengthens the muscles in the upper arm and forearm, making them more defined and harder to see through clothing when you flex them.

It also helps prevent injuries that can occur from repetitive movements like typing at a keyboard for long periods — something many people do every day. This is one of the most basic and effective exercises to train your biceps.

It's done as follows:

While standing, take hold of a dumbbell or barbell with both hands, and raise it up as high as you can.
Slowly lower it back down till your arms are straightened out again.
Repeat the movement ten times.

Takeaway

Resistance training is the best way to stay healthy and fit, and the aforementioned movements are a great place to start.

These exercises will help burn calories while also building muscle, provided you're doing your bit at home by eating clean and enough protein. With these workouts, you will shred fat faster and also look more ripped and muscular.