Today things have surely changed! The popularity of weight training has soared. We’ve discovered that if not taken to an extreme, lifting weights, or “strength training” is one of healthiest, most fat burning and body transforming fitness systems you can apply.

This article is not about bashing cardio, as aerobic exercise is a useful adjunct in fight against fat, but in a slower, more drawn out format. But it is about breaking down barriers that prevent many more individuals from sharing in benefits of most phenomenal approach to health, fitness, and weight loss known to man (and woman) –strength training.

In this new millenium, most fitness experts and exercise physiologists agree, a properly executed strength or weight lifting routine can do following:

Lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, stabilize blood sugar

Increase bone density, strength, endurance, speed and flexibility

Reduce risk of heart disease and certain types of cancer

Induce weight loss, tone muscles and create a more youthful appearance

Increase strength, endurance and agility

This list goes on. And while you’re deciding if strength training is right for you, here’s a tidbit of information that may encourage you to partake – 20 or 30 minutes, two to four times per week. That’s time it takes to do ALL of exercises necessary to share in above benefits, including transformation of your entire body. But there are guidelines that need to be followed to keep your program not only effective but also safe. An early njury will sideline you before you get a chance to see any real results.

The 5 Golden Rules of Strength Training

Rule One: Apply Perfect Form

Strict adherence to perfect form is absolutely crucial with any strength or weight lifting program. Be sure you get instruction from a reliable source (book, tape or trainer) and follow it to letter. Always move slowly through your full range of motion with every exercise, and don’t allow speed and / or momentum to help you complete a lift in a haphazard or jerky manner.

Stay in control of movement as you go through it smoothly and deliberately, utilizing proper breathing techniques. Be aware of speed and tempo. The part of lift where you move resistance against gravity is defined as positive phase, and when lowered with gravity term negative phase is used. Keep negative phase (a slow count of four) twice as long as positive (a slow count of two). You can opt to move even more slowly (up to twice as long on both phases), as a way to intensify set without adding resistance.

Rule Two: Proper Intensity

Applying right amount of intensity to every set will speed progress, including muscle development and fat loss. Regardless of how much resistance you’re working against, or how many sets and repetitions you do (see rule number three), ALWAYS work to some level of muscle fatigue. Muscle fatigue is defined as point in set when you experience some local discomfort or slight pain in targeted muscle group.

You needn’t take “no pain no gain” philosophy to extreme, but you do need to feel a substantial burn to get real results. Lactic acid is byproduct of anaerobic exercise, and it’s what causes that burning sensation in your muscles when you near end of a set. Don’t sacrifice perfect form or attempt to lift or go beyond a resistance level you can safely handle just to get that lactic acid burn.

Quite to contrary, adherence to perfect form will bring upon muscle fatigue and associated burn much faster, and with a reduced risk of injury or mishap.

As mentioned in rule one, slowing speed and tempo is another way to increase intensity when you don’t have option of creating additional assistance. This works well with exercises that utilize body weight only.

Rule Three: Control Weight, Sets, Reps

Tip. #1 Warm up with slow motion exercise and speed up gradually as you loosen up. This process has become more important as I've gotten older. Before and after an exercise session, you should perform a general stretch routine to help break up adhesions and feed muscles with blood to help speed recovery. The combination of flexibility and strength together will make a significant difference in effecting your technical performance. As strength training builds muscle it limits overall range of motion. Stretching can counter this effect by limbering up muscles as they become larger.

Tip. #2 It may be necessary to reshape your attitude and perspective. In our cravings for perfection, we sometimes place a heavy emphasis on rank, titles, or goals that don't necessarily relate to meaningful life-goals. Aim higher at achieving a sense of over-all health and self esteem in addition to competitive rigors. It's easy to avoid what is necessary to take care of yourself and to take short cuts. Martial arts are a discipline, which should compliment your lifestyle of fitness and long life. Instead of rationalizing your un-healthy choices or using past accomplishments as an excuse for not making effort, take responsibility for yourself. In other words, exercise accountability.

Tip. #3 Martial arts are generally not most efficient aerobic activity. This is primarily because as you get better at it, you learn to pace yourself during execution of moves. Stacked against other aerobic exercises, martial arts activity scores low because practitioner is usually not in constant motion. So, change that by engaging in non-stop aerobic exercise for 30 minutes at least three times a week. Your heart will love you. To avoid boredom and gain maximum calorie burning, try to diversify your sessions every week or two. In violent conditions, normal breathing is altered which can adversely affect your performance. Good conditioning is not only beneficial for your physical well-being, but also reduces panic, distress, and anxiety.