Resistance training is an important element of your health regimen for people of any age and gender. It will help to develop and maintain muscle mass, which is going to keep you mobile and the joints strong. It can even help you to learn how to balance the body and keep active for many more years to come. 

There are many great benefits of resistance training, but mostly it works to promote overall body and brain health. Some of the best resistance training exercises that you can do to help your muscles stay nice and strong include:

Leg Adduction

The first exercise that you can do is known as a leg adduction. Some of the steps for this one are:

  • Lay down on your side and brace your abdomen. 
  • Bend the top knee and then place the top foot in front of the bottom knee. 
  • Raise your lower leg off the floor. Do not let the trunk of the body start to bend back as you do this. 
  • Concentrate here to keep the core engaged and feel this on the inside of the lower leg. Repeat 10 times before switching to the other side. 

Plank

https://pixabay.com/photos/resistance-bands-strength-training-6371695/

Many people are not fond of doing a plank, but it is a great option to help work on the stomach and core muscles. Very few stretches and exercises can compare to the benefits that you can get from this one. To do a plank, simply:

  • Lie down on your stomach, getting ready to brace the core muscles. 
  • Race the body up on the elbows and the toes. 
  • Lower the butt to make it level with the shoulders. You can squeeze the navel to the spine to help work the core more than before. Do not let the butt stick up much. 
  • Hold this for 30 seconds the first time. The goal is to get up to two minutes or more as the muscles get stronger. 

You can also choose to modify the plank to put the weight on the knees rather than on the toes. You can then slowly work up to doing it on the toes once you get more strength. 

Side Plank

This one works at the same kind of idea as before, but it will work on the side abdominal muscles, rather than the front ones like before. To do a side plank, simply:

  • Lie on the side and brace the muscles of the core. 
  • You can raise yourself up on the side of one foot and on the elbow. 
  • Raise the trunk of the body off the floor. Do not let the middle of the body sag. Squeeze in the obliques, which are the muscles on the side of the abdomen. 
  • Hold this for 30 seconds. You can slowly increase the hold to two minutes as you get better with this as well. 

Short Arc Squats

This is a good option to use when you want to improve your knees. Your knees are meant to last you through your life, helping you to stay steady and strong, without needing to get them replaced. The steps that you need for short arc squats include:

  • Stand with the back against the wall, keeping the legs shoulder width apart. You can add a medicine ball between the knees. 
  • Brace the core and pull the navel to the spine. 
  • Keep the core engaged and slide the back down the wall to get the knees bent to 60 degrees, almost parallel to the floor. Hold for ten seconds and then repeat 10 times. 

https://pixabay.com/photos/man-woman-push-ups-wellness-2264825/

Wall Shin Raises

Now we will move on to an exercise that is good for your legs. This can help you to get the full leg muscles, making them stronger and more flexible overall. To do the wall shin raises:

  • Stand with the shoulders and back against the wall, making sure the feet are shoulder width apart and one foot in front of the wall. 
  • While in that position, raise the toes as much off the ground as you can while still keeping the weight on your heels. 
  • Slowly lower the toes to get closer to the floor, but not quite, and then flex them up again. Repeat ten times. 

Heel Step Downs

This is another great exercise that you can do to help work on the lower legs or not. It is simple to do and only takes a little bit of practice to accomplish. To get this one done, simply:

  • Start with your feet together and then take a natural step forward. 
  • As the heel strikes the floor ahead of you, you need to prevent the foot from flexing down as you transfer the weight forward. 
  • Return the foot to the starting position so you can do the same steps on the other side. 
  • Do this for ten steps on both sides. You can then increase the length of the stride to make it harder. 

Arm Raises

Now it is time to work on the shoulders and the arms, giving you more of the strength that you need in these joints to last a long time. To do the arm raises, simply:

  • Stand with the feet shoulder width apart and engage the core. Place an exercise band under the right foot and hold the other side with your right hand. 
  • Raise the arm to the side to get it level with the shoulder. Hold five seconds and lower. Do ten times. 
  • Repeat with the arm raised in front of you, only using the shoulder and not leaning backwards at the same time. 
  • Repeat these steps by moving the band to the left foot and doing it with your left arm, both to the side and to the front. 

Choosing to Do Resistance Training for Your Muscles

There are many different types of exercises that you can choose to do, but resistance training is often one of the best. Try out a few of the routines above to see how great resistance training can be for your needs.