Strength
Muscular strength and endurance can be developed in many ways, from weight training to calisthenics. Common exercises such as sit-ups, pull-ups and wall sitting (leaning against a wall in a seated position and supporting yourself with your leg muscles.) maintain the muscular strength of most people if they practice them several times a weak. To condition and tone your whole body, choose exercises that work the major muscles of the shoulders, chest, back, arms, abdomen and legs.
To increase strength, you must do resistance exercise-exercises in which your muscles must exert force against a significant amount of resistance. Resistance can be provided by weights, exercise machines or your own body weight.
Isometric Exercises
Isometric exercises involve applying force without movement, such as when you contract your abdominal muscles. For maximum strength gains, hold an isometric contraction for 6 seconds; do 5-10 repetitions. Don't hold your breath-that can restrict blood flow to your heart and brain. Within a few weeks, you will notice the effect of this exercise. Isometrics are particularly useful when recovering from an injury.
Isotonic Exercises
Isotonic exercises involve applying force with movement, as, for example, in weight training exercises such as the bench press. These are the most popular type of exercises for increasing muscles strength and seem to be most valuable for developing strength that can be transferred to other forms of physical activity. They include exercises using barbells, dumbbells, weight machines and the body's own weight, as in push-ups or sit-ups.
