With the summer season in full swing, many of us are looking for convenient ways to stay fit and active without committing to lengthy gym sessions or complicated workout routines. We want to be outside enjoying the weather as much as possible, so the idea of being cooped up in a sweaty gym for hours every week can deter us from exercising and before we know we’ve lost all motivation. 

Fortunately, you can achieve your fitness goals, stay in shape and maintain your motivation by incorporating a 20-minute full-body home workout into your weekly routine. In this blog, we will guide you through a practical and effective workout plan that you only need to do three times a week to see results. Plus, we'll explore how you can complement your workout routine with enjoyable outdoor activities to really make the most of the sunny season!

The 20-Minute Full-Body Workout

Our workout routine below is designed to target all major muscle groups while maximising calorie burn and boosting overall fitness. Here's a step-by-step breakdown of the exercises you can perform. 

Warm-Up (3 minutes)

Start with a short warm-up to prepare your body for the workout - this is extremely important to avoid injuries. Some of the best ways to warm up are to perform light cardio exercises such as jogging on the spot, jumping jacks, or high knees. This will increase your heart rate, improve blood circulation, and loosen up your muscles so you’re ready to step the intensity up a notch.

Circuit Training (14 minutes)

Circuit training is a form of exercise that involves performing a series of exercises in a sequence, with little to no rest in between. It is scientifically proven to be a fantastically effective way to improve cardiovascular fitness and build strength and muscle tone. The continuous movement and intensity also boosts your metabolism, promoting fat burn and weight loss. And, because you perform a variety of exercises, you are able to target different muscle groups, providing a full-body workout. 

Now let’s get to it.

You should perform each exercise in the circuit for 45 seconds, followed by a 15-second rest before moving on to the next exercise. Complete the circuit three times.

 1. Standing Row with Resistance Bands

Step on a resistance band with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the band with your arms extended in front of you and pull it towards your chest, squeezing your shoulder blades together. Return to the starting position and repeat.

Try our latex resistance bands which are perfect for home workouts and can be taken with you wherever you go, so you never miss a workout. They can add resistance to this exercise as well as other exercises that work on the legs, arms, glutes or abs.

2. Push-Ups with Sliders

Assume a push-up position with sliders under your hands. Lower your body to the ground, maintaining a straight line from head to toe. Push back up and repeat. Using sliders adds an extra challenge by engaging your core and stabiliser muscles.

Wanting to make the exercise more difficult? Then place the sliders under your feet and perform a mountain climber in between push-ups. To do this, start in a high plank position, bring one knee towards your chest, resume high plank, then repeat with the opposite leg, all the time keeping your core engaged.

Our core sliders are ideal for this one, helping you develop whole-body coordination, balance and strength. They are compact, lightweight and easy to take on the go.

3. Squats with Resistance Bands

Place a resistance band just above your knees. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly turned out. Lower your body into a squat position, keeping your knees aligned with your toes. Return to the starting position and repeat.

If you want resistance bands that don’t drop or roll as you move and can be adjusted to suit your individual size and shape, opt for our adjustable fabric resistance bands. These can be combined with our core sliders if you’re looking to up the intensity!

4. Plank with Wrist/Ankle Weights

Get into a plank position by assuming a push-up position with your forearms on the ground, engaging your core and maintaining a straight line from head to toe.  Aim to hold the position for 45 seconds, slowly working your way up to holding it for longer.  

For more advanced fitness enthusiasts, add individual leg and arm lifts whilst maintaining the plank position. To do this, lift one leg off the ground and extend it backwards, hold for a few seconds, and then repeat with the opposite leg; for arm lifts, lift one arm off the ground and extend it forward, hold for a few seconds, and then repeat with the other arm. As your fitness progresses, you can increase the intensity further by lifting two opposite legs and arms at a time. 

Try our 4lb wrist and ankle weights with this exercise to add just the right amount of resistance to your plank, helping tone and sculpt your muscles. These are simple, stylish and like our other fitness accessories, easily transportable, so that no matter where you are, you can bring your own personal gym with you.

Cool-Down (3 minutes)

Just like warming up, it’s also extremely important to cool down to avoid stiff and sore muscles. After completing the circuit, take a few minutes to stretch your muscles, particularly the major muscle groups, such as your hamstrings, quadriceps, chest, shoulders, and back.

Outdoor Activities to Complement Your Workout Routine

To make the most of the summer season and maintain a well-rounded fitness routine, incorporate enjoyable outdoor activities into your weekly schedule. This can help naturally increase your activity level and give you enjoyment and pleasure at the same time, helping keep your motivation and spirits high. Here are a few suggestions for outdoor activities you could try.

Take a walk

Walking is an excellent low-impact exercise that can be done almost anywhere and is a great way to stay fit and healthy. Take advantage of the pleasant weather (hopefully) and explore the countryside, local parks or wherever you like to walk, on foot. But don’t dawdle, as research has found brisk walking to be the most effective way to improve fitness and strength.

Go swimming

Head to the nearest swimming pool, lake, or beach for a refreshing swim. Swimming is a full-body workout that improves cardiovascular endurance, tones muscles, and reduces stress on joints. Whether it's a leisurely dip or an energetic swim, you'll be reaping the benefits.

Go on a bike ride

Hop on a bicycle and go for a scenic ride! Cycling is a fun way to burn calories, strengthen your lower body, and enjoy the great outdoors. Explore bike trails or ride to nearby destinations, turning your workout into an adventure.

Conclusion

Staying fit, healthy and in shape during the summer doesn't have to involve long intense training sessions. By dedicating just 20 minutes, three times per week, to a full-body home workout, you can still improve your cardiovascular fitness and tone and strengthen your muscles for a sculpted look - perfect for the summer bikini season! 

Plus, complementing your workout routine with outdoor activities like walks, swims, and bike rides will help you embrace the summer spirit while keeping fit and well. So grab your portable equipment, soak up the sunshine, and enjoy a summer of health and fitness.

We'd love to know how you get on! What other workouts would you like to see?

With your big day approaching, you’re probably experiencing a few jitters and worries as the wedding preparation ramps up. For many of us, part of the anxiety is around wanting to look and feel our absolute best, but with all the stress and busyness surrounding the event, how do we even begin to focus on ourselves?

To make your life a little easier, we’ve put together the ultimate wedding wellness guide. Following these top tips will ensure you are physically, mentally, and emotionally on top form for the big day.

Get stuck in to exercise

Having gone to all the effort of choosing the perfect dress, you don’t want to be feeling uncomfortable wearing it because your body confidence is low. Exercise is the best way to lose those few extra pounds, tone up, and can also help ease any pre-wedding stress, ensuring you feel amazing and look killer.

To get the best results, include a combination of both cardio and strength training in your workout routine. Some great cardio exercises to blast away the calories, helping you slim down and shift weight, are running, cycling, swimming, or even brisk walking. Research has found that high-intensity interval training (HIIT) is a more effective way to lose weight than moderate-intensity exercise and results are noticeable quicker - perfect if you’ve not got long left until the wedding! 

For strength training, you might want to focus on exercises that target your arms, as they are often on display in sleeveless or strapless gowns. Exercises like bicep curls, tricep dips, and push-ups are great for sculpting and defining your arms, while exercises like the plank and shoulder presses can help strengthen your upper body and improve posture, giving you an elegant and poised presence as you walk down the aisle. 

To accompany your arm toning workouts, include AMPs 2kg strength bars which add just the right amount of weight to give you the physique you need. These come in a variety of colours and are super easy and comfortable to hold. If you’re looking for something heavier to take your workouts to the next level, try the 3kg or 4.6 weighted triangle.

Establish a Self-Care Routine

Self-care is essential during wedding planning as it helps you maintain balance and rejuvenates your mind and body so that you feel fresh and radiant on the day. Here are some of the best self-care practices to incorporate into your daily routine.

Meditation

With all the stress surrounding the wedding, setting aside some time to practice meditation or mindfulness is essential for calming your mind. If you spend your days fretting, your physical appearance can also suffer - you don’t want to have bad skin or bags under your eyes at your wedding. Meditation is a great way to bring you back into the present moment and has been proven to have many bountiful benefits for our mental health.

Pamper yourself

Treat yourself to regular home spa treatments such as facials, hair masks, or body scrubs. Not only will these pampering sessions relax your body, but they will also give you that radiant bridal glow.

Practice Gratitude

Keep a gratitude journal and write down things you're grateful for each day. Focusing on the positive aspects of your life will help you maintain a positive mindset throughout the wedding planning process.

Nourish Your Body with Nutritious Foods

A well-balanced and nourishing diet not only fuels your body with everything it needs to function properly, but it also enhances your skin, hair and nail health. By eating the foods with the right vitamins and minerals, you can ensure you look and feel a million dollars. Here are three of the best foods to eat for your hair, skin and nails.

 Fish high in Omega-3

Fish like tuna, salmon and mackerel are rich in omega-3 fatty acids which are powerful antioxidants that help fight cell damage, helping reduce inflammation and redness in the skin. 

They are also a great source of protein, the building block of hair, and biotin, a nutrient that supports the production of one of the most important hair proteins, keratin. Both of these nutrients give your hair strength, bounce and sheen. 

Avocados

Avocados are rich in healthy fats including vitamins A, E and C which are important for healthy skin, hair and nails. These nutrients help moisturise and strengthen hair, support collagen and keratin production to reduce the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles and increase nail toughness, and protect against oxidative cell damage to combat hair loss.

Dark leafy greens

Dark leafy greens like spinach and kale are packed full of amazing nutrients that help strengthen brittle hair, including vitamin A, iron, beta carotene, folate and vitamin C. These all work together to keep the hair and scalp hydrated and support hair growth.

Destress and look after your emotional well-being

Let’s face it, wedding planning can be stressful. But it's important to take care of your emotional well-being and limit stress during this time because stress can have several negative impacts on your physical and mental health. Try some of our tried and tested strategies to manage stress and cultivate emotional balance.

Connect with Loved Ones

Spend quality time with family and friends who provide support and positivity. Share your concerns, seek their advice, or simply enjoy their company. Social connections are essential for emotional well-being and can offer a sense of comfort during stressful times.

Connect with Nature

Spending time in nature is the perfect calming tonic and helps ground you in the moment so your worries can melt away. Take a walk in a park, go for a hike, or simply sit in a garden and soak in the beauty around you. 

 Practice Mind-Body Techniques

Explore relaxation techniques such as deep breathing exercises, gentle yoga, or aromatherapy. These practices will help you find moments of tranquillity, reduce anxiety and ensure you approach your wedding day with a calm and rejuvenated mind.

Summary

Your wedding day is a once-in-a-lifetime experience, so of course you want to look and feel fabulous! By following our top tips in this guide, you'll radiate beauty, confidence, and bliss on your special day. 

Most importantly, don’t forget to exercise as this is key to feeling confident and comfortable in your wedding attire. Incorporate a combination of cardio and strength training exercises into your routine to tone up and achieve your desired physique. Alongside exercise, nourish your body with nutritious foods like fatty fish, avocado and leafy greens as these provide essential nutrients that allow you to shine both inside and out. 

It's completely normal to feel a bit anxious and overwhelmed with all the wedding preparations. By connecting with loved ones, nature and practising mind-body relaxation techniques you can manage stress levels and boost your emotional wellbeing. Establishing a self-care routine that includes meditation, indulgent pamper sessions and gratitude practice can also help you maintain emotional balance and rejuvenates your mind and body. 

Summer is a wonderful time of year to take care of our ourselves, rest and spend time with family and friends. But it can also cause anxiety overdrive; trying to get 'beach body ready' or worrying about wearing summer dresses and shorts. To stop negative self talk restricting our enjoyment of this time of year, lets look at some ways to get your confidence back so you are excited and ready for summer!

Eat to Nourish Your Body

Eating a balanced diet is crucial for maintaining a healthy weight and feeling confident in your body. A healthy diet should be rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, lean protein, and healthy fats. These foods provide the nutrients our bodies need to function properly and also ensure we look our best.

For example, protein helps support strong, toned muscles as it provides amino acids that are the building blocks of muscle tissue. Vitamins A and C help with collagen production to maintain skin elasticity and a youthful appearance by keeping wrinkles at bay. And omega-3 fatty acids, found in fatty fish like salmon, can help reduce inflammation in the body and improve skin and hair health.

Processed foods and sugary drinks, on the other hand, can lead to inflammation and bloating - not ideal when we’re about to hit the pool and bare all. A diet high in these types of foods can also increase the risk of weight gain, obesity, type 2 diabetes, and other health problems. So it’s best to try and limit these foods and leave them as a very occasional treat.

Alongside a heathy diet, don’t forget to stay hydrated! This is especially important during hot summer months. When we become dehydrated we are more likely to experience constipation and bloating, as well as fatigue. Not exactly confidence boosting feelings. Aim to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day, and consider adding some lemon or cucumber slices for a refreshing twist.

Get Moving

Physical activity is an important part of any healthy lifestyle, whether it's morning yoga practice, a gym session, home workout, or an evening run. But remember, exercise is not all about getting the perfect bikini body. It’s important for long term health and fitness which will in turn help you feel confident in your body and self.

Not only will exercise help you maintain a healthy weight and tone up, but it can also have a positive impact on mental health by reducing stress, anxiety, and depression. This is because exercise releases feel-good endorphins and helps lower stress hormones and inflammation in the body, which is proven to contribute to depression. Studies have also shown that regular exercise can improve sleep quality, boost energy levels, and reduce the risk of chronic diseases like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer.

To achieve a balanced and comprehensive workout that helps to improve overall fitness and health, try to incorporate both cardiovascular exercises such as running, swimming or cycling, with strength training such as lifting weights, squats and push-ups. Cardio can improve heart health, increase endurance, and burn calories. While strength training can help to build muscle, improve bone density, and increase metabolism.

AMP’s hot pink fitness bars are a great summery addition to your home strength workouts, providing that extra bit of resistance to help sculpt and tone your body. If you’re after something a little heavier, why not try the weighted triangle dumbbells instead?

Practice Mindfulness

Summer is a time to relax and enjoy life, but it can also be stressful at times if you’re not feeling body confident. Practicing mindfulness is a great tool for helping manage stress and anxiety and can improve your overall well-being and happiness. To put it simply, mindfulness is a mental state of awareness that involves paying attention to the present moment, acknowledging and accepting one's thoughts, emotions, and sensations without reacting to them or getting caught up in them.

Mindfulness can be practiced through various techniques, such as meditation, breathing exercises, and body scans. Yoga is a great way to incorporate mindfulness into your life as it involves deep controlled breathing patterns, focus on your bodily movements and can help bring you out of your head. Plus, it’s great for toning and body strength, helping you feel good inside and out.

Get Enough Sleep

Getting the recommended 7-9 hours of sleep a night can contribute to better body confidence in a number of ways. Firstly, it helps us feel more refreshed and energised so we can attack our days with vigour and do all the activities that will help us achieve better confidence.

Secondly, a lack of sleep increases levels of stress hormones and anxiety, which can dampen our body confidence. Similarly, sleep is essential for regulating our mood and emotions and helps us feel positive and happy.

Additionally, sleep can also have a direct impact on our physical appearance. Getting enough sleep can help regulate metabolism and appetite, reducing the risk of weight gain. Sleep also supports good skin health because during sleep, the body produces collagen which reduces the appearance of wrinkles and fine lines to promote a healthy, glowing complexion.

Practice Self-Care

Taking care of yourself is essential for feeling confident and comfortable in your own skin as it

helps build a positive relationship with your body. Make time for self-care activities such as taking a relaxing bath, doing a pamper session with face masks and other lotions and potions, or practising a hobby you enjoy.

These activities can help reduce stress, help us feel love for ourselves and improve overall well-being. If you have an event coming up and you’re not feeling confident about your body, make sure to set aside some time to focus on doing the things that help you feel your best.

Summary

With the warm weather and sun shining, summer is a great time to focus on health and wellness. Maintaining a balanced diet, exercising regularly, practising mindfulness, getting enough sleep, and engaging in self-care activities are all essential for feeling comfortable and confident in our own skin.

Remember, our bodies are unique and beautiful in their own way, and these tips are simply to help us feel our best so we can enjoy all the fun summer activities with confidence and happiness. By making small changes and building healthy habits over time, we can achieve our goals and feel our best all year round.

Let us know your tips for body confidence!

Lose weight and keep it off by lifting weights

If you’re wondering how to keep weight off once you have reached your desired scale reading, the key is to weight train. Lifting weights helps you build muscle and boosts your metabolism, both of which are essential for maintaining your weight.

In this article, read our top tips on how to lift weights to lose weight and learn why weight training is the best way to keep weight off.

Can you lose weight by lifting weights?

The answer is: definitely! While weight training generally doesn’t burn as many calories as a cardio workout, it benefits weight loss in other ways.

Firstly, weight training helps you build muscle which raises your resting metabolic rate (RMR) - the number of calories you burn at rest. This is because muscle burns through more calories at rest than other tissues like fat, meaning you will be torching the calories without even moving! According to one study, men and women who took part in 24 weeks of weight training increased their metabolisms by 9% and 4% respectively.

Weight training also boosts calorie burning long after a workout. When we exercise, our muscles require more energy to power their movement. Makes sense, right? But what scientists have found is that after a weight training session our metabolism can stay raised for up to 38 hours in order to continue to provide the energy and nutrients needed to restore muscles. This is known as the “after-burn effect”.

So, probably by about now, you’re eager to get weight lifting. But before you go do your thing, read our top tips on how to lift weights to lose weight to ensure you get the best results.

Tips on how to lift weights to lose weight

Set realistic goals

Weight loss targets are extremely effective at motivating you to stick with your training programme. But it is important that your goals are realistic, otherwise they might do the opposite.

Use a combination of strength exercises

There are two main types of strength exercises: compound and isolation exercises. Include a mixture of these in your workouts for maximum results.

A compound exercise uses multiple muscle groups at the same time to perform a movement. These include: 

• Squats
• Lunges
• Dips
• Deadlifts

An isolation exercise targets one specific muscle group and uses one joint. These include:

• Bicep curls
• Lateral raises
• Leg extensions
• Hamstring curls

AMP’s 4kg dumbbell strength bars are the perfect addition to your workouts, helping strengthen, tone and sculpt your muscles. By adding resistance, they can increase muscle growth to boost your metabolic rate and promote weight loss.

Looking for something heavier? Try our peak strength triangles for an added boost. With two weights included, one 10lb triangle and one smaller 7lb, these will add an extra burn to all your arm, leg and core exercises.

Include cardio in your training regime

While weight training is great for building muscle, cardio workouts burn more calories per session and can help you achieve a calorie deficit which is required for weight loss. According to research, cardio combined with weight training is the most effective way to achieve long term weight loss.

Eat a healthy, balanced diet

There’s no use putting the hard work into weight training if you’re going to follow a session with an unhealthy meal. All weight loss 'diets' are based on a calorie deficit, but also often miss vital nutrients and are not sustainable, or healthy, in the long term. We suggest you stick to eating healthy, balanced meals throughout the day, based on your individual calorie requirement, as the key to keeping weight off. Make sure to eat plenty of protein-rich foods, such as fish, nuts, eggs and tofu, as protein provides the essential building blocks for muscles. Avoid refined sugars, saturated fats and processed foods.

Summary

Weight training is essential for helping you maintain your desired weight for two main reasons: It builds muscle which helps boost your RMR so you burn more calories at rest, and it also keeps your metabolic rate elevated in the following hours after a training session.

For best results, set yourself realistic weight loss goals and incorporate a combination of compound and isolation strength exercises as well as cardio into your training programme. And, don’t forget about the importance of nutrition! Eating a healthy, balanced diet alongside a good exercise regime is key for achieving weight loss and maintaining results.

Let us know how you get on!

Strength training is often overlooked and regarded as something you should only do if you want to add bulk. But increasing your strength offers countless benefits to your health and physical performance, as well as being able to tone up for that long, lean look. And it isn’t all about the heavy lifting.

Working out with light weights is proven to be equally effective at increasing muscle mass and strength. Lighter weights are also suitable for all ages and abilities, and you don’t even need to head to the gym! You can easily incorporate them into any home workout - you will be surprised how much difference it makes to your results by adding just a few pounds.

In this article, we explain why working out with light weights is an important part of a healthy exercise regime and provide some light weight high-rep exercise examples to get you started. But first, let’s take a look at what exactly is strength training and how it benefits the body.

What is strength training?

Strength training, also known as weight training and resistance training, involves performing exercises using your own body weight or equipment to put your muscles under tension, with the aim of building muscle mass, strength and endurance. Strength training can take numerous different forms depending on what your goals are, whether that’s to get bigger muscles or improve your posture.

Examples of weight training include:

• Using your body weight and gravity in specific movements, such as pushups, squats, plants, and lunges.
• Free weights such as dumbbells, kettlebells, barbells, wrist and ankle weights, or even objects around the house!
• Resistance bands that are made of rubber and provide resistance when stretched.
• Weights machines with adjustable loads.
• Suspension equipment that contains ropes or straps that allow you to use your body weight and gravity to create resistance.

Why strength training is important

Gaining strength benefits everyone, as it can help you perform your daily tasks much easier - suddenly, lugging your kids around or carrying heavy shopping bags isn’t so strenuous! Strength training can also improve your posture, flexibility and balance, and can help make your bones stronger, all of which are particularly beneficial to older people and can reduce the risk of injuries or falls.

Strength training can also boost your metabolism to help you maintain a healthy weight. This is because it promotes fat loss and increases lean muscle mass, which burns more calories at rest. Building more lean muscle also means you will appear more toned and defined, something many people desire.

But the benefits of strength training go far beyond building muscle. Not only does it benefit your physical appearance and performance, it also improves many other aspects of health. Multiple studies have found that strength training can benefit heart health and reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases by reducing blood pressure and cholesterol, boosting blood circulation and strengthening the heart and blood vessels.

Strength training can also help keep blood sugar levels in check and lower the risk of diabetes. This is because muscle requires glucose to power its metabolism, which helps remove glucose from the blood. It also increases insulin sensitivity, allowing cells of the body to use blood glucose more effectively, reducing overall blood sugar levels. One study found that over a 10-year period, women who engaged in weight training were 30% less likely to develop type 2 diabetes.

What are lightweights?

Many people believe strength training involves slogging it out at the gym lifting overloaded weights. This is actually not the case. Working out with light weights is one of the best ways to incorporate strength training into any workout and is also a very effective way to gain strength and muscle. Light weights can help add that little extra challenge to help you see results.

But what counts as a light weight? Essentially, it’s any weight that feels light to you - we all have different strength abilities. Things like dumbbells (2-4 pounds) such as AMP's fitness bars (in peach, black or neon pink) or kettlebells are common choices for a light weight workout (AMP Peak strength triangle provides a great, easy to use, alternative).

There are also types of light weights you can attach to your body to increase the resistance on your muscles and turn up the heat. We recommend trying AMP’s adjustable ankle or wrist weights

Simply adding a small amount of extra weight can significantly increase the intensity of your workouts and increase your strength and muscle tone faster. But you don’t have to restrict yourself to wearing these solely during strength training workouts, you can wear them during any fitness activity, such as walking, yoga, pilates or running. You can even wear them as you go about your everyday activities to create a regular workout without any extra time or effort needed. House in need of a spruce? Put these on and suddenly your cleaning chores turn into a mini workout!

Sounding good so far? Keep reading to find out more about the benefits of working out with light weights and why they should be an essential part of your exercise regime.

The benefits of working out with light weights

1. Easy and convenient

   Lifting light weights is the easiest way to build muscle - you don’t even need to leave the comfort of your own home! All you need is a set of light weights and your own motivation.

   Light weights are also easily transportable, so are perfect for those who are constantly on the move. If you are away from home a lot, it’s likely that gym visits are infrequent. And we all know that a regular exercise routine is important for achieving results. Light weights mean you can stick to an exercise regime no matter where you are. Plus, if you purchase weights that attach to your body, you can incorporate a workout into your everyday life with ease, no time out of your day required.

   

2. Better all round workout

   If all you use are heavy weights, you are likely to develop muscle imbalances and only target larger muscle groups. This is because when the weight is too heavy, larger muscles take over and overpower other smaller muscles. Working out with light weights targets smaller muscles too, as they are able to manage the loads themselves without relying on the big muscle groups.

3. Builds muscle

   Contrary to popular belief, lifting heavy does not necessarily equal the most muscle gain. Studies show that effort is equally important as load and that lifting with light weights is also an effective way to build muscle. According to one recent study, training to the point of muscle failure promotes greater muscle hypertrophy (an increase and growth of muscle cells) when lifting low loads than lifting heavy loads.

4. Better range of motion

   If you’re lifting extremely heavy loads, the chances are you won’t be able to perform the exercise through the full range of motion. This can negatively impact results. For example, one study found that participants who performed 12 weeks of strength training with a full range of motion achieved greater gains in muscle strength and size than those who only used movements with a short range of motion.

5. Builds muscle strength

   When we think of building muscle strength, our minds tend to automatically picture deadlifts and overloaded barbells. But interestingly, research has found that lifting light weights for many repetitions is as efficient at increasing muscle strength as lifting heavy weights for fewer repetitions.

6. Builds endurance

   Exercising with light weights involves sustained smaller movements and develops your slow twitch muscle fibres, which are important for endurance activities. As a result, you can seriously ramp up your stamina and muscular endurance

7. Reduces risk of injury

   

   Lifting heavy loads might seem impressive and make you feel like the hulk, but even the slightest mistake or incorrection in form can lead to serious injury. And once you have sustained an injury, you are more at risk of injuring yourself again. Lifting heavy also puts a lot of pressure on your joints and body.

   Switching to working out with light weights allows you to work on achieving the correct posture and form so that you can lift properly, and carries a much lower risk for injury. Often referred to as functional workouts.

8. Great for all ages

   It is often believed that strength training is only for bodybuilders and gym bunnies, but this is completely not true. In fact, strength training with light weights is suitable for all ages and abilities!

   Are you new to strength training and don’t feel confident with lifting heavy weights? Then start out small and build your way up to bigger ones, if that is what you desire. Working out with light weights is less daunting and can help you remain motivated to stick to your exercise regime. But light weights aren’t just for beginners, even the most experienced weight lifters can benefit from lifting lighter loads to work on their endurance and other aspects of fitness.

   The convenience and transportability of light weights make them ideal for young professionals and middle-aged parents who want to build effective at-home workouts - no gym membership required! Working out with light weights can easily be squeezed in around other life commitments.

   Light weights are also especially beneficial for older people. As we age, our muscles start to deteriorate, balance is lost, bones weaken and we become frailer. These are all factors that increase the risk of falls and injuries, which can be serious. Working out with light weights can help you maintain a basic level of fitness and strength, well into your older years, and help you stay healthy, mobile and injury-free. Regular strength exercises can also help keep chronic diseases like heart disease and diabetes at bay, which is even more important the older we get.

How to use light weights to achieve results

Light weights are all about endurance and exercising muscles to the point of failure. For best results, you will want to perform a high number of repetitions - 12 or more reps. And, when we say light weights, we don’t mean light enough that you don’t feel anything. You should choose weights that are heavy enough that they still challenge your muscles. Ideally, at the end of your set, you should be struggling to complete your last rep.

Setting goals can help you maximize your training and motivate you to stick to your exercise regime. Decide what would like to achieve and create your routine accordingly. Setting an exercise schedule can also help you stick to it.

Once you have built up more muscle strength, you will likely be bossing your reps using the same weight. At this stage, you can switch to a slightly heavier weight to keep seeing results, a technique known as progression. This is an extremely effective way of building muscle mass and strength. 

But equally, once you have reached your goals, there’s no need to push yourself further and start lifting heavy weights if you don’t want to. Stick with regular workouts with light weights to maintain your physique and continue to reap the benefits.

Examples of light weight high-rep exercises

To help you get started, below are five great at-home exercises you can perform with lighter weights.

1. Lateral raise

   This exercise is great for targeting all the muscles in your shoulders as well as your triceps.

   How to do it:

   Start by standing with a weight such as a light dumbbell in each hand at your side. You can also wear wrist weights.

   Lift your arms up and out to your side, until they are at shoulder height, keeping your hands slightly in front of you.

   Hold here for a few seconds and lower back down slowly.

   Repeat for 12 reps.

2. Renegade row

   This one combines a push-up, row and plank and is perfect for strengthening your arms, chest, back and ab muscles. If it’s too difficult, you can modify it to make it easier by dropping your knees to the floor.

   

   How to do it:

   Begin in the high plank position, arms straight, with a weight in each hand.

   Lower your body down into a push-up and press back up.

   Follow this by bending your right elbow to lift your hand up until it meets your chest, and lower it back down.

   Repeat on the opposite side for 12 reps.

3. Superman

   This exercise gives your back, arms, shoulders, glutes and legs a good workout. Plus, you get to feel like a superhero doing it!

   How to do it:

   Lie on your stomach with your legs stretched out straight and your arms extended infront of you - pretend you are trying to make yourself as long as possible.

   Hold a weight in each hand, or attach weights to your ankles and wrists to intensify the exercise.

   Engage your core and raise your chest, arms and legs off the ground, holding for a few seconds before releasing back down.

   Repeat for 12 reps.

4. Overhead squat

   Our favourite, you’ll feel the effects of this one in your legs, glutes, core and shoulders

   How to do it:

   Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding a weight in each hand, a single weight or weights attached to your wrists.

   Extend your arms up above your head, keeping your palms facing forward, and tense your core to begin your squat.

   Send your hips back and lower your bottom half towards the floor, keeping your knees behind your toes, arms in line with your ears and chest upright.

   Lower as far as you can, ideally until your thighs are parallel with the floor and then slowly rise back up.

   Repeat for at least 12 reps.

5. Weighted glute bridge

   This is a great beginner’s exercise that works on strengthening your back, glutes, hamstrings, calves and abs.

   How to do it:

   Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground. Place a light weight just above your hip bones and hold it in place.

   Engage your core, squeeze your glutes and push through your heels to lift your hips upwards.

   Aim to form a straight line from your shoulders to your knees at the top and pause for a few seconds before lowering slowly back down.

   Repeat for at least 12 reps.

Conclusion

Strength training is an important part of any exercise regime and can benefit people of all ages. Increasing your muscle mass and strength can help improve balance, posture, mobility, flexibility, heart and bone health, blood sugar levels, and weight management.

But in order to reap these benefits, you don’t even need to lift heavy! Working out with light weights is equally effective and also has some great advantages. They are much easier and more convenient to use, meaning you can fit a workout around your busy life. Light weights also provide a better all round workout, help you work on your form and technique, and build endurance. Older people will particularly benefit from using light weights, as they help reduce the risk of falls and injuries, and generally help keep you fit and healthy.

To see results with lightweights, you must perform a higher number of repetitions to the point of muscle failure. Try our exercise suggestions using light weights and see how you get on, we'd love to hear from you when you do!