Strength Training Is for Everyone

Summary

The Wirecutter Show: Strength Training Is for Everyone Release Date: January 22, 2025

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Introduction In the January 22, 2025 episode of The Wirecutter Show, hosted by Christine Cyr Clisset, Kyra Blackwell, and Rosie Guerin, the focus centers on the universal benefits of strength training. Titled "Strength Training Is for Everyone," the episode delves into why incorporating strength training into one’s routine is essential for overall health and longevity. The hosts engage with Wirecutter’s fitness experts to provide actionable advice, debunk myths, and recommend practical gear for both beginners and seasoned enthusiasts.

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1. The Importance of Strength Training The episode opens with Rosie Guerin sharing her commitment to re-establishing a regular exercise routine after a hiatus, emphasizing that strength training has always been a significant part of her life but had taken a backseat in recent years. Christine Cyr Clisset echoes this sentiment, discussing her personal journey into more serious strength training to combat muscle loss as she ages.

Key Benefits Discussed:

• Health Span Enhancement: Christine explains, “[03:08] 'Your health span isn't just how long you live, it's how well you live into your old age.'” Strength training is highlighted as a critical factor in maintaining muscle mass, bone density, and joint health, thereby extending the period of life spent in good health.
• Disease Prevention: Regular strength training can lower the risk of heart disease and certain cancers, according to the discussion.
• Functional Strength: Ingrid Shung, a certified personal trainer, emphasizes that strength training improves everyday movements, making daily tasks easier and reducing the risk of injuries.

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2. Expert Insights with Ingrid Shung Ingrid Shung, Wirecutter’s former fitness writer and current editor of large appliance coverage, joins the conversation to shed light on the fundamentals of strength training.

a. Defining Strength Training ([07:48]): Ingrid clarifies that strength training involves moving muscles against an external load or force, which can be achieved through various methods like weightlifting, resistance bands, or bodyweight exercises.

b. Who Should Strength Train? ([08:10]): "Strength training is really for everyone. It can almost always be modified or scaled to meet a person where they are." – Ingrid Shung [08:10]

She underscores that regardless of age or fitness level, strength training offers significant benefits and can be tailored to individual needs.

c. Getting Started ([09:36]): Ingrid provides practical advice for beginners:

• Focus on Compound Exercises: Emphasizing movements like squats, deadlifts, and pull-ups that engage multiple muscle groups.
• Sets and Repetitions: Recommending two to three sets of eight to twelve repetitions per exercise, ensuring the final reps are challenging but manageable.
• Importance of Proper Form: [12:05] Ingrid states, “Any sort of blip in your form is magnified under weight,” highlighting the necessity of mastering technique before increasing weights to prevent injuries.

d. Progressive Overload and Training Frequency ([15:09] & [16:03]): Ingrid explains the concept of progressive overload as the gradual increase of stress placed upon the body during training to stimulate muscle growth and strength gains. She advises starting with strength training twice a week, allowing ample rest between sessions, and gradually increasing the frequency as one becomes more experienced.

e. Special Considerations ([18:33]): The discussion touches on the role of strength training in prehabilitation, such as building strength before surgery or during cancer treatments, to enhance recovery and maintain mobility.

f. Overcoming Gym Intimidation ([21:01]): Ingrid offers strategies for individuals who feel uncomfortable in gym environments:

• Shop Around: Visit different gyms to find one that matches your comfort level.
• Have a Plan: Enter with a clear workout plan to stay focused.
• Workout Buddies: Bringing a friend can make the experience more enjoyable.
• Personal Trainers: Hiring a trainer can provide guidance and build confidence.

g. Finding the Right Personal Trainer ([22:27]): Ingrid advises being specific about fitness goals, verifying trainers’ certifications from recognized organizations, and scheduling assessments or trial sessions to ensure a good fit.

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3. Building a Home Gym with Seth Berkman Following Ingrid's insights, the hosts welcome Seth Berkman, Wirecutter’s senior staff fitness writer, to discuss essential gear for setting up a home strength training space.

a. Starter Equipment ([26:14]):

• Resistance Bands: Affordable, versatile, and effective for a variety of exercises. Seth recommends sets with varying resistance levels to facilitate gradual strength increases. [26:14] “Resistance bands are relatively inexpensive... get four to five different bands of varying weight.”
• Kettlebells: Introduced as a multifunctional tool suitable for swings, curls, and stabilizing exercises. Seth points out that kettlebells offer more versatility compared to traditional dumbbells. [27:25] “They are great for swings and squats as well.”

b. Intermediate Gear ([32:52]):

• Pull-Up Bars: Essential for upper body strength, Seth discusses models like the Ultimate Body Press pull-up bar, which offers multiple grip options. [34:25] “Our pull-up bar recommendation is the Ultimate Body Press Texas pull-up bar, priced around $60-$70.”

c. Advanced Equipment ([35:38]):

• Adjustable Dumbbells: While more expensive, adjustable dumbbells like those from Core Home Fitness provide a wide range of weights without occupying much space. Seth highlights the convenience and space-saving benefits. [36:24] “Adjustable dumbbells are great because... you don’t want to buy ten different sets.”

d. Purchasing Considerations ([30:00] & [31:01]): Seth emphasizes the importance of material quality, warranty, and user reviews when selecting equipment. He advises avoiding products with poor durability and ensuring they meet personal fitness needs. [31:01] “Consider the material... check if they offer a warranty for peace of mind.”

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4. Hosts’ Takeaways and Personal Commitments As the episode draws to a close, the hosts reflect on their discussions and share personal commitments to incorporating strength training into their lives.

• Kyra Blackwell: Plans to test adjustable dumbbells before making a purchase to ensure they meet her needs.
• Rosie Guerin: Intends to set up a home gym with essential gear like resistance bands and a yoga mat, emphasizing the importance of starting small.
• Christine Cyr Clisset: Commits to acquiring pull-up bands to achieve her goal of performing an unassisted pull-up by the year’s end.

Notable Quote: [38:58] Christine Cyr Clisset declares, “I'm going to do pull-ups. I want to do an unassisted pull-up by the end of the year.”

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Conclusion The episode effectively demystifies strength training, making it accessible and appealing to a broad audience. By providing expert insights and practical gear recommendations, The Wirecutter Show equips listeners with the knowledge and tools necessary to embark on or enhance their strength training journey. Whether opting for a home setup or navigating the gym environment, the episode underscores that strength training is indeed for everyone, offering substantial health benefits and improving quality of life.

For more detailed reviews and product recommendations discussed in this episode, visit nytimes.com/wirecutter.

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Notable Quotes:

• “Your health span isn't just how long you live, it's how well you live into your old age.” – Christine Cyr Clisset [03:08]
• “Strength training is really for everyone. It can almost always be modified or scaled to meet a person where they are.” – Ingrid Shung [08:10]
• “Any sort of blip in your form is magnified under weight.” – Ingrid Shung [12:05]
• “Resistance bands are relatively inexpensive... get four to five different bands of varying weight.” – Seth Berkman [26:14]
• “I'm going to do pull-ups. I want to do an unassisted pull-up by the end of the year.” – Christine Cyr Clisset [38:58]

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This summary was crafted based on the transcript provided and aims to encapsulate the essential discussions and insights shared during the episode.

Transcript

[Kyra Blackwell]

I use New York Times cooking at least three to four times a week.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I love sheet pan bibimbap.

[Kyra Blackwell]

It said 35 minutes, it was 35 minutes.

[Rosie Guerin]

The cucumber salad with soy, ginger and garlic. Oh, my God. That is just to die for.

[Kyra Blackwell]

This turkey chili has over 17,000 five star ratings.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So easy, so delicious. The instructions are so clear, so simple, and it just works.

[Eric Kim]

Hey, it's Eric Kim from New York Times Cooking. Come cook with us. Go to nytcooking.com.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

From the new York Times. You're listening to the Wirecutter Show.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Hey, everyone, it's the Wirecutter Show. I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Guerin. And we work at Wirecutter, the product recommendation site from the New York Times.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Each week we bring you expert advice from Our newsroom of 140 journalists who review everyday products that will make your life better.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Today's episode of the Wirecutter show is called Strength Training is for Everyone.

[Rosie Guerin]

My friends, I know that this whole thing is supposed to be new Year, new me, but we're into Jan and it's a new year and it's the same me.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I feel like you're giving up too soon.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm not giving up. I'm just willing to commit to this idea that I am the same person as I was last year.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay.

[Rosie Guerin]

I hope I will grow and learn. And one thing I am committed to is getting back into some sort of regular exercise. It's always been an important part of my life, but I think in the last several years I have fallen off is the nicest way to put it.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Would that coincide with two little humans being born?

[Kyra Blackwell]

Has it been three years? Exactly.

[Rosie Guerin]

Actually, it's tacky to blame them for everything.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's okay, you get a pass.

[Rosie Guerin]

But I really do want to get back to some of that baseline because I've always really loved strength training. What, what's your relationship to it?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I actually this past year just got more serious about strength training. I had lifted weights since my early 30s because I was like, oh, when you hit 30, that's when you start losing all your muscle. And so I started lifting weights.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Wait, what age? I thought I had at least 20 years nodded.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, it's once you hit 30s and into your 40s, you start losing muscle mass and stre. So this year I actually hired a trainer because I wanted to learn how to do things like a deadlift with a barbell. And I wanna, you know, do a pull up. I wanna Do a pull up. I mean, that is a major goal of mine. I would love to do a pull up. I can do an assisted pull up, but I cannot do a real one.

[Kyra Blackwell]

My arms are for aesthetics only. Really sad.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Today we're gonna focus on strength. And we're not talking about getting jacked.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Here, but if you do wanna do that, more power to you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's right. We're talking about the kind strength training that's good for everyone. Building and maintaining the muscles you need for everyday movement. There's a ton of research showing that basic strength training can lower your risk of heart disease and even certain kinds of cancer. Plus it helps lengthen your health span.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Your what now?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Your health span. It's kind of like your lifespan, but better. Because your health span isn't just how long you live, it's how well you live into your old age. So it's how long you can stay healthy and active.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. Usually when you say that there's mounting evidence for something, it's like something that's objectively bad for our health. And I'm like, oh, that sucks. But you saying that working out is objectively good for your health is really bumming me out.

[Rosie Guerin]

And it's not just for January. These are like. This is.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's like every month.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. For the rest of your life.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But today we're going to be bringing on two of our wirecutter colleagues who know a lot about this topic. First, we'll talk with Ingrid Chung, who was our fitness writer for many years and is still a certified personal trainer. We'll talk with her about why anyone should incorporate strength training into their fitness routine and how to get started or how to progress if you've already had practice.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And then we'll talk with Seth Berkman, our current fitness writer, who has tested a ton of strength training gear. He's gonna walk us through some simple gear you can invest in to strength train at home. And he's gonna cover everything from really inexpensive resistance bands to things like adjustable dumbbells, which are super, super useful. Imagine regular dumbbells, but with interchangeable weights so that you can make them heavier or lighter when you want to.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I definitely need his advice on that. I made the wrong purchase and I need help, so.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, that's right.

[Kyra Blackwell]

We'll be right back.

[Hannah Dreier]

My name's Hannah Dreier. I'm an investigative reporter at the New York Times. So much of my process is challenging my own assumptions and trying to uncover new information that often goes against what I thought I would find all of my reporting comes from going out, seeing something and realizing, oh, that's actually the story. And that reporting helps readers challenge their own assumptions and come to new conclusions for themselves. This kind of journalism takes resources. It takes a lot of time. It takes a lot of reporting trips. If you believe that that kind of work is important, you can support it by subscribing to the New York.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Welcome back to the Wirecutter Show. With us now is Ingrid Shong, who is our former fitness writer and our current editor of our large appliance coverage. She's a certified personal trainer by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, and she's written Wirecutter guides to adjustable dumbbells, resistance bands, foam rollers, and many, many more.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ingrid, welcome to the show.

[Ingrid Shung]

Thank you for having me.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, we're so happy to have you here. I do just want to say all the suggestions and ideas that we're going to make today are not going to work for every person. Everybody has different bodies, and it's a good rule of thumb to just check in with your doctor or a healthcare professional before you begin exploring new activities like strength training. Just putting that out there.

[Rosie Guerin]

Don't email Ingr. Ingrid.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

This is not medical advice. Ingrid, you have been working at Wirecutter since 2019, when you became one of our fitness writers. What a time to come in and be a fitness writer at Wirecutter because, wow, you got to test fitness equipment during the pandemic. Right. That was like, high watermark for people building out a home gym.

[Ingrid Shung]

That's right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah.

[Ingrid Shung]

Everybody wanted something for home, so I had at least two exercise bikes. @ one point in my apartment, I did adjustable dumbbells. There were piles of yoga mats at a certain point. So it was actually good. I got very real world testing.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, before Wirecutter, you actually worked as a personal trainer in New York City. Right. What kind of clients did you work with?

[Ingrid Shung]

I worked with a really wide range of clients. I had people who wanted to just get back to consistent exercise, people who were really interested in starting strength training and were completely new. I had some pregnant and postpartum people. I had older clients, a whole wide range. And everyone has their own reason for coming to a gym and wanting to work out. So it's very interesting.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Only recently have I gotten serious about lifting weights. But there's a lot of different ways to strength train, Right. How do you define strength training? It's not just lifting weights, right?

[Ingrid Shung]

Right. So strength training or resistance training involves moving your muscles against an external load or force. So when you think about it in that exercise context. You're lifting a dumbbell, you're pulling against a resistance band, or even using your own body weight as resistance.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Who is strength training really for and why is it important to strength train?

[Ingrid Shung]

Strength training is really for everyone. It can almost always be modified or scaled to meet a person where they are. And as humans age, we tend to lose muscle mass. So strength training really steps in and is a really important way to combat that. It's been shown to help build bone density, to help increase range of motion in joints, to help protect your joints, increasing stability, just bodily stability, and helping to make those daily activities and tasks feel a little bit easier. If you think about the basic movements, they really do mimic a lot of movements that you see out in the world. You know, you're taking things off a high shelf, you're taking a kid out of a bathtub or taking things out of a trunk. You know, there's just so many movements that you don't even think about that strength training can really help with.

[Kyra Blackwell]

If you're not already in a strength training program or you don't have a personal trainer, it can feel really hard to start. Christina's actually been an inspiration to me because she has been humble in saying that she's like starting to take it seriously. She is taking it seriously.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Well, I'm also 20 years older than Kyrie, but that's the thing.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Like, I'm younger, but I really do feel like I'm not as healthy and I would love to get into it. So, Ingrid, we really want you to put your personal trainer hat on. And if you're working with someone who's trying to break into strength training or pick it back up, where would you recommend people start?

[Ingrid Shung]

One of the hurdles, I think, is thinking about what exercises to do. I like to look at it from the vantage point of compound exercises and foundational movements. So a compound exercise is one that uses more than one joint and several muscle groups all at once. More bang for your buck. Essentially think about a squat versus a bicep curl so you're using more. And also these foundational movements that we were kind of talking about earlier. Pulling, pushing, squatting, a hip hinge, which is the movement that a deadlift requires. Also lunges, more one legged movements, core exercises, and maybe even a loaded carry where you're carrying a weight for a distance. Thinking about them in that way can help figure out at least a place to start. And then how you want to do it is the other piece. This can depend on. If you're gym focused, or if you're home focused, you can use your own body weight for resistance. You can do push ups, squats, planks, lunges, things that work those foundational movements but aren't necessarily loaded yet. Other ways to go about strength training are weight machines. Kind of keeps you in line. It has bumpers to help you with the movements. That can be a nice way to start with the strength training and then move into free weights, dumbbells, barbells, even kettlebells, which gives you a little bit more freedom than the weight machines, but also require a little more technique and being cognizant of your form. When you're doing the exercises, is there.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Like a number of sets or reps you should be shooting for at first?

[Ingrid Shung]

So I would aim for two to three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of whatever exercise you're thinking of doing. And if you get to that, those last few reps and you're feeling like it's a little bit of a challenge, but not impossible, like you haven't maxed out, that's a nice sweet spot to reach because you're not exhausting yourself, but you still feel like you're being a little bit challenged.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ingrid, I actually wanted to get into free weights, and so I started working with a trainer because I was very intimidated by just going into a weight room and lifting. But I think something that is pretty important is getting your form down.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Like, you need to perfect the form before you really load up with weight because you can really hurt yourself.

[Ingrid Shung]

Yes. And jumping in with a lot of weight can a be a recipe for an injury, but also be really frustrating because if you're entering in above what you can handle, it's not gonna be fun and you're gonna feel very defeated right out of the gate, which is not what we want.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So it can actually be even better to lift a little lighter, doing it with perfect form than it is to kind of ignore your form and do.

[Ingrid Shung]

I don't think it needs to be perfect, but I think just from a safety point of view, being able to do it pretty much right is good. It's definitely one of those things where any sort of blip in your form is magnified under weight and you. You definitely want to clean that up before you start loading.

[Rosie Guerin]

So there are clearly a great many ways to strengthen muscles. But, Ingrid, if someone is interested in lifting weights, specifically, is the ide to start lifting heavy weights as soon as possible?

[Ingrid Shung]

No, trying to lift a weight that's beyond what you're ready for is not great. There are different ways to go about strength training, and if you start working with a personal trainer, they'll be able to sort of parse this type of thing out for you, talk about your goals, see what you really want to accomplish. So if you are training for strength, that's typically going to be a heavier weight lifted for fewer repetitions. If you're training for building muscle, that is typically lighter weights, more repetitions, and depending on your goals, it's not always the weight that can be the variable that changes. There are lots of variables when it comes to training that can change things up enough where you're moving yourself along in a way that you should be. So you can fiddle with the rest time between sets, you can mix up the tempo of how you're lifting, the number of reps and sets, order of the exercises. So there are different ways outside of just adding more weight.

[Rosie Guerin]

So when we use that term heavy, what do we mean or what does that mean to you?

[Ingrid Shung]

So it's definitely a relative term and it's often calculated with something called one rep max. Basically, a one rep max is the maximum amount of weight that you can lift for one repetition of a certain exercise. So if you're working with a personal trainer, let's say you have strength goals, you want to deadlift 200 pounds, or just increase your strength, you would do a one rep max test. And then the higher range of those percentages is going to be heavy. So nasm, for instance, the National Academy of Sports Medicine, says that at least 85% of that one rep max would be considered heavy for one of their strength training protocols.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So the term progressive overload might pop up for anybody who's trying to learn more about strength training. But what does that actually mean and how should you think about it as you apply it to your strength training journey?

[Ingrid Shung]

Progressive overload is incrementally challenging muscles with an intensity that they are not used to. And eventually the body adapts to that intensity. It kind of levels up and then is ready for more. And so you keep doing that over 6, 8, 12 week program, and by the end you've pushed things along. That adaptation is where the physiological changes start to happen.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So let's talk about how frequently one should be doing strength training. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends strength training at least two times a week. Do you think that's a good place to start? If you're already lifting that many times, should you go up from there?

[Ingrid Shung]

Yeah, I think two times a week is a really good place to Start. I think it allows for rest between the sessions so you can work out, have a rest, and then come back and do something else the next time. The stronger and more experienced you get, you can increase the number of days that you strength train, focusing again on building a well rounded program that's really hitting all the muscle groups. And as you increase the days, you do want to think about rest. Rest is a component of exercise, I think is an often forgotten component of exercise because people tend to just want to go. I mean, not everybody, but yeah, I.

[Rosie Guerin]

Was gonna say for me personally, I started to really enjoy the days between and I liked how it felt and I really put a lot of EMP emphasis on that rest until I woke up one day and realized, huh, I haven't been in the gym in full.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Time resting three years.

[Ingrid Shung]

Full time rester, yes. But it can be important to, for physiological benefits too, to give yourself rest between days.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I feel compelled to ask. My brothers used to play football and during the summer they would do something called 2A days, which is basically when you have two full practices in one day. And I've really taken that approach to most things that I hate, which is cram it all in at once and then you don't have to think about it again for a long time. Is that a bad idea? Can you just get it all done at once, once a week and call it a day, or is that not a good recipe?

[Ingrid Shung]

You can, you can get it all done in one session. There is research showing that one session a week can be beneficial, particularly to those who are very new to it or haven't done it for a while. But honestly, if it comes down to doing it or not doing it and you have one day and 30 minutes, I think doing it on that one day is more important than trying to then sort of do the gymnastics to try to get to. I think people have a very all or nothing approach when it comes to exercise and being a little kind to yourself and saying, you know, if I can get 20 minutes here, I'm gonna do it, and that's good. And then If I get 20 minutes tomorrow, great.

[Rosie Guerin]

I'm curious, Ingrid, about this idea of strength training. And maybe it looks like PT prior to perhaps a surgery, maybe cancer treatment for older folks who may have mobility struggles. The idea of strengthening your body ahead of something you know you're going into, what are your thoughts around that in general?

[Ingrid Shung]

You'd always want to check with a PT or your doctor to make sure that that is something that you're in a position to. But I do think strength training, it's been shown to help increase range of motion. It's been shown to help protect your joints. And in general, I think anything you can do to keep yourself strong and mobile, going into any one of those scenarios would be beneficial on the other side of it.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, we often hear about rehab or physical therapy after something like a surgery, but I think the idea of doing something in anticipation of. For me, that was a new concept as of, you know, the last several years thinking about that.

[Ingrid Shung]

Yeah, I think it kind of runs adjacent to the idea of prehab exercises. So I'm a runner, and I do a lot of smaller exercises with loop bands that are done with the intention of hopefully staving off injury and just making me better prepared to run. And I think that can be applied to those scenarios, too.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

And even, like, on a macro level, you know, I just sent my mom an article about how strength training can help prevent falls in older adults. Right. You're preparing for life. Right. You're preparing for getting older and keeping your body strong.

[Ingrid Shung]

Yes. And that is why I have sent my mother resistance bands and said, mom.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

The perfect Mother's Day gift and a.

[Ingrid Shung]

Custom plan and tried to get her to do it, because it does pay off. You know, focusing on stability as you get older, focusing on strength really does make those daily activities easier. But also, if something does go wrong, might position you a little better.

[Rosie Guerin]

Later in this episode, we're going to talk to Wirecutter senior staff fitness writer Seth Berkman about how to think about building out a home gym. Because I think a lot of these things can be done at home. And so we'll talk about and the products that you might want to consider when doing so. But, Ingrid, if someone's interested in actually leaving the house, I can't imagine why. And going to a gym, which admittedly can be intimidating, especially if you're a woman, if you're older, if you have a disability, so on and so forth. What is your guidance and advice for folks who may feel vulnerable or uncomfortable in that environment?

[Ingrid Shung]

Yeah, I would say first, shop around. If there are different gym options available to you where you live, take a tour of them. Do some research to get an idea of what the feel is at the gym, what the approach is. If there is only one option for you, go in with a plan. Really think before you go, what piece of equipment you're gonna head to, how long you're gonna be there, and then what you're gonna do after that. It can really help to have a set strategy in place, you know exactly what you're gonna do that can go a long way. Going in with a friend can always be a little more fun and a little more comfortable. When you have a workout buddy with you, consider what time of day you go. Sometimes going when it's less busy can give you a little more room to breathe and move and not feel like you're under a microscope. And then teaming up with a personal trainer, if it's, you know, within your budget, if it's something that you feel like you will make use of and are in a position to commit to, having someone there who knows the lay of the land and can take the programming piece out of it for you can be really helpful too.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I want to ask more about that because, you know, I recently worked with a personal trainer. It was a really good experience. I only did it for a limited amount of time because I didn't want to spend that money for the long term. But if somebody is interested in working with a personal trainer, what is your advice for finding the right trainer to work with?

[Ingrid Shung]

It's a good question because I think finding the right person can kind of make or break the experience and also sort of your ongoing relationship with exercise. So I would say first and foremost, be as specific as you can about your goals. That can really help focus in on someone who is gonna be best positioned to help get you to where you want to go. If you are asking at a gym about personal training, the manager of the personal training will outfit often will have an idea of the expertise that's available and the trainers that are available and that can be helpful. Asking about certifications and specializations is important. Your trainer should hold a certificate from a recognized organization like the National Academy of Sports Medicine or the American College of Sports Medicine. And then I would also say schedule an assessment or a trial with them if you can. A good personal trainer will do an assessment with you to get a sense of your goals, to also see how you move, which can really help with the programming and also just to get acquainted with you. And a trial can be kind of a low lift, no pun intended, way to see if you like them.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

All right, so, Ingrid, just to recap what we've talked about, because this has been a great conversation if you're new to strength training, first of all, the big headline here is everybody should be strength training. It's important for your overall health. There's lots and lots of reasons why this is a really good, good thing to do. You can start out kind of small focus on your form. But the important thing to think about with strength training is this idea of progression. And as you progress in weight, you're going to be building your muscle. And you know, starting out two days a week is a great place to start.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Or one super packed or one super.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Packed day if you're ambitious. Kyra.

[Rosie Guerin]

Thanks Ingrid.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks Ingrid.

[Ingrid Shung]

Thank you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, so we're going to take a quick break and when we're back, we're going to get into the strength training gear our fitness writer Seth Berkman recommends for a home gym. We'll be right back. Welcome back to the Wirecutter show. This episode is all about strength training, what you can do at home and when it might be worth going to a gym and the products that can help you get a jump start. Earlier we spoke with Ingrid Shung about the basics of strength training and how to start.

[Kyra Blackwell]

And now we're going to chat with Seth Berkman who is a senior staff fitness writer who covers everything from fitness trackers to running shoes. He's a self proclaimed avid slow runner who can usually be found in our Long Island City office testing rowing machines, treadmills and massage guns, plus massage chairs, which is really fun. So Seth is going to walk us through some basic inexpensive gear you can invest in to strength train at home.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Welcome to the Wirecutter show.

[Eric Kim]

Thanks for having me. I feel like I'm part of the cool kids club.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, you definitely are. You've made it so pumped. Well, Seth, I'm really excited to have you on the show. Today people can literally buy thousands of different products for their home gym, like including really expensive barbell setups. But today we really want to cover this in a approachable way. Let's talk through the options and let's approach it by cost so we can take it by kind of like small, medium and large. If someone is just starting out and wants to get into just the basic gear, what are the first things you'd recommend?

[Eric Kim]

One of the first things I would recommend are a set of resistance bands. You can buy these in many different formats. They have some with handles which you would see most commonly that you would hang over a door or something like that and do a lot of pulling exercises. But then you can also buy resistance bands. They're called super bands or some people call them pull up bands. And they're the longer latex or natural rubber bands that you might see that can go anywhere from about, I'd say in length about 4 to 5ft. But they can also extend and Stretch longer. So those are really helpful, as the name kind of indicates. Pull up bands, they can assist you with pull ups where if you can't necessarily do a pull up on your own, you can tie them either around a bar or a band and put your knee or even your foot in them to kind of give you that boost to do a pull up motion. Resistance bands are relatively inexpensive. You can buy a lot of them individually, but we mostly recommend sets for them. So you do get. Get four to five different bands of varying weight. So if you start out with, say, the smallest resistance, that might just be five to ten pounds on a band, as you get stronger, you can build your way up to more resistance, more pounds, and grow strength in that manner.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I was using our resistance band, the ones with the handles this morning.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Oh, were you? I was going to say, I think we both need the pull up band. Christina.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I definitely. Yeah, I definitely need the pull up bands.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I also can't do a push up, so.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Okay, so bands are a great place to start. They're very accessible. You can use them in a bunch of different ways. Are there other things in this sort of first category, this small category that you'd recommend getting?

[Eric Kim]

Yeah, it's also great to get a kettlebell. And I think some people get intimidated by a kettlebell because it just looks like a big hunk of metal, essentially like a cannonball almost. And they think, oh, that's heavy. Or it's unwieldy too, because you do have the bell shape in the bottom and then a handle. But you can find kettlebells three to four pounds, very manageable weight for most people just to start out. And they're great for stabilization exercises, but also lifting as well. You can curl a kettlebell like you would a dumbbell for bicep training or strength that way. I use kettlebells actually on the floor. So you put one hand on the kettlebell to kind of raise your body in a way, and then your other hand is on the floor and doing pushups that way. They are great for swings and things like that. Squats as well. So really not just for strength training, but all kinds of exercises.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What's the advantage of, like, if you don't have weights at home right now, what's the advantage of buying a kettlebell first versus maybe buying a couple of like five pound weights or something like that?

[Eric Kim]

The versatility of a kettlebell. It's more natural, I think, for some people to hold with two hands. Whereas if you were to buy a five pound dumbbell, let's say it has that very particular shape where kettlebell much more conducive for swinging and kind of holding with a two handed motion for maybe those stabilization exercises that you're looking for.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I wish I had talked to you before. I bought one set of five pound regular dumbbells and then another set of ten pounds and now I just have a bunch of dumbbe I never use.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I feel like the kettlebells also look tougher.

[Kyra Blackwell]

They do.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

It's like if you walk in and you see two five pound weights, you're like oh yeah, they do a little bit of weight training but if you see like a kettlebell you're like it doesn't matter how heavy it is, it's like that person's serious.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah. And you can consolidate them and just shove them in a corner or something.

[Eric Kim]

They make great doorstops too.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's true, that's true. I like that. Anything else in this category?

[Eric Kim]

Yeah, I would definitely recommend a yoga mat. You think about strength training, that might not be the first thing, but a yoga mat that serves great purpose in terms of just giving you a stabilizing surface. But also there are exercises that you can do for strength training where you will be laying on your back and so to have that little bit of padding underneath you definitely helps as well. And you can find a good yoga mat for 20, $25 and should last you many years.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So you can essentially get a suite of these things for maybe under a.

[Eric Kim]

Hundred bucks for sure. Yeah. And that's something I would always kind of recommend to someone is you don't want to hop in right away and buy the a 200 pound set of weights or something like that one. You want to be sure that you're starting at a place where you feel comfortable with but also in terms of long term usage of it, you know, you don't want it to be a wasted investment. You want to be sure, oh this is something I can stick with or something I want to kind of continue doing. And you can find these very basic entry level, beginner level tools for strength training all each costing around $20 or less. And if you were to buy them all together, you could probably get yourself a good quote unquote starter set for under $100.

[Rosie Guerin]

So Seth, speaking of price, if you go into a store or how about Amazon for any of these products, there are literally thousands of options. Some of these like resistance bands or yoga mats, I'm curious what is going to make one better than another?

[Eric Kim]

So one thing that you want to consider when it comes to items like yoga mats or resistance bands is material. If someone has a latex allergy, a lot of the yoga mats or resistance bands you cannot buy because they are with latex. So you're looking for something that would not have latex, which they do make. There's also very, I don't know if you would call them cosmetic factors, but some of those products, because they are made from natural rubber or latex, they do have a smell to them that you might find offensive. Or you like using resistance bands. After a while, many of them, your hands will smell rubbery and you want to wash them off or they may have a greasy feel to them. Sometimes companies put powder like a talc or cornstarch on resistance bands because it's supposed to help with the grip. But some people don't like that tactile feel of having the powdery substance residue on their hands afterwards. Those are some things to consider. You also want to look at warranty. I think that's always a big thing. You may find a set of resistance bands for $10 or something and you think, oh, that's a great deal. But any resistance band will snap on you at some point. The idea is to try to get one that will last maybe a year, maybe two years or something. And if you see a company has a warranty for a year, some companies have lifetime warranties where if you buy one and it snaps three years from now, you can get a replacement band. So that's something to consider in terms of purchase and price too is if you're able to replace it at little to no cost. And then another thing I would also just consider when you talk about looking at so many options is do look at the user reviews. A lot of times people will include photos thinking about how long you're going to be able to use this, but also in the safest manner possible is pretty important.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So, Seth, can we talk about that medium cost here? What are some things that you might spend a little bit more money on that can help with an at home strength training regimen?

[Eric Kim]

Yeah, once you're looking to increase your strength training a bit, one of the first things I would look at is a pull up bar. And so pull up bars are interesting exercise tools because a lot of the ones that you see used are the kind that you can essentially just hook on the back of a door. Most of them do come with nuts and bolts and ways to affix it in a more permanent way. But people like that ability to just attach it on the door. Do some pull ups, take it down. Pull ups are a great exercise. They're definitely not the easiest of exercises.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Impossible.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Some might say.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I feel like it's the white whale. I feel it's like, especially for a lot of women, like, I feel like men tend to have more. I don't feel this way. I know a lot of men have more upper body strength, but yeah, it's just like it's a hard exercise to do.

[Eric Kim]

And that's where resistance bands could be a great assist in that. Just the, the sense of being able to do a pull is really gratifying in a way. That self confidence boost that it brings to you, using pull up band or resistance band along with it may give someone confidence. And so once they're able to do that and challenge themselves, it may be go down to smaller weighted resistance bands and then hopefully at one point not use the resistance band at all. Once you're able to incorporate pull ups into your workout routine, strength training, the benefits are really innumerable. You can also use pull up bars if you don't do pushups well or you struggle to do pushups. A lot of pull up bars are designed where if you take it off the door and then put it on the floor with the handles facing you and do push ups with that, that kind of gives you an assist for doing pushups on the floor.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

So, Seth, our pull up bar pick is from Ultimate Body Press. How much is that gonna cost someone?

[Eric Kim]

Our pick is in the range of about 60 to $70. So our pick is really big. We called it the quote unquote Texas pick one because it's really big. But also some of the handles look like longhorns that you would see on like a steer or cattle. One of the things we like about it, it has four or five different handle placements. So you have the traditional two handles in front, but there are also handles on the side so you can do pull ups from various angles on that one. The one thing that I would mention about pull up art is storage might be a problem. If you don't have the biggest apartments or rooms or spaces, they don't break down or fold or collapse. So one of our testers, he has the pick, the Texas pick now, and he keeps it in his bathtub essentially just because that's the only space that is big enough, but also kind of conducive for the shape of a pull apart.

[Rosie Guerin]

All right, so final category, this higher cost tier. What are some things that might be a bit of an investment but will pay off later down the line.

[Eric Kim]

Yeah, so. So that next level up, a set of adjustable dumbbells could really help improve strength training, and that is a bit of an investment. The set that we recommend now normally retails for about360, $370. But they're great for, you know, you think of the traditional arm curl exercises, but all kinds of arm exercises, chest exercises, and adjustable dumbbells are great because most of them should be relatively easy to clean and maintain. And the ones that we test and we really look to kind of recommend are very simple to adjust, hence the name adjustable dumbbells, where it's either as simple as twisting a handle or pressing a button, and you go from £5 to £10 to £15 within the matter of one or two seconds.

[Kyra Blackwell]

I was looking at your adjustable dumbbell guide a while ago because I was looking to buy some, and I decided not to because they were very expensive. A, a, why are they so expensive? And B, can I test some adjustable dumbbells? Cause the ones that I bought instead were super cheap, and they suck. So I made the wrong choice, obviously.

[Eric Kim]

Yeah, that's a really good question. The set that we recommend now from Core Home Fitness, they're on the lower end, actually, in terms of price. I was just talking with my editor Tracy today about a new set that came out, and they look pretty fancy. They're $720. For a set of adjustable dumbbells. Ours are, like, half the price.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay.

[Eric Kim]

And so when you think of price, some of it is, I like the ones we have now because the handle is smooth. When I used to lift weights with, like, traditional dumbbells, I would often get calluses if I didn't wear gloves on my hands. But some people want that. So some of the adjustable dumbbells will have a metal knurled handle. That's when you get that feeling of just, like, thousands of little bumps on the handle. It's supposed to help with your grip. One of the flaws, but not deal breakers for our current pick is the cradle is essentially plastic, and so it's not the strongest. And actually our biggest qualm over the years with the core dumbbells is so they go up to £50. So if you set it to £50 and then pull it out, it will get stuck in the cradle. So you have to either put your foot on the edge of the cradle or you need some kind of resistance to actually pull the dumbbell at its full weight out of the cradle.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Well, that's a workout.

[Eric Kim]

Yes.

[Rosie Guerin]

This sounds like a lot of Rigmarole.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

But they don't take up that much space. That's the plus side.

[Eric Kim]

Right.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Like, if you were to get that much of a weight range, like let's say 5 to 50 pounds in individual dumbbells, then you'd have to buy like a lot and they'd take up a lot of space.

[Eric Kim]

Right, right. You'd have to buy essentially 10 different sets. That would take up more space and definitely more money in having the individual ones.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Okay. So what I'm hearing, Seth, is that if you're a beginner and you're really just trying to get into strength training, the best thing you can do for yourself is start small. That means just a yoga mat, maybe a kettlebell, and resistance bands. And then if you want to keep ramping it up from there, you can get a pull up bar and then the ultimate final boss adjustable dumbbells. Is that right?

[Eric Kim]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Kyra Blackwell]

So before we wrap, we always ask our guests one final question. What's the last thing you bought that you've really loved?

[Eric Kim]

It's very on brand, I guess, but just this summer when we started testing. So I have jump ropes now and I love jumping rope. I'm crazy about jumping rope.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah. What's your favorite? Jump rope?

[Eric Kim]

So we recommend this brand called ksy. It's made in Korea and it was created by this guy who was a championship jump roper. And so. So literally I could never jump rope before. And then this summer, just very slowly trying, and then now I jump rope like every day. It's sort of wow.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

What makes this jump rope so awesome?

[Eric Kim]

Handles are a big thing. I feel for a lot of jump ropes, just the tactile feel that you get. And they're like smooth, but they have a little bit of grip to them. The design also is like, very nice. Handles have a very sort of not psychedelic, but I don't know, if you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Jump rope for like five minutes, it feels psychedelic.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Like torture is what it feels like.

[Eric Kim]

More intricate design. But the other day I was like, maybe I'm too into this because I was doing my laundry, but I was jumping rope in like my laundry room in my apartment.

[Kyra Blackwell]

That's psychotic.

[Eric Kim]

Yeah.

[Rosie Guerin]

Seth, thank you so much for joining us. This has been really great.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Yeah, thank you.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Thanks, Seth.

[Eric Kim]

Thanks for having me.

[Rosie Guerin]

What a one, two punch we had today.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Wow.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Ingrid and Seth lineup for real. Can you work out with them?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I'm not ready for that, Cristine.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm doing it.

[Rosie Guerin]

What are your takeaways from this double feature?

[Kyra Blackwell]

I think my takeaway is that I need to test adjustable dumbbells with Seth before I commit to buying them them because that's fair. I don't want to buy them right away and not use them. So I want to make sure I find a pair that I actually like.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Yeah, that's the advantage of working here is you can try things out.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah. For me I think it's that you can get a setup going for a home gym, maybe yoga mat resistance bands, kettlebell for under $100. And I think that is terrific, particularly for folks who are kind of dipping their toe in. I think the other thing for me is when I get back into lifting this year, which since I've said it on Mike and all of your. My witnesses.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

You're committed.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, I am committed. I shouldn't start heavy. I gotta set my ego aside. Just because once I could lift a lot doesn't mean I still can.

[Kyra Blackwell]

But you'll get there.

[Rosie Guerin]

Yeah, but I'll get there. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's right. My takeaway is that I am gonna get a pair of super bands. The bands that Seth recommended for doing assisted pull ups. I have a lot of different types of bands at home, but I don't have this type of band.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Catch that white whale.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

That's right. I'm gon do pull ups. I want to do a pull up by the end of the. You got this the end of the year. Yeah. So I want to do an unassisted pull up. So I'm going to be assisted for quite a while, but I'm. I'm going to get some of those.

[Rosie Guerin]

Well, if you want to find out more about wirecutters coverage or if you want to check out any of the products we recommended Today, go to nytimes.com wirecutter or of course you can find a link in the show notes. Stay strong my friends. That's it for us. See you next week.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

See ya.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Bye. Here's what's coming up next week on the Wirecutter show.

[Rosie Guerin]

Okay, so this is the whole debate.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Of the Internet over the last 20 years about luggage, it seems.

[Rosie Guerin]

And the short answer is hard sided.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Does not seem to protect anything that much more than soft sided does. Make sure you're following the show on your favorite podcast app so you don't miss it. The Wirecutter show is executive produced by Rosie Garon and produced by Abigail Keel. Editing by Abigail Keel. Engineering support from Matty Mazziello and Nick Pittman. Today's episode was mixed by Katherine Anderson. Original music by Dan Powell. Marian Lozano Alicia but itup and Diane Wong. Wirecutter's deputy publisher and interim general manager, is Cliff Levy. Ben Fruman is Wirecutter's editor in chief. I'm Kyra Blackwell.

[Christine Cyrclassette]

I'm Christine Cyrclassette.

[Rosie Guerin]

And I'm Rosie Garen.

[Kyra Blackwell]

Thanks for listening. Is it like capitalism in which you constantly need to be growing and like lifting more?

[Christine Cyrclassette]

Are you a Marxist lifter?

[Eric Kim]

Is that.