Chances are all of us at one point or another get stuck in a sedentary lifestyle. It happens. Sometimes we break routine, or maybe accidentally, and grant it, sometimes routine needs to be broken. What matters is not falling back on that lifestyle or else you join the elderly people of 80 years that lose 50 percent of their muscle mass because of a sedentary lifestyle, whether it is due to physical limitation or never fostering a more active lifestyle. Starting weight training now, before it is too late, can prevent, stop and even reverse much of the muscle lost.

Maybe you do not want to be ripped and that is fine; you probably are not here to know how to bench press a tank, nor will you find that here. This is really for the average individual wishing to add some activity into their life; maybe shed a few pounds. If that is what you are looking for, then you are in luck.

This may sound familiar: you either work at a desk or you are lifting all day, like a factory job or packaging. It is probably a good guess that you experience some level of back pain, and may or may not have put on a few pounds. It happens to the best of us! But here’s the rub: adding just a few weight training sessions a week and you can see a drop in body fat. In fact, schedule two sessions a week and you can see results as much as a 7 percent decrease in body fat.

You might be thinking, “Well, that is not a lot,” until you consider the average man weighs close to 200 lbs and stands close to six feet tall. Do the math and that 7 percent comes out to 14 lbs, which turns that 200 lbs into 186 lbs. That is a huge difference!

Imagine what that can do for your back, or rather, your body in general. In fact, 80 percent of citizens that experience lower back pain felt relief when they participated in strength training, which is more broader term for weight training. Losing weight always lessens the pressure applied to your joints. And as a bonus, if you are dying for sleep, you should know that 60 percent of weight training participants have slept, on average, around seven hours or more per night.

Before you go lifting your weight and hurting yourself, there is equipment that is worth investing in, in fact, it is crucial you do; your body is a bundle of over 650 muscles and you do not want to strain them unnecessarily. However, it cannot be stressed enough, equipment is merely meant to support your body but only if you temper the correct forms in strength training.

If you plan on deadlifting in socks, you will want to invest in deadlift socks. Look for deadlift socks that offer arch support, compression, ventilation and padding for your shins. Deadlift socks are, like mentioned before, meant to support you while you deadlift and prevent your feet slipping. You will also want to invest in knee sleeves or knee wraps with the same general use. And powerlifting will go a lot smoother with powerlifting socks and a powerlifting suit.

What is best for one may not be the best for another. Pick a plan that works for you and, most importantly, pace yourself.