Copyright (c) 2010 Moaz Derfasi

Why is fitness strength training so important? Sixty years ago stairs were more common than elevators. Many of us worked in the fields behind a plow and mule rather than in an air conditioned tractor, while others worked in factories doing things that robots now accomplish.

Carpenters wielded claw hammers and hand held saws instead of nail guns and table saws. Women beat rugs instead of vacuuming them. Children played kick the can instead of sitting on their cans playing Mp3 games. We walked or biked, instead of hopping in the car to go three blocks.

This is why, if you want a slim, lean, sexy body you have to work at it, which means working out. Jogging, bicycling and swimming are all great cardio and aerobic exercises, but you need to do even more than that to get explosive results. You need to work your muscles in a repetitive motion. It is the constant flexing and tightening, stretching and contracting that helps burn the fat and build the muscle.

Our muscles need oxygen and energy to accomplish the tasks they were made to do. With each stretch or contraction, the muscles learn how to handle loads and undergo stress. Repetitive movement shapes your body's muscles and defines your physique.

Whether you are a guy or gal, nothing is sexier than a tight, lean body. Want to know how to get that body fast? Fitness Strength training. When you add varying weights or resistances, your body work harder, burn more fat, build more muscle and look and feel better overall. The resistance may come from weight stacks, bar bells, hand weights and/or resistance bands.

The key is to start slow and steadily build in resistance. You should be able to do ten repetitions before you feel that burn, or slight straining in your muscles. If you feel the burn with less than that, you need to scale it back to avoid injury. If, after ten to twelve reps you do not feel it, next time add more weights or more resistance. Never push yourself too hard, but don't stagnate either.

For that overall sexy, sleek look, alternate muscle groups in your fitness strength training routine. Concentrate on your upper body on the odd numbered days and the lower body on the even number of days. That will allow the muscles to rest but not fatigue as much.

Finally, warm up and stretch out before and after your fitness strength training session. Treat your muscles well and they will respond by giving you that sexy body you have dreamed of having.