Weightlifting Program Made Easy
Posted: Saturday, June 17, 2006
by Jim O'Connor
Wellness Word
More and more people are turning to weightlifting to preserve
youth, maintain strength, and even reduce body fat. Numerous
studies point out the wonderful benefits of weightlifting. However,
what is the right way to do it?
Bodybuilders, and even casual fitness enthusiasts, should understand
a simple weightlifting program blueprint prior to training. By
following this proven blueprint, increasing muscle mass has
never been easier.
proven steps listed below. Follow these steps, and you will
be on your way towards greater muscle, greater bone strength, and
even less body fat.
Step 1 - Determine Your Goals - Sit down with a pen and
paper, and outline your weightlifting goals. Be specific! What
exactly do you want to accomplish, and by when? Write them
down, visualize them, and repeat them daily.
A goal isn't a goal until it has been written down. This is the first crucial
step in designing your weightlifting program.
Step 2 - Evaluate Your Medical History - When designing your weightlifting
program, determine which exercises may hinder your medically challenged
areas. Consider modifying certain exercises that could possibly cause problems.
I recommend getting a medical physical prior to engaging in an exercise program.
Sometimes your doctor can locate a medical limitation you didn't
even know you had. You should also discuss your exercise program with
your physician asking if there are any medical limitations.
Step 3 - Program Design - Next, you will, once again, want to sit
down at a computer, or have a paper and pen ready
to begin outlining your specific program. What follows are some weightlifting
program design tips you should consider.
Determine how many sets, exercises, and reps per body part you
intend to perform. You should not be doing more than two sets of
weights for each exercise. Use one as a warm up, and the other as an
all-out "work set." You should only be doing one to three different
exercises per body part. Please remember, weightlifting is anaerobic,
not aerobic. The intensity should be high, depending upon your goals,
while the volume, or sets should be low.
According to your goals, you can either train for strength by doing
very heavy weight and low reps, or for endurance, lower weights, more
reps. For bodybuilders, I recommend 8-12 reps per set.
Make sure you have incorporated enough rest days between workouts.
You should have this all outlined prior to lifting your first weight.
Depending on your goals, once again, you should only be weightlifting
one to two days per week, maximum. The higher your intensity, the more
rest you will need.
Another tip I would like you to consider is the speed of reps. Make sure you
are letting the muscle do the work, and not the external force - momentum.
I always recommend using a two second positive, and a four second
negative cadence.
As far as breaking up your body-parts up, I recommend a split routine.
In a weightlifting workout split routine, you can really maximize
your muscle producing days. An example would be one workout doing
chest, and back, while the next workout exercises legs.
Consider what time of the day and where you going to workout. Have this
all planned out prior to your first repetition. Are you working out at home
with dumbbells, or are you joining a gym?
If you are planning on exercising the entire body in one workout,
make sure you start with the largest muscle groups first, and work
your way to the smallest. An example would be glutes, quads, back,
chest, shoulders, then arms.
Step 4 - Schedule Training Sessions On Your Calendar - Once you have
completed your plan, schedule your training sessions on your
calendar.
Step 5 - Stay Consistent - Consistency in training is crucial. Stick to
your scheduled training appointments you placed on your calendar.
Step 6 - Monitor Progress - That what is not measured can't improve!
Record your progress and results. This is a great motivator as well
as a secret results-producing tool. Reps, weight, and days between
workouts should be tracked at all times.
Step 7 - Evaluate The Data - Evaluate the tracked data. If you
are not getting the results you had hoped for, modify the weightlifting routine,
and continue to track progress. Evaluate each workout.
By following the seven basic steps above, you can quickly design
a weightlifting routine that delivers results.
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Jim O'Connor - Exercise Physiologist / The Fitness Promoter
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Jim O'Connor is a Los Angeles bodybuilding expert, author and
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