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Success With
Strength Training
by:
Jesse Cannone
Strength training is the most
effective way to turn your body into a
fat burning machine and stay in great shape! It is the most productive
form of exercise there is! In order to be successful with strength
training there are some basic principles that must be followed if you
want to receive the many benefits which strength training has to offer!
The three most critical factors are progressive overload, intensity,
and recovery.
Progressive overload simply means that
you must force your
muscles to work harder each time. That means you can't use the same
weight every workout, regardless of how many sets or reps you do. The
best way to do this is by attempting to increase the resistance /
weight used and, or increase the number of repetitions performed at
each workout.
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Intensity is also very important. You must
force your body to
increase its strength. For example, if you typically do 3 sets of 10
reps on the leg press at 115 pounds, and your legs are capable of doing
16 reps, why is your body going to make any improvements? Your body
will only add muscle if you force it to work at a higher level than it
is used to. The most effective way to overload your muscles is to
perform one or two sets per exercise, and continue each set to muscular
failure. That means continuing each set until no more repetitions are
possible. Challenge yourself!
Once you have overloaded the target muscle
group you must then
allow for proper recovery and over compensation. This means you must
rest long enough to allow for recovery of the targeted muscle group,
the nervous system, refill glycogen stores (Energy stored within your
muscles), and also allow enough time for the muscles to make
improvements or increases. This process takes time. Generally, it takes
between 2-7 days to recover from a strength workout! The harder you
work the longer it takes your body to repair. Don't short-circuit your
progress by strength training too often!
Basic Guidelines for Successful Strength
Training
- Strength train no more than three times
per week!
- Perform 1-2 sets per exercise!
- Choose
1-2 exercises for small muscle groups and 2-3 for large muscle groups.
(ex. 2-3 exercises for legs, back, chest, and 1-2 for arms, shoulders,
etc.)
- Choose no more than 8-10 exercises and
work hard on
them! . Always keep a record of all workouts! . Take each set to
failure or fatigue!
- Perform each exercise SLOWL V! Force the
muscle to do the work -- NOT momentum!
- As soon as you see a slow down in
progress it's time to make a change to your program!
Below are some sample workouts and
frequently asked questions regarding strength training.
Full-body Workout 1-2 x per week (approx.
30-40 mins.)
Lat pull-down 2 sets Chest press 2 sets Leg press 2 sets
Lateral raise 1 set Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set Leg curl 1 set
Leg extension 1 set
Upper / Lower Split
2-3 x per week (approx. 25-40 mins)
A. Upper
Seated row 2 sets
Shoulder press 2 sets
Lat pull-down 1 set
Pectoral fly 1 set
Lateral raise 1 set
Bicep curl 1 set
Triceps pushdown 1 set
B. Lower
Leg curl 2 sets
Glute machine 1 set
Leg press 2 sets
Leg extension 1 set
Frequently Asked Questions
Q. How do I lose the flab on the back of my
arm or my spare tire?
A. It is physically impossible to only lose
fat in one area.
What you can do is decrease body fat by burning more calories than you
consume. Increase muscle tissue with strength training and burn more
calories all day long, even while you are sleeping!
Q. How often should I strength train if my
goal is to burn fat?
A. 2-3 times per week would be great! You
will build muscle
tissue, which burns calories 24 hours a day, and you will decrease the
chance for excess calories to be stored as fat!
Q. What if I don't want to bulk up? I just
want to tone.
A. If it were that easy to bulk or get big
nearly every guy in
the gym would be huge] Women generally don't have the genetic potential
to build large muscles due to hormonal differences. Plus, don't forget
that adding muscle tissue to your body is a good thing! It makes
everything you do much easier, reduces the chance for injury, and
increases your metabolism!
Q. How many sets and repetitions should I
do?
A. This will vary depending upon your goal.
If you are training
to increase strength, due fewer sets but higher intensity (1-2 sets to
failure per exercise). If training for muscle size, perform multiple
sets (2-4 sets, but only 1 to failure). The number of repetitions will
vary also depending upon the speed at which you move the weight and
your goals. In general, shoot for 8-12 reps.
Q. What are the benefits of strength
training?
A. Strength training, if done correctly, can
make some major changes to your body and mind! Here are just a few:
- Increased metabolism
- Increased strength and flexibility
- Increased muscle tone
- Reduced stress levels
For more information on how you can maximize
the benefits of
strength training, please call me at 240-731-3724 or e-mail
jesse@achieve-fitness.com
About The Author
Jesse Cannone is a certified personal
trainer, nutritionist, and
best-selling fitness author. Sign up to receive his free email course,
Muscle Building Tips which is full of powerful tips and techniques for
maximizing strength and size. http://www.seriousstrengthtraining.com
support@seriousstrengthtraining.com
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