Weight and Resistance Training
Frequently Asked Questions
Question: I have been working out for many years now. I
started with total body, then switched to upper/lower. Now I want to do
a split routine.
-Bobby Jett
Answer:
My favorite split is a two way split that is done twice a week for a total
of 4 workouts a week. If you are working intense enough this should be
plenty for building muscle. Focus on your cardio workouts on your off
days and non-leg days. I like working this in a Mon, Wed, Fri, Sat order
which allows for 48 hours of recuperation for each muscle group.
Workout #1 - Abs, Legs, Back, Triceps
Workout #2 - Abs, Chest, Shoulders, Biceps
Workout #3 - Abs, Legs, Back, Triceps
Workout #4 - Chest, Shoulders, Biceps
Advantages and other tips:
I love this split because you don't pre-exhaust other muscle groups that
may effect your staying power late in your workout, especially late in
your sets of each muscle group. For example back, legs and triceps are
not used as helper muscles with each other. Same goes for the chest routine
except shoulders help somewhat. Shoulders are the wild card and can be
shifted around but for most of my clients this works real well. This beats
the standard legs/back/bis and chest/shoulders/tris which is not as efficient
because the small muscles get fatigued working the big ones.
Start each workout with Abs so you don't blow them off at the end of your
workout if you are running out of time.
Work to failure with every rep and pyramid up on weight and stick to a
3 set routine for good results. 2 is still good if you are pressed for
time and want to maintain or build a bit. I am a big believer that 4 or
more sets is over kill unless you are a pro body builder. You get most
of your benefit from 3 sets as long as you keep it intense and flowing
with 30 to 60 second rests between sets.
Keep your movements slow and visit my our article archives at the link
below for some great articles on building better workouts. Good luck and
train hard!
Question: I'm from Sydney Australia and I've heard a lot about strength-resistance-training,
about the benefits and what exercises are considered suitable for strength-resistance-training.
But nobody has mentioned the actual definition for strength-resistance-training.
Your reply would be greatly appreciated.
-Keena, Sydney Australia
Answer:
I'm a firm believer that everyone who is physically able should be strength/resistance
training. I call resistance training the missing link in most people's
workout programs. Without it you cannot really hit your true potential,
physically. With it along with proper nutrition and cardiovascular fitness
and you get exponential benefits. The best definition I can give you
for weight training or resistance training would be this:
Resistance Training
The process of efficiently contracting(flexing muscle) by applying an apposing
force or resistance on the body. Resistance can come in various forms
such as free weights, machines, elastic tubing, medicine balls or even
using your own body weight (crunches for example). The key to resistance
training is proper form & technique by aligning the body correctly
with each movement, breathing, speed of movement, postural alignment,
range of motion and flexing muscle every rep! For more info on resistance
training check out my web article at the following link entitled, "Getting
the most out of weight training". Some of the primary benefits of strength
or resistance training include:
Building muscle or quality mass
Improved posture
Resistance training tightened up muscles and helps re-align the skeletal
system
Become a better fat burner
Increasing muscle mass results in a higher metabolism and the ability
to burn more calories even at rest. Muscle tissue requires more energy
from your body to maintain it.
Increase strength, endurance & stability All very important whether you are just trying to maintain your
fitness level or improve performance if you are an athlete.
Increase bone density This is important for everyone as we grow older but even more important
for women who are more susceptible to osteoporosis. Studies have shown
that woman in their 80's can still improve bone density by weight training
Improve blood flow Weight training over time will actually create additional capillaries
in the body to nourish newly developed muscle tissue
Improve restful sleep By working the muscles you body has to work over time at night
to repair and rebuild the muscle you have broken down during workouts.
This normally results in a more restful state of sleep.
Reduce your risk to potential injuries Their is something to be said about being strong. If you do get
in an uncompromising position, your risk of injury is much less when
you have added muscle on your frame. Added muscle also acts as cushioning
or shock absorption
Reduce your risk of arthritis, diabetes, heart disease and almost
any disease known to man I am not exaggerating on this one. Every day I get new research
coming across my desk on why weight training can be preventative medicine
in many ways
Hope this helps and thanks for your question. Visit our web site often
as we will continue to roll out more resistance training info to help you
stay fit. Thanks to your country and city for what I think was the best
Olympic Games ever.
-Michael Merlino
Question: I am trying to loose weight and I love to lift weights. I want to look
muscular yet feminine. What type of rep program can I go on to achieve
the look I want?
-Laneya, Missouri City, TX
Answer:
Good question! I get this one pretty frequently from a lot of women. With
all the studying I have done with reps and sets I have come to the conclusion
that there isn't really much proof that a certain amount of sets or reps
will get you more or less lean. Of course I wouldn't want you lifting
heavy with low reps but even if you did as a woman you probably would
not gain the muscle mass of a guy anyway. I would be more concerned about
the quality of each exercise movement. First of all, the research I am
seeing points towards the fact that most average people do not get much
added benefit beyond 2 sets per movement or exercise. If you are training
for the Olympics or are a competitive amatuer or pro athlete then obviously
the reps may go up. Training is always specific to the goal in mind. When
you hit the gym I would recommend a range of 12 to 17 qaulity reps per
set to failure. But don't get wrapped up in the numbers. This one reason
why on many occasions I won't even tell my clients how many reps we are
doing before they start a set. We just work the muscle to fatigue. Let
your body and energy level dictate the amount of reps you perform and
adjust the weight accordingly to stay within this range. If you are shooting
for fifteen reps but hit failure at 10, then so be it. At the same time
if you have the stamina to eek out 20 then go for it knowing the next
time you may want to add a little weight. Challenge your body by randomly
picking a muscle group each workout and using lower weight and higher
reps on some days and lift heavier on some occasions while keeping the
rep range lower. Variety is key so your body continues to be challenged
and doesn't get stuck at a plateau.
As far as tone is concerned, let's break it down and make it simple.
Muscle tone is an expression that most of us use to describe how "lean",
"cut" or "buff" someone is. To me everyone who can stand erect has "muscle
tone". The reason you don't see the muscle underneath is because of the
fat stores above the muscle. Since you can not spot train fat off your
body with weight training, cardiovascular fitness, as you probably know,
is your ticket to toneness. Build muscle and strength from the bone up
and burn fat with cardio from the skin down. Along with a consistant weight
training program that hits every major muscle group twice a week and sensible
eating habits, amping up your cardio minutes will rid your body of fat
stores and make your muscle look much leaner. It's great hearing from
women like yourself that enjoy lifting weights and see the huge benefit
of it. For many, regardless of what shape they are in, weight training
is the missing link that could take them to the next level. Click
here to view my latest article for some tips on getting the
most out of your weight training sessions. Keep training hard and do it
for life!
Weight and Resistance Training
