Designing a Program

Designing a Program

If you think you can afford to consult with a personal trainer just once, the beginning of your weight training is the time to do so. If a trainer isn’t in the cards at all, keep in mind the principles listed at the beginning of this chapter. Whether you select free weights or machines, start strength-training two or three times a week and work each major muscle group every time. As an option, you can weight-train six days a week,alternating upper- and lower-body workouts and taking the seventh day off.
Weight, reps, and sets can be combined in several ways to match your goals. If you want to tone your muscles, make strength training part of a weight-loss program, and make your muscles stronger for your everyday life, start with two sets of 10 to 15 reps per exercise, using relatively light weights. If you want to build big muscles, do fewer reps—no more than 10—with heavier weights. (Experienced body-builders seeking maximum strength gains lift as much weight as they possibly can, but they do six or fewer reps each time they work out.) If you want to build muscles but also maintain a nicely toned, nonbulky body, alternate these routines. Moderate weights and many reps help promote muscular endurance. What constitutes “heavier,” “lighter,” or even “moderate” depends on the strength you have to begin with. This, incidentally, is why a preliminary fitness assessment helps plan the right program for your needs and goals.
A personal fitness trainer can design a suitable weight-training program. If you are committed to a weight program, your biggest question is probably, “How much weight should I lift?” The answer is, “It depends.” It depends on your strength,your age, and other factors. If a trainer plans a program for you, he or she will outline the appropriate amount of weight as well as the number of sets and reps for each exercise. If you put together your own program, you’ll have to use the trial-and-error method. Try several different weights and then pick one for each exercise that you can lift between eight and 12 times before fatigue, all while maintaining correct form. The last two or three repetitions should feel hard to do, but they should not be so difficult that completing them causes you to compromise your form or technique.
Whatever the amount of weight you can lift when you start, it won’t be long before you are ready to increase the workload. When you are comfortably lifting an amount of weight and are completing the sets with good form, it’s time to add more weight. Bump it up using the smallest possible weight increase. Every body part or muscle group won’t graduate equally. You might be ready to increase weights for one muscle group but not another.If you hit a plateau and can’t seem to lift a heavier weight, you can try what is called eccentric contraction. This means you work with weight beyond what you normally can lift on your own. Your trainer or exercise buddy will help you pull, push, or lift the weight—in other words, by contracting the muscle. You then return it to the starting position on your own—in other words, controlling the weight as the muscle lengthens and returns to its resting length. Most trainers recommend one to three sets of eight to 12 reps in this way.