FOUR PILLARS TO CREATING A GOOD WEIGHT TRAINING PROGRAM

Are you the one who starts off strong in January about getting in shape but then loses focus in February?

If so, it’s most likely due to poor program development.

What if there were four basic steps to seeing consistent progress that can actually help you in fulfilling your New Year’s resolution?

The following four steps will give you just that. A balanced life of health and enjoyment with small but consistent progress each and every week.

I. 3-5 Exercises Per Workout

You don’t need a laundry list of exercises for every workout. When it comes down to building a sound weight training program, you’ll be surprised at how less is more.

I always like to start off with a heavy compound movement first with three sets and low reps. Then a second exercise is also a compound movement but with more reps and moderate weight. The next 1-3 exercises will most likely focus on isolation and form that will give me a good pump.

II. 1-3 Sets Per Exercise

It’s easy to believe that more is better when it comes to weight training. When in fact, the opposite is often true.

The more sets you perform in the gym will actually lessens the intensity of your workout. Making it less effective than if you were to just do less sets.

The greater the intensity, the more muscle breakdown. Which then leads to more muscle created when it’s recovered.

III. 8-12 Reps Per Set

There’s several rep ranges you can choose from, all of which are beneficial for building muscle.

With that said and depending on your goal, I would suggest 80% of your training throughout the year should be within the 8-12 range.

This is a great range for those who are looking for a hybrid of overall muscular endurance, stregnth and definition.

IV. 3-4 Days Per Week

Many people don’t realize that the time spent away from the gym is just as important as the time away from the gym. This is very important!!!

Four days per week in the gym is the absolute most I’d recommend anyone!!! Even the most athletic individuals.

The time away from the gym is the time your body will use to recover and grow stronger from the previous workout.

When you don’t give yourself the necessary time needed to recover, you’ll quickly fall into what’s called overtraining. This will require you to take time away from your program and can take days or even weeks to recover from.

Common symptoms of overtraining include…

-Your workouts feel like a chore and lack excitement.

-Your body has a flu-like soreness all over.

-You’re constantly getting mild to sever injuries all the time.

-You haven’t seen any progress in stregnth in weeks.

Here are some training splits I’ve used that keep a good balance of work and rest…

I. TRAIN: EVERY OTHER DAY / REST: EVERY OTHER DAY (good for beginners)

II. TRAIN ONE DAY / REST TWO DAYS (good for intermediates)

III. TRAIN TWO DAYS / REST ONE DAY (good for the advanced)

IV. TRAIN: MON, TUES, THURS, FRI / REST: WED, SAT & SUN (advanced)

When in Doubt, Rest it Out

If you have any thought that you might be over-trained, chances are you’re right. It never hurts to take a day or two off from your program. especially if you’ve been kickin’ ass for several months. Lack of progress is almost always a result of too much exercise, not too less.

STILL NEED HELP?

Go to the TBD Store and buy my eBook “TRAINER IN A BOX”!

This is a 120 page manuscript that includes everything you need to know about creating your own weight training and nutrition plan.

Here’s what you’ll learn…

- How to apply progressive overload to your training for consistent strength and muscle gains.

- How many, sets, reps and exercises is ideal for strength gains.

- How much weight should you use on each exercise.

- How to further breakdown the muscle with static and negative contractions for more muscle growth.

- The difference between training hard and training long.

- How much protein do you really need to maintain and grow new muscle tissue.

- How to incorporate (fun) carbs into your diet without storing fat.

- Supplements that actually work and are worth the money.

- How to fully recover from every workout for a life long, injury free weight training journey.

And much more!

Click here to buy your eBook!!!