Resistance Training - Program Design

Now that you understand the importance of resistance training, let's discuss how to program your workouts so you can achieve the goals you've set out to accomplish.

First, identify each individual muscle group so that you can effectively train the entire body. Chest, Back, Shoulders, Biceps, Triceps, Quadriceps, Calves, Hamstrings, Glutes (gluteus maximus)

A repetition is defined as one complete movement of a particular exercise. An example of this is one bicep curl. Repetitions are simply a means to count the number of movements performed in a given amount of time. A set is a group of consecutive repetitions.

In order to determine how many sets and repetitions a person should do for each muscle group, they must correlate their workout program to their goals:

> So, for individuals looking to build strength endurance, they should do 1 to 3 sets of 12 to 25 repetitions for each muscle group.

> For people looking to enlarge their muscles (aka hypertrophy) they should do 3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions for each muscle group.

> And for maximal strength development, a person should do 4 to 6 sets of between 1 and 5 repetitions.

Now that you know each individual muscle group and the number of sets and reps you should be doing for each, plan a week's worth of workouts accordingly! You could choose to train your entire body in one individual workout or you could train different body parts on different days: an example would be on Monday = Chest, Biceps, Quadriceps and on Wednesday = Back, Shoulders, Hamstrings and Glutes, etc.

And lastly, how many days per week should you lift weights? At a minimum, 2. But ideally, 3 to 4.

Important Note: Please remember that proper form is of the utmost importance. Failure to use correct form will negatively impact your results and could cause serious injury.

Side Note: I included a lot of information in this individual blog post and will talk more in-depth on each individual topic at a later date. But I'm hoping this is enough to get people moving in the right direction! If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to email me.

Best Regards,

Jake
jakedewalt@endurancepersonaltraining.com