Now I know you are all anxious to get in the gym and start training. But before you do that you need a plan of attack. I recommend that you weight train at least 3 times a week and no more than 5 times a week. I personally prefer training with weights 5 times a week as that allows me to really cut the time of each workout down, and also allow me to focus on one main large body part per workout. This is a sure way to keep your workouts shorter, more intense and productive. I realise that not everybody has time to train 5 days a week, so I will draw up a few 3 and 4 day workout programs also.
When we are in the gym we want to choose exercises that are the most efficient. So which are the most efficient exercises? As mentioned earlier, compound movements that involve maximum muscle-fibre stimulation.
By doing compound movements, you can build more muscle, strength and the shape you want in much less time. By utilising compound movements you are able to handle a lot more weight than non-compound and isolation exercises. More weight equals more muscle, faster. You may have got the hint that I am not for the machine type exercises at the gym. The reason is that most machines lock you into performing exercises in a strict rigid motion and also concentrate on muscle isolation, which, as I mentioned before, is not the quickest and most efficient way to build muscle.
Muscle isolation exercises may sound like a good idea to enhance a specific body part. However, during resistance training it limits muscle fibre stimulation, which, in turn, limits muscle gains.
There are plenty of exercises which are done all over the world in every gym that are not the most effective exercises. Don’t fall into the trap of copying someone in the gym – what you may end up copying is their bad habits. Some common bad habits found at most gyms include:
- Very strict form; this actually can cause injuries as you do not move with your body’s natural motion. This also restricts the amount of weight you can handle.
- Bench pressing with feet in the air – not only does this reduce your stability and is not safe, but it also restricts the amount you can bench press, therefore, not allowing for maximum muscle-fibre stimulation.
- Very slow reps, which also makes lifting the most possible weight very difficult.
Now it is important to remember that you need to train every body part and not skip some because you think you don’t need to work that muscle group. A lot of men never train their legs, because they feel like they do not want big legs. They do not realise that training legs actually helps with the rest of your body’s development, including your abs. How? Well, when training legs you use a lot of your body’s core muscles to balance and stabilise the weight – this helps build strong abdominal muscles. Similarly, training all body parts helps build balance, in a proportionate-looking physique.
In the next section is an example of what our workout programs will look like. I will advise different workout programs depending on where you currently are in terms of body shape a little later on.
Creating a Weight Training Workout Program
