Important Tips about Weight Training

The most recognized form of resistance training is weight training. Whether you want to get into bodybuilding for mass or to tone up those muscles while losing fat, there are some very important facts that you should be aware of.

The weight lifting techniques for mass and for tone are different. The type of fitness for your goals will be different. To start you will need to find your 1 Maximum Repetition (1MR). That is the amount of weight you can do in an exercise of weight training for only one repetition. There is a formula that can get you as close as possible to that 1 MR for your workout. This is vital and your 1 MR will be the cornerstone of your workout so that you can have the benefits from your workouts.




The formula is:

Let us use the exercise of the bench press as an example. Decide on the amount of weight you believe you can do at least 10 repetitions of. So for example you say 150 pounds. We put 150 pounds on the bench press but you only get 8 repetitions. Utilizing the chart below, divide 150 pounds by 80%. Your actual estimated 1MR is 187.5 pounds.

150/.80=187.5

Number of repetitions / % of maximum

1 / 100

2 / 95

3 / 92.5

4 / 90

5 / 87.5

6 / 85

7 / 82.5

8 / 80

9 / 77.5

10 / 75

You can use this system to find the optimum weight for every exercise.

A PROPER DIET

A balanced diet is crucial for weight training. Enough of the right carbohydrates are required for energy to workout. If you do not have enough carbohydrates then your body will burn the protein from your muscles for energy. The robbing of your protein will hinder any growth you are trying to achieve.

Not only will you need enough carbohydrates to burn you will need a high protein diet also. The protein, like Whey protein, consists of the complete amino acids for muscle growth. Fast muscle growth will come from the balanced diet, proper weight lifting techniques, and a sound routine.

Recovery

A lot of people have a false belief that they build muscle in the gym when weight lifting. That could not be further from the truth. As a matter of fact you tear down muscle in the gym.

That is why proper weight lifting techniques and a proper diet is critical for muscle growth. Your muscles grow and develop during your recovery, mostly when you sleep. So add a recovery period with the routine and diet. Never workout the same muscle group two days in a row.

Within Fitness Success and the use videos of your FREE membership to my website, I will help you build your own fitness plan. Within your plan you will have your own weight lifting workout sheet for that days training. This allows focus for your training which enhances results in muscle.

Helpful Hints

I am going to provide a few helpful hints for weight training success in the gym. These are the same helpful hints I give to either men or women.

Remember, if you are a runner and you are building muscle this may have an effect on your run times when you start building muscle. It should only be temporary because your body will adjust and your run times will come back. You will balance these routines to maintain your run times because your body will have to carry the added muscle.

After a while of working out you will find that the weight training is getting easier. That is because your body has become accustomed to the routine of a certain amount of weight for a certain amount of repetitions and sets.

You should change up the weight training routine. This will confuse your muscles and keep your routine fresh. For example if you bench press first after stretching, then you perform five or six other exercises, change up and do the bench press last.

You can also add weight or reduce weight to change your routine. If you add weight you will probably have to do fewer repetitions but try and do more sets. If you reduce the weight try and do max sets (doing as many repetitions until exhaustion) for fewer sets.

Last, always remember to stretch. Weight training can reduce flexibility and your flexibility is what keeps you from injury. So stretch before exercise and after.

For some important tips on weight lifting safety.

Resources