There is nothing better than having a well designed fitness plan to follow. Not only should your program include weight training, it should also include cardiovascular exercise and flexibility work. Finding the right balance between these 3 training types is the perfect way to start working towards your goals.
Weight training is probably the most complicated, with separate training methods for certain goals. If you are looking to build your overall strength, you should stick to low reps with high weight. This type of training is how people bench, squat, and deadlift a lot more than their body weight. If you want to add on some quality muscle size, you need to perform about 8-10 reps per set with a weight that is challenging. This will increase your sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. This kind of workout is what you would see an average bodybuilder performing at the gym. Endurance training is the opposite of strength training, high reps and low weight. An example would be being able to do 50+ pushups in one set. Unless putting on size in the muscles is a huge factor, you can train any of these ways and see great results. If you want complete balance, you should start with strength work, move to hypertrophy, and end with endurance work.
Cardio is next on the fitness hierarchy. You will find cardio work can be done with low intensity or high intensity, with pros and cons on each side. Low intensity cardio is great to actually burn fat during the workout, but it is time consuming and burns less calories overall than HIIT. If you want to burn the most calories per workout, HIIT is the way to go. However, you should mix it up and do each form of cardio 2-3 times per week.
Flexibility isn't set in stone. If you want to recover quickly and actually improve your other types of training, flexibility is a must. Yoga, or just basic stretching, will work just fine. Every other day is a great way to begin your stretching plan. Just remember to never perform static stretching before a weight training workout. Dynamic stretching is the way to go if you feel the need to stretch before hitting the weights.
Now you know what you need to do! This plan is perfectly balanced for the average fitness enthusiast. Make sure you follow the guidelines and you will see results!
Weight training is probably the most complicated, with separate training methods for certain goals. If you are looking to build your overall strength, you should stick to low reps with high weight. This type of training is how people bench, squat, and deadlift a lot more than their body weight. If you want to add on some quality muscle size, you need to perform about 8-10 reps per set with a weight that is challenging. This will increase your sarcoplasmic hypertrophy. This kind of workout is what you would see an average bodybuilder performing at the gym. Endurance training is the opposite of strength training, high reps and low weight. An example would be being able to do 50+ pushups in one set. Unless putting on size in the muscles is a huge factor, you can train any of these ways and see great results. If you want complete balance, you should start with strength work, move to hypertrophy, and end with endurance work.
Cardio is next on the fitness hierarchy. You will find cardio work can be done with low intensity or high intensity, with pros and cons on each side. Low intensity cardio is great to actually burn fat during the workout, but it is time consuming and burns less calories overall than HIIT. If you want to burn the most calories per workout, HIIT is the way to go. However, you should mix it up and do each form of cardio 2-3 times per week.
Flexibility isn't set in stone. If you want to recover quickly and actually improve your other types of training, flexibility is a must. Yoga, or just basic stretching, will work just fine. Every other day is a great way to begin your stretching plan. Just remember to never perform static stretching before a weight training workout. Dynamic stretching is the way to go if you feel the need to stretch before hitting the weights.
Now you know what you need to do! This plan is perfectly balanced for the average fitness enthusiast. Make sure you follow the guidelines and you will see results!