Download Weight Training 101 Terms 2

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Weight Training 101
Weight Training Design Terms
Training with improper form and technique can lead to injury and keep you from reaching your goals.
Understanding how to lift weights correctly and how to structure a workout program will lead to increased fitness
and performance. Always think safety first—don’t lift too heavy and use spotters as appropriate. Lift through full
range of motion—and control the weight—do not use momentum to help you lift the weight—it is too heavy if you
cannot keep proper form
Atrophy
a reduction in the size of a muscle, usually due to a lack of muscular activity
Hypertrophy
an increase in the size and cross-sectional area of a muscle—“bulking up”
One rep max
the greatest amount of weight that can be lifted with proper technique for only one
repetition
Set
The number of repetitions performed consecutively without resting—a fixed number
of reps
Repetition Range A range of repetitions that are to be performed maximally during one set
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The Active Life
Sedentary
Lifestyle
Chronic
Diseases
Physical Fitness
Aerobic
Exercise
Anaerobic
Exercise
a pattern of living where a person engages in little physical activity. It is a risk factor for a number of chronic
diseases.
illnesses that develop as a result of an unhealthy lifestyle and last a long time. Examples include: heart
disease, cancer, stroke, obesity, and diabetes.
the ability to perform daily living tasks and not experience undue fatigue. Having enough strength, energy,
and stamina left over to enjoy recreational pursuits and be able to meet unforeseen emergencies.
exercise during which the muscle cells receive enough oxygen to continue at a steady state. Some examples
are running, swimming, and biking.
exercise during which the energy needed is provided without oxygen. Some examples include sprinting and
weight-lifting.
Living a sedentary lifestyle is an almost guaranteed path to disease and premature death.
Participating in regular physical activity and exercise improves your physical fitness as well as other
aspects of your health. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that individuals acquire a
certain amount of activity to receive health benefits. On a daily basis individuals should aim to get 60
minutes of physical activity. On a weekly basis an individual should get:
Aerobic Activity
Resistance Training
150 minutes moderate-intensity activity or
Do muscle-strengthening activities on 2 or more days a
week that work all major muscle groups
75 minutes of vigorous-intensity activity
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Physical Activity and Exercise
Physical activity refers to all bodily movements that cause increases in physical exertion beyond that which occurs
during normal activities of daily living. Physical activity is any bodily movement that results in the burning of calories. Being
physically active is the opposite of living a sedentary lifestyle: which means having a life of very little movement.
Exercise is planned, structured, and repetitive physical activity designed to improve or maintain fitness. Exercise is a form of
chosen physical activity as opposed to physical activity that is done at a job (i.e., lifting boxes, walking around hallways, etc.)
or in household chores (i.e., sweeping, gardening, etc.) that is undertaken in order to achieve a particular goal, such as
improved appearance, improved cardiovascular fitness or greater muscular strength. Exercise is intentionally choosing a
specific activity to help you reach an objective. All exercise is physical activity, but not all physical activity is exercise!
The Benefits of Physical Activity & Exercise
Benefits of Regularly Participating in
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training
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Physical Benefits:
Lowers resting heart rate and blood pressure-reduces the risk for cardiovascular disease
Helps to burn fat and control body weight.
Increases lung capacity
Helps improve sleep patterns
Mental Benefits:
Improves regulation of stress hormones (feel less
stressed)
Improves blood flow to the brain, allowing a person
to be able to think faster—improving memory and
attention span
Improves mood—reduces the risk of depression
Benefits of Regularly Participating in
Resistance Training
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Builds and tones muscles—helps with functional
fitness (being able to lift & carry things)
Increases the strength and density of bones (less
likely to get fractures and osteoporosis)
Increases muscle mass—which helps to maintain a
healthy metabolism (leads to greater fat loss)
Reduces chances for muscle deterioration later in
life and less chance of muscle injury
Helps control blood sugar levels—reduces risk for
diabetes
Improved sport performance
Improved resistance to fatigue
Fitness is an asset. You are better at everything you do the more fit you are—even academics. It
has been found that students with higher levels of aerobic fitness have better attention spans, better
memories, and perform better on tests. Athletes train to improve sport performance, but everyone needs
to train to perform activities of daily life such as carrying objects (trays of food, children, boxes) and
transportation (walking to school, climbing stairs, biking to work).
In summary, regular physical activity and exercise can improve your current quality of life by
improving your ability to do daily activities and increasing your energy levels. Consistently following a
prescribed fitness program can increase your chances of living longer by reducing risks for various
diseases, as well as reduce potential medical costs associated with chronic diseases.
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Health-Related Fitness
Physical fitness is made up of various components that can be classified into two categories: health-related and
skill-related components. The five health-related components of fitness listed below relate to how well your body
systems operate, such as your circulatory system, muscular system, and respiratory system. Meeting healthy
fitness standards for each of these components decreases your risk for developing chronic diseases and also reduces
the incidence of musculoskeletal injuries, such as low back pain and muscle strains.
Body
Composition
Flexibility
the ratio of body fat to all other body tissue ( including muscle, bone, water, and connective
tissue). Expressed as a %, such as 17% body fat.
the ability of a joint to move through its available range of motion.
Cardiorespiratory
endurance
the ability of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels to use and send fuel and oxygen to the body’s
tissues during long periods of moderate-to-vigorous activity
Muscular strength
the ability to exert maximum force against a resistance during a single effort.
Muscular
endurance
the ability of the muscles to perform physical tasks repeatedly with moderate loads for an
extended period of time before muscular fatigue occurs.
To meet healthy fitness standards for each of these components throughout your life it is important to follow a
specific training and conditioning program as well as follow a balanced nutritional plan designed for your needs.
The FITT principle can help you to design an appropriate workout plan to be sure that you are getting adequate
amounts of exercise.
The FITT Principle of Training
Think of the FITT principle as a set of rules to follow in order to benefit from a fitness training
program. The FITT Principle provides a framework for developing a balanced program that targets the
health-related components of fitness. This framework allows you to design a workout that can help you
to promote and maintain your health by reducing your risk for various lifestyle diseases, such as heart
disease, cancer, stroke, and diabetes.
F: Frequency is the number of times you exercise each week.
I: Intensity is how hard you are working while you are exercising.
T: Time is the total amount of time that is spent exercising in one session.
T: Type is the type of exercise you are doing.
When designing your workouts, you should keep each of these components in mind for
flexibility, cardiorespiratory fitness, and muscular strength/endurance.
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The FITT Principle of Training
Flexibility Training
Frequency
Can be done daily. Stretching as necessary before and after a workout. Focus on improving flexibility by
conducting a stretching routine at least 2 times a week.
Intensity
Stretching that increases range of motion. Trying to stretch farther than before.
Time
Spend at least 20-30 seconds on each stretch. Try to do at least 5 minutes daily.
Type
Uses all major muscle groups allowing the body parts to move through the full range of motion.
Example: yoga
Training for Cardiorespiratory Endurance
Frequency
A workout schedule of activity 3-5 times a week. Frequency depends upon intensity.
Intensity
Your heart rate is the primary measure of intensity, and your target heart rate zone (60-85% MHR) is
what you should aim for when training for cardiorespiratory endurance. For the 15-18 year old range, the
target heart rate zone is about 121 -175 bpm.
Time
Depends upon intensity: 20 minutes if vigorous intensity (3 times a week) or 30 minutes if moderate
intensity (5 times a week). A goal should be to workout within your target heart rate zone for a
minimum of 20-30 minutes if best.
Type
Any exercise that allows me to keep my heart rate in the target zone, such as running, swimming, or
biking for the recommended time.
Training for Muscular Endurance
Frequency
A workout schedule that includes 2-6 days a weeks. (Frequency depends upon the time and structure of
the routine and how many muscle groups you are exercising each day) You should work out at least 2
different days in the week and give each muscle group a 48 hour rest in between sessions—especially if
you are lifting heavy.
Intensity
Each muscle group needs to be worked at least 8 or more reps twice a week. Increase the number of
repetitions for body resistance exercises such as push-ups or increase the weight if you can do more than
20 repetitions with that weight. Intensity is adjusted by increasing or decreasing the weight lifted, the
repetitions performed, and rest between sets.
Time
Typically 20-60 minutes to include different muscle groups. Time depends upon frequency—if you are
lifting more days a week you may decrease the time, if you are lifting fewer days a week, you may need
to increase the time of a session.
Type
Do resistance training activities that work all major muscle groups (8-10 different exercises minimum).
Examples: Weight-lifting or body resistance (push-ups, sit-ups).
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Warm-Up and Cool-Down
Before participating in a cardiorespiratory or resistance training workout, one should perform a proper warm-up routine. The
purpose of warming up is to prepare the body for exercise by directing blood flow to the targeted muscles. Increased blood flow raises
body/muscle temperature which improves muscle elasticity. This can help to prevent injury by improving the flexibility of the muscles.
More blood flow also means more oxygen to the muscles so that they are able to work longer. This improves workout performance and
efficiency because the muscles are “primed” with blood and the nerve receptors are prepared to fire. Your body is more like a tea kettle than
a light switch—you can’t turn your energy systems on and off automatically—they need time to adjust to the effort and warming-up helps
your body prepare to exert more energy.
A warm-up routine typically begins with a total body activity designed to increase blood flow to all muscles, such as a slow jog,
jumping rope, or jumping jacks. This part of the warm-up should last approximately two to five minutes or until a sweat begins to appear.
After this, individuals can perform specific dynamic activities designed to stretch the muscles and ligaments that will be used during the
workout. These activities should be movements and skills that the individual will be engaging in, such as doing push-ups before performing
the bench press, lunges before a volleyball game, or defensive slides before a basketball game. The reason that stretching follows the total
body activity in the warm-up routine is that warm muscles can be stretched farther and are less likely to be injured. Cold muscles do not
have the elasticity to improve range of motion and forcing the stretch can result in a strain.
At the completion of a vigorous cardiovascular workout, participants should gradually slow the heart rate to a steady state to
prevent blood from pooling in the muscles that have been used. If exercise is abruptly halted, blood may pool in the muscles and the heart
will have to work harder to keep the blood circulating. This may result in dizziness and fainting. Also, doing a cool-down helps with the
removal of lactic acid from the muscles so that you are less likely to be stiff and sore the next day.
Post-workout stretching restores the muscles to their resting length, stimulating blood flow, and reducing muscle spasms. This will
decrease stiffness and soreness and help to improve flexibility and range of motion (ROM). Having an elevated core temperature is
important before conducting static stretching as it lowers muscle tension, reducing the risk for stretching injuries. Improving ROM in your
joints helps to improve performance and prevent injury.
The skeletal muscles of the body will shorten over time as a result
of poor posture and lack of activity. Proper stretching works to
restore the flexibility of a joint by elongating the muscles
surrounding the joint.
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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Terms
Stroke Volume
Amount of blood pumped by the heart in one beat
Cardiac Output
Amount of blood pumped by the heart in one minute (bpm = beats per minute)
Target Heart Rate
Zone
The recommended training intensity range (stated in exercise heart rate bpm) to obtain
adequate cardiorespiratory endurance.
Maximum Heart
Rate (MHR)
Highest heart rate for a person, related primarily to age.
Resting Heart Rate (RHR): the number of
times your heart beats per minute while at rest.
Make sure you have been at rest for at least 30
min before taking your RHR, then compare to
the chart below:
Excellent (elite athlete)
Below 50 bpm
A well-conditioned athlete
Around 60 bpm
Men 60-80 bpm
Average resting heart rate
Women 70-90 bpm
Finding Your Target Heart Rate Zone
Sedentary (poor fitness)
Over 100 bpm
A simple way to determine your target heart rate range is to use the following formula. An example
for a 15 year old person would be as follows:
1. 220 - age = Maximum Heart Rate (MHR) 220 – 15 = 205 is MHR
2. Then multiply your MHR by 60% and 85% to find your target heart rate range:
3. 205 x .60 = 123
and
205 x . 85 = 174
Target Heart Rate Zone= 123 – 174
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Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training
The main goal of cardiorespiratory training is to make your heart a more efficient pump. It
becomes more efficient by increasing the stroke volume--which means it pumps more blood with each
bump. Since each beat has more blood, the heart doesn’t have to pump as fast to distribute blood
throughout the body. This results in a lower resting heart rate and decreases the workload of the heart. In
order for these physiological changes to occur, you must train at an intensity that “overloads” the heart.
That intensity can be determined by finding your target heart rate zone. Resting heart rates can decrease
by 10-20 bpm after 6-8 weeks of consistent training. A reduction of 20 bpm saves the heart about
10,483,200 beats per year.
Cardiorespiratory Training Levels
Intensity Level & Description
Approximate Heart Rate
Range for 15-19 yrs
Examples of Training
Maximum
Effort
Over 85%--going all out, can only do
this for a short period of time
173-206 bpm
Interval Training:1 min Sprints, 2 min
walk. Repeat 6-7 times = about 20 min
vigorous
Vigorous
66-85% MHR—Breaking a sweat,
hard to talk while exercising because
you are breathing so hard
133-173 bpm
Running the mile at your fastest pace
possible
Moderate
50-65% MHR—Breaking a sweat
and talking requires some effort—
can’t carry a conversation, but can
talk
103-133 bpm
Jogging 2 miles at a steady pace—
maybe combining walking and
jogging if you can’t walk the whole
way
Easy
40-50% MHR-Can carry on a
conversation—easy pace that could
maintain all day
80-103 bpm
Walking 1-2 miles
No Effort
Sedentary-- Sitting
Below 80
Cardiorespiratory Fitness Training Tips
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For beginners a target heart rate zone of 50-70 percent of their maximum of heart rate is a good
place to start. Individuals with lower fitness levels can start out with 10 minute bouts of exercise
and then gradually work their way up. A goal should be to workout within your target heart rate
zone for a minimum of 20-30 minutes if best.
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For fitter, more advanced individuals, a target heart rate zone of 70-85 percent of their maximum
of heart rate may be more appropriate.
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Use interval training to help you improve on being able to run longer.
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Training and Conditioning
There are a variety of ways to train in order to reach your goals. Below are examples of different
types of training and conditioning programs that you can use to structure your workouts to achieve the
best results.
Resistance
Training
any method or form of exercise that requires a person to exert force against resistance (such as body
weight—push-ups, or weights—bench press, or resistance band—bicep curls). This type of training
is used primarily to improve muscular strength and endurance.
Interval
Training
a training system that involves vigorous bursts of exercise followed by a recovery period. For
example: sprinting 100m and then walking 200m and then sprinting 100m and walking 200m
continuously. This type of training is used primarily to improve cardiorespiratory fitness through
anaerobic exercise. Can be used to improve speed and explosiveness.
Circuit
Training
a form of conditioning that involves alternating exercises with a fixed workload or time and then a
short rest period before starting the next exercise. Typically, you will alternate working different
muscle groups. For example: do 20 push-ups, do 20 sit-ups, do 20 air-squats, do 20 jumping jacks
and then repeat the circuit. Or do the same exercises for 30 seconds and then rotate. This type of
training can be used to improve muscular endurance and cardiorespiratory fitness.
Plyometric
Training
Aerobic
Conditioning
a form of exercise that requires forceful jumps or springing off the ground immediately after landing
from a previous jump. Examples include box jumps, clap push-ups, & tuck jumps. This type of
training is used primarily to improve explosiveness and speed.
the process of training in order to improve the capacity of the heart and lungs to deliver fuel and
oxygen to body tissues. Examples include swimming, biking, and running. This conditioning
involves training within your target heart rate zone. This type of training is used primarily to
improve cardiorespiratory fitness.
Regardless of what type of training program that you choose, it is necessary to include the principles of
training in your workout design. Specificity, overload, and progression are the three main principles of training
that need to be considered in every workout in order to improve fitness as well as reduce the risk for injury
Specificity
principle
a rule of exercise that states that gains result from training are specific to the type of stress imposed
upon the body systems
Overload
principle
a rule of exercise that states that in order to improve the level of fitness, one must progressively
increase the workload that the body is accustomed to in order for adaptations to occur.
Progression
principle
gradually increasing a load (intensity) over time to bring about desired improvements
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The Principle of Overload: In order for you to increase muscular strength or endurance, you must put a
greater than normal stress or load on the body in order for it to adapt to greater workloads. For example, you will
never become stronger if you only lift 3 sets of 10 at 100 lbs. Eventually, you will have to increase the weight and
do a different number of repetitions in order for your body to adapt—which means build the strength for you to lift
more—such as lift 115 lbs 10 times. Your muscles adjust to the stress that you put on them, so once your muscles
have adjusted to a certain weight—it is no longer considered an overload and you will have to increase the weight
to build more strength or increase the repetitions to build more endurance. Your heart muscle is the same way—
you must gradually increase the workload (intensity) of your aerobic exercises in order for your heart to become
stronger and pump blood more efficiently. One way to increase the intensity of your aerobic workouts is through
interval training.
The Principle of Progression: Gradually and systematically overloading the body over a period of time will result
in improvements in fitness without risk of injury. Trying to increase the intensity too quickly may result in injury
and increasing the workload too slowly will most likely not lead to adequate improvements in fitness. Progression
implies that you need adequate rest time in order for your muscles to recover. Training too hard and too frequently
may result in a condition known as overtraining and a decrease in fitness. The following are general rules
regarding progression: increase repetitions or sets before increasing resistance; decrease repetitions when
increasing resistance or sets; and decrease the rest interval between sets to increase the workload for muscular
endurance.
The Principle of Specificity: This principle states that fitness improvements are specific to the type of stress put
on the body. There are two different aspects of specificity that individuals need to be aware of. First, it means that
the muscle you want to strengthen must be exercised specifically. For example, to train your bicep muscles you
need to do exercises that work the biceps—you can’t expect to get bigger biceps doing push-ups. Second, the
muscle must be exercised specifically for the goal that you have in mind, such as strength, size, or endurance.
Individuals need to choose their weight, sets, and reps specific to the goal that they want to achieve. Their goal
(strength, endurance, weight loss, etc.) should be what determines the specific training regimen to follow in order to
get desired results. An individual who wants to build muscle mass will be doing a different amount of sets and reps
than someone who wants to increase muscular endurance. Also, athletes training for a sport will want to choose
lifts that are tailored to movements that they perform.
By not following the principles of training you risk injury and decreased performance. Below are some of the
consequences of that may result from improper training:
Plateau
reaching a point of not being able to improve your fitness-- a time when progress stops; indicates that
some aspect of the program should be changed to stimulate the desired change.
Overtraining
a condition that results from excessive physical training. Symptoms include increased fatigue,
decreased performance, persistent muscle soreness, mood disturbances, and feelings of “burned out”.
Regression
if training stops then less stress is placed on the muscles and they atrophy or weaken. Basically losing
any strength or fitness improvements that you have made. “Use it or lose it.”
Repetitive Is an injury that may result from repetitive use of a certain part of the body—it typically is caused by
stress injury overusing certain muscles and joints and not allowing enough rest
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Weight Training Design: Types of Lifts
Power lifts
are exercises that are performed very quickly or
explosively.
These lifts are the most affected by fatigue and should
be performed first in a routine due to the level of
concentration and skill.
Examples: Snatch, hang clean, power clean, push jerk
Core lifts (complex or compound lifts)
recruit one or more large muscle areas (i.e. pectoralis,
quads, lats, glutes) and involve two or more primary
joints
Examples: Squat, Deadlift, Lunges, Bench press,
Standing Military (overhead) press,
Core lifts should be at the center or “core” of any
workout designed to improve strength and power. In
your program design—it is recommended that you
perform core lifts before assistance lifts to reduce
potential muscular fatigue.
If you are not performing power lifts, then core lifts
should be the first lift you perform.
Assistance lifts (auxiliary or isolation lifts)
isolate smaller muscle areas (i.e. biceps, triceps, and
calves) and involve only one joint.
Examples: biceps curls, calf raises, triceps extension,
leg extension, seated hamstring curl
Assistance lifts contribute to improving strength and
power indirectly by strengthening muscles that assist in
core lifts.
They also can be used when an injury prevents a person
from doing a core lift. For example, if a knee injury
prevents a person from doing squats, he can perform the
leg extension and leg curl.
Core lifts are not to be confused with core strength training. Core strength training exercises are
designed to strengthen the abdominals, hip muscles, and muscles surrounding the spine (upper and lower
back muscles)—these muscles are referred to as the core of the body. These muscles are responsible for
maintaining the stability of the spine and pelvis. Core strength contributes to better posture, balance, and
decreases the incidence of lower back pain. Examples of core exercises include: abdominal crunch,
bridge, back extensions, superman, lat pull-down, seated row, and curl-ups.
Safety Note: Some power lifters may find it beneficial to wear a weight training belt when lifting heavy weight for
lifts such as the squat, power clean, and deadlift. The major benefit to wearing a belt is that it can help to stabilize
the lower back muscles, preventing injury. On the flip side, those who train with a belt may not get the benefits of
strengthening the lower back during exercises. Wearing a belt is a personal choice that should be considered when
it comes to injury prevention in heavy lifting.
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Weight Training Design: Choosing Your Lifts
In designing your weight training program, pay attention to what muscle groups you are working
with each exercise. You don’t want to write a workout plan that only works biceps and shoulders while
neglecting the rest of the muscle groups. Nearly every exercise you perform uses multiple muscle groups.
However, certain lifts require more exertion from a specific muscle group. Some lifts emphasize a
particular muscle group more, while other muscles assist to support the primary muscle group when
performing the actual exercise.
For example, when performing the, bench press, the primary muscle worked is the pectoralis or
chest muscle and the secondary muscles are the triceps, deltoids, and forearms. You cannot lift the bar
without the secondary muscles assisting in the lift, but the bench targets the chest muscle more than the
other muscle groups—so it is referred to as a chest exercise.
Exercise
Primary
Secondary (Assisting)
Bench Press
Pectoralis (Chest)
Triceps, Deltoids, Forearms
Back Squats
Quadriceps, Glutes
Hamstrings
Upright Rows
Trapezius
Deltoids, Biceps
Lat Pulldown
Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius
Posterior deltoids, Biceps
Shoulder Press Machine
Front & Middle Deltoids
Trapezius
Modified Pull-Up
Latissimus Dorsi, Trapezius
Posterior deltoids, Biceps
Barbell Curls
Biceps
Forearms
Lateral Shoulder Raise
Middle deltoid
Leg Extension
Quadriceps
While each of the assisting muscles are exercised during the lift, they must also be exercised as a
primary muscle group. For example, you cannot use the lat pulldown as a bicep exercise since the work
of the biceps is minimal in that lift.
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Weight Training Design: Choosing Your Lifts
You may have the option of choosing between free weights and machine weights in your exercise
program, so it is important to understand the advantages and disadvantages of each in deciding what ones
to pick.
Free Weights
Weight Machines
are weights such as dumbbells, barbells, and plates
and can be moved in a number of different way
are stationary mechanical devices that move weights
using a system of cables and pulleys.
Pros
Pros
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allow for a variety of different exercises to be
performed with the same equipment
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do not require a spotter and are less likely to cause
injury because less balance is involved.
improve coordination and balance since they
require the use of many muscles at the same
time
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can decrease the time of your lifting since there is
no spotter, you can workout alone, and you don't
have to constantly change the plates.
better transfer of muscular strength to everyday
life as movements are more functional
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don't take up as much space as some machine
weights and can easily be moved from place to
place.
require greater balance and are more prone to
cause accidents due to improper technique.
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it can take longer to learn the technique of the
lifts due to their complicated movements.
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also requires a spotter
may increase the time of your lifting if you
have to constantly change plates on the barbell
isolates single muscles so can be used for
individuals with injuries or disabilities
Cons
Cons
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much easier to learn the technique
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only allow for specific movements--so less
exercises can be performed with machines.
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typically are large, heavy pieces of equipment that
are difficult to move
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may not be able to see as much of a strength gain
since spotters cannot assist with reps
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strength may not transfer to functional fitness
improvement since movements are often isolated
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Weight Training Design: Structuring Your Workout
There are a number of different ways that you can structure a weight training workout. Examples include:
Circuit
Training
PushPull
Training
Split
Routine
A workout in which you perform a set of several different strength exercises, one right after the other with little
or not rest in between the sets. Alternate lifts so that you are not training the same muscle back to back.
Example: arm exercise, leg exercise, ab exercise and then repeat the cycle doing a different arm, leg and ab
exercise the next time. You could get every muscle group in one day with this workout. There is minimal rest in
between the stations so a resistance training circuit could become an aerobic workout.
A push–pull workout is a method of arranging a weight training routine so that exercises alternate between push
motions and pull motions. Another push–pull technique is to arrange workout routines so that one day involves
only push exercises, and an alternate day only pull exercises.
Training different muscle groups on different days. For example: upper body on Mon/Thurs, lower body on
Tues/Fri, core workouts on Wed/Sat. Group exercises together so that you get adequate rest for each muscle
group.
One way to design a workout plan to help you achieve muscular balance is to structure your
workout in a push-pull routine so that you are exercising opposing muscle groups. Opposing or antagonist
muscles are the muscles that do the opposite of the working muscle. So when the biceps are flexing or
contracting, the triceps (the antagonist) are extending. If you only focus on working one muscle group and
don’t train the opposing muscle group, you may put yourself at risk for injury from muscular imbalances.
For example, if you only work your quads and not your hamstrings, that muscular imbalance may result in
weak knees and lead to a knee injury.
A good tip is to work the opposing muscle between sets of the main muscle that was just worked.
For example, after you do a set of biceps—do a set of triceps and then go back and do another set of
biceps. You do not need to sit down and do nothing as a rest in between your sets. Your “rest” can be
working an opposing muscle group. This saves you time and allows you to get through a workout faster
or to be able to do more lifts in a shorter period of time.
Location
Upper
Arm
Upper
Torso
Working Muscle
Opposing Muscle Group
Triceps
Biceps
Push Exercises: Dips, Rope Pushdown
Pull Exercises: Bicep Curls, Chin-Ups
Chest (Pectorals)
Latissimus Dorsi
Push Exercises: Bench Press, Push-Ups
Pull Exercises: Pull-Ups, Lat Pulldown, Seated Row
Quadriceps
Hamstrings
Push Exercises: Leg Extensions, Squats, Leg Press
Pull Exercises: Leg Curls, Deadlifts, Good Mornings
Abdominals
Lower Back
Sit-Ups
Back Extensions
Legs
Core
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Weight Training Design: Picking the Approriate Weight
1. First, you need to decide on your goal, your goal will determine your rep range. The four most basic goals that
require different training loads are improved muscular strength, increasing muscle size, improved muscular
endurance, and general fitness and toning.
2. Second, identify your sets and reps based upon the recommended range. When looking at the ranges, if you are
doing more sets, you would do less reps and if you are doing fewer sets, you would do more reps.
3. Pick a weight that is a challenge, but is not so heavy that you lose form. For example, if your goal is to
complete 15 reps, you want to be able to pick a weight that on the 15th time it should be fairly difficult to
complete—you really have to struggle to get the last rep. If your goal is to build strength, on the exercises you
have a spotter—you may need minimal assistance with the last 1-2 reps of your lifting. For a core lift, such as
bench press or squat, you can use your one rep max to help you identify the appropriate weight to lift. For
other lifts, you will use trial and error to find the right amount of weight to lift for the recommended repetitions.
(Or you can use an estimation chart to determine your find one rep max for auxiliary lifts.)
If you cannot keep the right form throughout all of your reps—that weight is too heavy for you.
Maintaining proper technique is more important that doing more reps with improper form.
Choose Your Sets and Reps Based Upon Your Goal
GOAL
# of Sets
Repetition Range
3-6
6-12
Heavy 70-80%
30-90 Seconds
moderate reps
Moderate weight
short to moderate rest
periods
1-6
Very Heavy 70-100%
2-5 Minutes
few repetitions
High weight
full recovery periods
12-25
Light <70%
20-30 Seconds
High reps
Light weight
Short recovery time
8-12
60-80%
Moderate reps
Moderate weight
Hypertrophy
Strength
Weight % of
1 RM
Rest between Sets
3-6
Muscular
Endurance
2-3
Fitness & Toning
1-3
30-90 Seconds
short to moderate rest
periods
Remember: The weight that you lift depends on how many repetitions that you are doing. You find your correct weight by
finding the weight that is very difficult to do the rep above what you are assigned.
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