Designing a Weight Lifting Program
Designing a weight lifting program can seem complex at first. Afterall there’s just SO MUCH information on the web about weight training. People lift weights for many different goals – building mass, building strength, developing power, getting faster, getting leaner, losing weight, gaining weight… I could go on.
The information is bewildering, because different goals require very different kinds of training. Lifting weights isn’t “one size fits all” – think of a sprinter, and how he’ll train differently from a long distance runner. They both run track, sure - but that’s about where the similarity ends….
…and that’s why the most important thing you need to know when designing your program is what exactly it is you’re training for.
Before we get to that, though – let’s deal with the basics.
The first thing you need to consider is your starting level of fitness.
If you’ve been really inactive for a few years, the first thing you should do is consult your doctor and get the all clear. Tell him you plan on taking up a program of weight lifting, and get the medical all-clear first.
If you’re really unfit, you should probably get yourself on a program of light cardiovascular exercise and stretching for a few weeks before hitting the weights. This will get your heart, lungs and joints back in shape before you start stressing them heavily with weights.
So the second thing that you need to be clear on is your personal goal for the program.
Ask yourself the following questions:
“What is my primary goal – what am I lifting for?”
Do I want to add muscle mass?”
“Is strength development my priority?”
“Am I looking for improved performance in a particular sport?”
It might be a combination of the above, but get clear on exactly what it is you want to achieve, and designing a weight lifting program will go that much more smoothly.
If packing on as much muscle mass as possible is your goal, you’re going to want to get yourself on a classic bodybuilding split. Bodybuilding splits go something like this:
- -Work each bodypart once or twice a week
- 6-8 sets per bodypart
- 8-10 reps per set
- Rest a minute between workouts.
- Utilise heavy compound lifts, like the Bench press, Squat and Deadlift, with some isolation exercises (curls, shoulder raises, etc) mixed in.
If strength is your goal, then you’re going to want to train slightly differently. Lower reps (3-5), more frequent workouts, and more compounds and less isolation.
Both the topics of strength and size could warrant thousands of pages each on their own (and indeed they have). Designing a weight lifting program is not to be taken lightly. Sport-specific training is even MORE complex – so if that’s what you’re training for, I strongly suggest getting yourself a personal trainer, or better yet, consulting an athletic coach who knows his way around the weights room.
Tags: athletic coach, gaining weight, getting leaner, program of weight lifting, sport-specific training, strength and size, weight lifting, weight training