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.

Here’s an example of a weight lifting program for strength. It’s a 3-day-per-week program, utilising compound exercises, low reps and heavy weight. Ideally you’d perform this for eight weeks straight, then take a week off and reassess your weight lifting goals. You can expect to gain a significant amount of strength in most of your lifts if you follow this routine and stick to the advice I give you.

The routine is an “abbreviated” program, meaning you’ll only need to train 20-30 minutes per session. It’s ideal for athletes who want to work in some weight lifting for strength around their normal training, or for anyone who wants to maximise their efficiency and gain well without spending hours in the gym.

Here’s the program:

Monday:

Squat - 3 sets of 5
Bench Press - 3 sets of 5
Close grip Bench Press - 3 sets of 5

Wednesday:

Power Clean - 3 sets of 5
Pullups – 3 sets of 5
Dips – 3 sets of 5

Friday:

Barbell Rows – 3 sets of 5
Deadlift – 2 sets of 5
Barbell Bicep Curls – 3 sets of 5

A couple of pointers:-

Warming up

Good warm-ups are an essential part of a weight lifting program for strength , because you’ll be sticking with low reps and going heavy. Before even touching a weight, hit the stationary bike for 5 minutes of cycling before your session to get the blood flowing.

Here’s how I warm up for each exercise:

• One very light warmup, 12+ reps with just the bar

(for pull-ups, do 12 reps of light-weight lat pulldowns, for dips, do 12 reps of pushdowns at a light weight)

• Two sets at 60-70% of your working weight for 3-4 reps
• One set at 80% of working weight for 2 rep
• One set at 90% of working weight for 1 rep

The last two sets are “acclimation” sets and get your joints and nervous system “in the groove” for the heavy lifts. This kind of warmup is very effective for strength training.

Another thing to remember is STAY WELL AWAY FROM FAILURE. This is essential for strength gain. Training to muscular failure with heavy weights will cause fatigue your central nervous system way too much, which basically stops your gains dead in their tracks. A good rule of thumb is to end the set as soon as your barspeed starts slowing down. If this is happening too early, lower the weight so that you can maintain the bar speed for five reps per set.

Progression:

Try and add 5-10lbs for 1 set of each exercise each week. That means you’re adding 5-10lbs to all your sets every three weeks, for any given exercise. If 5lbs is too much, just add 2.5lbs.

With this weight lifting program for strength, the most important thing is consistency. Expect yourself to be significantly stronger after 8 weeks with tighter, harder muscles from all the dense contractile proteins you’ve built.