Basic Weight Training Program

Intro

This program is great for beginner or intermediate weight trainers. I even use this program myself if I have had an extended lay off from training. Working in the higher rep range allows you to work on your form and make sure that you are isolating and training the correct muscles. It also prepares your body for the more demanding programs ahead.

Some weight trainers will think this program is too easy and does not have enough exercises per body part. Firstly if you think it is easy then try it out and start working on building your intensity by increasing weight when you can complete all your sets in correct form. You will find that this program is very taxing. You are training chest, legs, back and shoulders in one workout. These exercises all burn up a lot of energy if you are training hard.

Secondly if you think there are not enough exercises per body part then your current training program is probably too complicated. One of the most common mistakes I see is people doing advanced programs when they are a not ready for such demanding programs. A lot of programs come from muscle magazines. They are more often or not programs that bodybuilders use for preparing for competitions. If you are not a competitive bodybuilder you will get better results if you are training at your level. You would be surprised at how simple my routines are when I am in not training for a competition.

Try this program and really concentrate on performing each rep in proper form. Make sure you are isolating the desired muscles. Use light weights to start out with until you get this right. Once you have got the form right then start increasing the weight and intensity. By the end of it you will feel stronger and ready to tackle more advanced programs.

Brad Turnbull

Personal Trainer, Runner Up Mr Australia

Bench Press 3 x 15reps – For best results lower the weight in a slow and controlled fashion and press the weight up and pause at the top – this will make sure you are using your chest and not your triceps.

Squat 3 x 15reps – Make sure you are look up to keep your back in the correct position – lift in the same fashion as the bench press – slow and controlled on the way down and pause at the top.

Lat Pulldown 3 x 15reps – Concentrating on pulling with your lats, not your arms. To do this pull the bar to just above your chest, hold and then stretch back out slowly keeping the tension on your lats.

Shoulder Press 3 x 15reps – Same as bench press. Don’t go too deep though as you need to keep the tension on the delts. Make sure that you push all the way up and really stretch at the top.

Barbell/Dumbell/Cable Curls 3 x 10reps – Don’t use too much weight. Concentrate on isolating the muscle. We don’t do as many reps on the arm exercises as both the biceps and triceps have been partially trained through the bench presses, pulldowns and shoulder presses.

Tricep Pressdown 3×10reps – Don’t go above your chest and push all the way down, straightening out your arms. Let the weight up slowly keeping the tension on the triceps.

Calf Raise Bodyweight 3 x 15-25reps – Do these one leg at a time. Really push up on your toes.

Reverse Crunches 3 x 10reps

• No warm ups required when performing 15 reps per set. When you drop back to 12 reps just do a light set of bench press before moving on to your 3 working sets.

• Use the same weight for the 3 sets.

• Pick a weight that you can lift for 15 reps. Rest for 60-90seconds. Once you can complete 3 sets of 15 reps in good form, it is time to increase the weight.

• After 4 workouts drop the reps from 15 to 12 per set.

• Do this program for 5 weeks, 3 days per week. Make sure you have a day’s rest between each weight training session. At the end of 5 weeks take a week’s rest.

• Stay on the same program for another 5 weeks but only train 2 days a week. You will need to reduce the training days because you will be training much more intensely. Therefore your body will need more time to recover – remember your muscles grow when you are resting not weight training.

Disclaimer

I understand that Sam’s Fitness is not able to provide me with advice concerning my medical fitness to undertake any exercise program or diet offered. I understand that it is my own responsibility to seek medical advice in this regard, and I release and indemnify Sam’s Fitness and its owners and employees from liability for injury or illness incurred by me arising out of my undertaking an exercise program or diet.- If you have pre existing medical condition or unsure whether this diet may affect your health please go and see your doctor

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Tags: barbell curls, bench press, cable curls, calf raise, crunches, dumbbell curls, lat pulldown, shoulder press, squat, weight training, weight training program

This entry was posted on Saturday, May 10th, 2008 at 1:07 pm and is filed under Weight Training Programs. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.