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PAF 301 Introductory Weight Training

Terms
Cycle Training
Safety
Training Log
When to Change

Weight training is an individually motivated activity. You alone determine what you want from your workout.You will get out of your program what you put into it. You must be committed and dedicated to your training goals. You should note that it takes muscles approximately the same amount of time to atrophy as it does to build. If you work out for 6 months it will take approximately 6 nonths to lose what you have gained. You may wish to train to lose or gain weight, to build muscle, to improve your appearance, to improve athletic performance or to prepare for a body building competition. If you wish to be a serious healthy weight trainer you must stay drug free, exercise properly and provide your body with the proper rest and nutrition.

Terms:

Intensity – The effort you put into your workout
Repetitions – The number of times you continuously repeat an exercise without stopping to rest.
Sets – The number of times you perform a set or group or repetitions. e.g. 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
Interval Training – Exercising with rest periods between each exercise.
Overload – Taxing your muscles to a level greater than they are accustomed to
Negative Resistance – Resisting the weight in the opposite direction of which the muscle moves the joint.
Circuit Training – You move from one exercise to the next doing only one set of each exercise. You may complete the circuit 1-3 times.
Superset – Grouping two exercises together using opposing muscle groups. e.g. biceps curls and triceps press-downs with no rest between exercises.
Pyramid – You increase the weight with each successive set. Start with 60% of your one rep maximum weight and increase the weight for each succeeding set by 10% doing 6-8 repetitions. Keep your reps high throughout the workout except for the last set when you are lifting your heaviest weight. You may perform this workout in reverse order but make sure you warm-up properly before starting the workout from the high end.
Compound Set – When you perform different back to back exercises for the same muscle group with no rest between exercises. e.g. barbell curls followed by seated dumbbell curls.

Cycle Training

Consistent heavy weight training increases your risk of injury. You should cycle your workouts every 6-8 weeks.

Mass Cycle – Moderate to heavy work using 6-10 reps for the upper body and 8-20 reps for the lower body with no more than 90 second rest between sets.
Power Cycle – Heavy weights - 3-8 reps for upper and lower body parts with up to 3 minutes of rest between sets.
Cut Cycle – Light to moderate weights - 12-25 reps for all body parts with no more than 45 seconds of rest between sets.

Iso-tension – Using no weights. Flex the muscle and hold it for 3-6 seconds. Do this three times at the completion of each exercise. This will help you feel the way the muscle should work.

Muscle Confusion – Your body adapts quickly to physical demands. Your body will not respond positiviely to the same routine repeated over and over. You should change your workouts, exercises, sets reps, weights, rest periods, angles, and intensity on a regular basis.

SAFETY

Start each session with a good warm up. Be sure to warm up each muscle group with light weights before starting your regular routine.
Never lift without a partner.
Use collars on free weights
When picking up weights, use your legs not your back
Don't lift too heavy.
Use strict technique, keeping the weight under control.
Don't assist the exercise by bounding weights or arching your back etc.
Use a lifting belt.

The use of steroids is illegal in sporting competition. The may cause serious side effects. If muscles get too strong too quickly, you may experience muscle tears or pulls as the connective tissue can't keep pace with muscle strength.

Training Log

A training log is an excellent way to deduce what combinations of exercises, sets, reps, weight, rest periods, angles and intensity work best for your body. During or at the end of each workout record the following:

Body parts trained
The exercises and the order in which they were performed
The weight used and the number of reps used for each set
General comments. e.g. "I went 5 lb. heavier with four extra reps on the bench press"
Post-workout comments. e.g. "My upper chest was really sore for three days!"

When To Change Your Program

No increase in weights used.
Little, if any muscle and strength gains
Boredom
After 6 weeks on the same program.

Remember weight training is an individual thing. Routines are not carved in stone. Experiment. Pick what works best for you.

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