Here are the basic guidelines to make the most of your workout:
Choose the method of exercise. These can be exercise machines, free weights or even using your own body weight. If you are a beginner, exercise machines are probably the safest. Once you feel that you have cultivated sufficient muscular strength and endurance, you can progress to free weights. The advantage of free weights is it will provide for greater muscular development since there is now an added element lateral motion control that was previously provided by the guides of the exercise machines.
- The second step is to select the exercise for each of the main muscle groups e.g. arms, chest, shoulders, abdomen, hips, legs, thighs and back. You should usually select around 8 to 10 exercise types covering all of these muscle groups.
- To figure the ideal weight to carry for each type of exercise, perform a series of 10 to 12 reps for that exercise each time progressively adding weights until you find that you have reached the limit where you cannot go beyond the last rep. It is good practice to keep a journal of your progress for each type of exercise.
- As the name resistance training suggests, do not be tempted to jerk the weights, rather pump the weights in a controlled manner i.e. at a constant speed and motion. As a general guideline, you should take approximately 3 seconds to lift the weights and another 3 seconds to bring it down. Breathe normally throughout the exercise. After 2 to 3 cycles of the same exercise, change to another exercise.
- This is the beginning of a workout routine. Remember, it takes clockwork discipline, consistency and patience. Combined with the right diet and supplements, you can expect to reap the desired benefits in the long run.
