Resistance Training Routine

There is a lot of confusion as to the right steps to take in starting a resistance training program. The following is for those people who have their aerobic workouts, but do not have an anaerobic workout. If you need a jumpstart to a resistance training routine, then this is it. Also, if you are a beginner and want to add resistance training to your whole new self-designed workout, this is the place.

As a certified personal trainer I come in contact with a number of individuals whom have no clue as how to start lifting weights. When I say lifting weights, I am not referring to pressing or pulling enormous amounts of iron in a hot, damp, and dark gym. This does not mean you have to become so sore the next day, you can not take a step. I want people to not cringe at the words "lifting weights." Man or woman, it does not matter. There are those of both sexes who are a little afraid of lifting weights (resistance training). I lost one hundred pounds and strongly believe in a safe weight training program. My weight went from over three hundred and five pounds, to two hundred and five pounds. My waist shrunk from a tight forty-two, to a just right thirty-four inches. With weight training, my body took shape. The resistance training is my key to keeping the fat off.

Being a certified personal trainer allows me to help others lose fat also. Many people want to burn fat, but do not have a clue as to how. This is where I come into the picture. I work first on a workout program, then on diet. Most people want a diet which will shed the fat right off. This is very difficult without the assistance of regular exercise. Yes, there is discipline involved and also hard work. Do not think all the models you see are all lazy-lettuce eaters. This is not true. Most of them keep a healthy looking body by doing a lot of maintenance. The jealousy aimed at the models, should be at their hard work and discipline. If you are ready to start in the right direction, then exercise! The following written material will be a guide which may be of help to many. I will mention different weight machines and exercises to be used at home or a fitness facility of your choice. The terms I use will be plain and simple to understand. I am not going to give any medical advice, because I am not a doctor of medicine. I will not "beat around the bush." All I want to get across to you are some really safe and effective resistance training routines I started out with. I also use these with many of the people I work with.

There is no one right way to organize a training routine. For this reason I will give you some different sample routines. This is so you can keep variety. It is then up to you to decide which routines would be easiest for you to perform. Remember one thing about resistance training, constant change is needed! If this is all you ever understand, then this is a great start. All of the routines mentioned here should begin with a warm-up, and end with a cool-down. Warning: Always check with your physician before implementing any of these exercise into your life. If you have any medical problems which would render you unable to perform any of these exercises safely, then do not do them! I am not responsible for any person who performs any of these exercises. If performed, they should be done so using your own judgment. If your body feels any discomfort, stop the exercise immediately.

As I mentioned earlier, you will need to start each resistance training session with a warm-up and end with a cool-down. The warm-up should consist of 5-15 minutes of some form of aerobic exercise. This could be performed on a treadmill, stair stepping machine, stationary cycle, rowing machine, elliptical training machine, walking in place, walking down the street to the fitness facility, jogging in place, punching a punching-bag, the beginning of an aerobics class, etc. This warm-up is beneficial to your body because it gets it ready. It tells your heart and the rest of your body to prepare itself for what is about to come. This way you will not give such a shock to your body which could lead to a muscle injury, or even a heart attack. If after 10-15 minutes you do not feel warm and ready, go a little longer. Once you feel your body is okay to start, then do so at that moment. Do not go and speak to a friend and let your body cool back down. After you have properly warmed your body up and gone through one of my sample workouts, cool-down. The cool-down does just what it implies. After putting your body through the stress of resistance training, it needs to slowly relax. This is the purpose for the cool-down. Your body needs to make a slow transition to a relaxed state. To actually perform a cool-down, you need to do some form of aerobic activity like the ones mentioned earlier. Start performing one of these activities at a semi-strong rate of exertion. Then gradually slow your pace. Slow your pace over a span of 5-15 minutes. You should stop once your body has become cooled. This is only known by you. No one else can tell you when you have had enough. Again, stop when your body has become relaxed and rested. You should then be ready to go on your merry way with a feeling of accomplishment. Never do a mediocre job of a warm-up and cool-down. This is very, very important! Now on to the resistance training routines which fall between your warm-up and cool-down. Just in case you did not know, drink water before, during, and after your weight lifting routine. Make sure you check with a knowledgeable person on proper ways to stretch before, during, and after your resistance training. If you are uncertain as to which machine I am referring to, or the proper form to use, ask a trainer at the fitness facility.

The sample routines I have written out here are for those who need a place to start. You will find these routines become more intense as you read on. I will give you a wide range of exercises, plus tell you the body part which is worked. Also included will be the sets and repetitions for each sample routine. Since everyone's level of strength is different, the amount of weight to be used with each exercise is not included. You need to figure this out for yourself, by finding a weight which will be pretty tough near the end of each set. Example: (for a set with 10-15 repetitions, the weight chosen should start to get tough at repetition 8 or 9 ) This weight needs to push you a little and also make your body heat-up. Do not be afraid of sweating. Read over the whole list before starting these sample routines. Make sure to rest for a day or two after doing these resistance routines. Do not work a muscle which is still sore either. Give a sore muscle more rest until the soreness goes away.

Resistance Training Routine #1

1. Exercise: squat with no weights
Body Part: front/back of upper legs and buttocks

2. Exercise: flat, chest press machine
Body Part: overall chest

3. Exercise: seated low row machine
Body Part: middle and upper back

5. Exercise: seated shoulder press machine
Body Part: front and middle of shoulders

6. Exercise: crunches, lying on floor w/ back flat
Body Part: Abdominals

8. Exercise: seated lower back building machine or Roman Chair
Body Part: Lower back

Resistance Training Routine #2

1. Exercise: walking lunges
Body Part: upper legs and buttocks

2. Exercise: push-ups on floor with knees bent
Body Part: overall chest

3. Exercise: one arm bent-over dumbbell rows
Body Part: upper and middle back

4. Exercise: lat pulldown on cable pulldown machine
Body Part: center, upper, and sides of back

5. Exercise: overhead shoulder press with dumbbells
Body Part: front and middle of shoulders

6.Exercise: biceps curl machine
Body Part: front of arms

7.Exercise: triceps extension machine
Body Part: back of arms which wave back at you

8.Exercise: ab and low back machines
Body Part: stomach and lower back

Resistance Training Routine #3

1. Exercise: leg press machine
Body Part: upper legs and buttocks

2. Exercise: leg extension machine
Body Part: tops of upper legs

3. Exercise: leg curl machine
Body Part: backs of upper legs

4. Exercise: flat chest press machine
Body Part: overall chest

5. Exercise: chest fly machine
Body Part: sides of chest

6. Exercise: low row machine
Body Part: middle and upper back

7. Exercise: high row machine
Body Part: upper and sides of upper back

8. Exercise: crunches on the floor with low back flat
Body Part: abs

9. Exercise: hyper-extension machine
Body Part: lower back

Resistance Training Routine #4

1. Exercise: no-weight squats/walking lunges/tip-toe raises
Body Part: total legs

2. Exercise: push-ups on the side of a bench with feet on floor
Body Part: chest

3. Exercise: pull-ups from a bar
Body Part: middle, upper, and sides of back

4. Exercise: dumbbell side lateral raises
Body Part: sides of shoulders

5. Exercise: barbell shoulder press-up
Body Part: front and sides of shoulder

6. Exercise: crunches on decline bench
Body Part: abs

7. Exercise: lying face-down raising both arms and legs up at the same time
Body Part: lower back

Resistance Training Routine #5

1. Exercise: squats w/ no weights, walking lunges, toe lifts
Body Part: overall legs

2. Exercise: leg extension machine, leg curl machine
Body Part: front and back of upper legs

3. Exercise: combination dumbbell chest press and fly
Body Part: total chest

4. Exercise: reverse-grip pulldown on cable machine
Body Part: upper and sides of back

5. Exercise: one-arm dumbbell row w/ one knee on bench
Body Part: upper and middle back

6. Exercise: combination front and side dumbbell raises
Body Part: front and sides of shoulders

7. Exercise: crunches on decline bench and flat on floor
Body Part: total abs

8. Exercise: combination of hyper-extensions and low back machine
Body Part: lower back

Resistance Training Workout Guide:
5- 15 minute warm-up
20-30 minutes weight train
5-15 minute cool-down

Full Resistance/Cardiovascular Workout Guide:
5-15 minute warm-up
20-30 minutes weight train
20-30 minutes cardio
5-15 minutes cool-down

These are five different workouts which should keep you busy for a while. If you want, start with the first sample and work your way up. The first sample is easiest. By the time you get to the twenty-fifth, you will see it gets much harder. I have used all of these exercises and more. If you feel you are unable to attempt these, THEN DO NOT TRY! Drink plenty of water and get plenty of rest. Make sure you do some stretching before, during, and after your routines. Think smart about what you are doing and be serious. Have a trainer at the facility stay with you to watch over you. Let them show you proper form and proper execution of each movement. Have a trainer help you judge the weight you should use in order to receive maximum results. Always keep variety in your workouts and never give up!

Author: David Gluhareff