Weight Training Basic Principles

In order to develop a successful weight-training program, you need to understand the three principles, intensity; the degree of overload of the exercise, duration; the amount of time for each session and frequency; sessions per week.

Generally speaking, the more intense, the longer, and more frequent the program, the greater the benefits. That doesn't give you a license to start your workout now and continue to next month without sleep. Use your judgement, be realistic. To increase strength in muscle, the intensity should be near maximum effort with a low number of reps. To gain endurance in muscle, the intensity is lower, but the number of reps is higher. To build size go heavy, to build stamina go light.

Strength 4 to 8 reps heavy weight

General health 8 to 12 reps medium weight

Endurance 12 to 18 reps light weight

Machines can be used as a learning ground, a smart device to teach you the proper execution of a particular exercise. The only disadvantage is that the rest of your body just sits there and waits for you to finish. By using free weights, you enlist most of the body to assist you in the lifting and lowering of weights with most exercises.

Warming-Up, for a workout is very smart as it puts oxygen into the body, blood into your muscles and your period of time you are giving to yourself. Stretching can sometimes exhaust muscles you are going to be using in your workout, so limit the time to five minutes and then perform the excises you are going to work on with a set of 12 to 15 reps with a very light weight this will get you ready for the heavier loads that will follow.

Exercising large muscle groups before you hit the smaller one. Large groups are legs, back and chest. The smaller groups assist the big boys, also the large muscle groups rely on the support of the smaller muscles, so if you exhaust them to begin the session, you risk compromising the entire session.

Balance opposing muscle groups, well if you think about it, it is the back versus the chest, the hamstrings are in competition wit the quads. After strengthening one side you should offer the same work to the other side. This type of training can create better balance and a greater physique.