Weight Lifting RoutineHow to Develop the Right Weight Lifting Routines

Did you know that weight lifting workouts actually improve your body’s ability to lose weight, while at the same time getting toned and beautiful? If you have been working out with an aerobic program, adding weight lifting can help you achieve results faster than cardio alone.

When creating a program, there is a basic outline you need to use. Before beginning exercise, make sure to warm up for about ten minutes.  This gets your muscles ready for your weight lifting workouts. Failure to warm up can damage muscles when they are exposed to sudden weight lifting.

Choose a resistance of weights that will leave your muscles tired after about 12 repetitions. When weight lifting, a single set of twelve reps with heavy resistance can build muscle just as well as doing multiple sets with a lower weight.  Realize that any solid weight lifting routine for a muscle group requires at least 3 sets.

Lifting weights actually works by tearing the muscle on a microscopic level and forcing it to recover stronger than it was previously. You need to rest your muscles in between your weight lifting routines so they can recover. On your off days, make sure to get involved with some type of aerobic activity.

When working out with weights, you need to make sure that you have a balanced workout. Work your core muscles, arms, shoulder and legs. Use a variety of equipment to get the maximum results. There are choices of free weights or machine weights, and you can determine which route works best for you.

Depending on what it is that you are trying to achieve will make a difference in what weight lifting routines you do.  A general example for a body building workout would be.

Monday

1) Chest – (Flat Bench – 4 Sets, Incline Bench – 3 Sets, Decline Bench – 3 Sets).  These can be altered with dumbbell press every other chest day.

2) Triceps – (Dips – 4 Sets), (Skull Crushers – 3 Sets), (Tricep Extensions – 2 sets – bar, palms down, 2 sets palms up and 2 sets using rope)

Tuesday

1) Back – ( {Upper Back}  Wide Grip pull ups – 3 Sets, Standard Pullups – 3 Sets,  5 Sets heavy seated Rows = 3 wide grip, 2 close grip, 3 sets bent over rows – dumbbells or bar, bent over dumbbell raises – 3 sets, {Lower Back} Dead Lifts – 5 Sets, Roman Chair or Exercise ball back raises – 5 Sets)

2) Biceps – (Straight Bar Curls – 3 Sets, Standing dumbbell curls – 3 Sets, Hammer Curls – 3 Sets, Preacher Curls – 3 Sets, Spider curls – 3 Sets)

Wednesday

Off

Thursday

1) Shoulders – (Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 5 Sets, Front Dumbbell Raises 5 Sets)  Many body builders incorporate Military Presses however many do not.  This exercise is very strenuous on the rotator cuff and for many, without proper training can lead to injuries.  Should you choose to do these, do not start going heavy until your body adapts to the weight.

2) Traps – (Best when using straps.. For beginners use dumbbells.  5 Sets – go heavy.  For intermediate to advanced use a straight bar or a Smith Machine.  Do 4 sets with bar to front, three sets with bar to back, and four sets upright rows with a wide grip on the bar.)

Friday

Legs – (Squats – 5 Sets, Leg Presses – 5 Sets, Leg Extensions – 5 Sets, Leg Curls – 5 Sets, Calf Raises – 6 Sets)

Saturday

Off

Sunday

Repeat Monday Chest and Triceps workout and continue regiment above for following days.  All Sets mentioned above should be done with no more than 12 reps.  The final three sets should be done with a weight heavy enough to put your muscle into failure in the final reps.

If you have any questions about weight training and safety measures, make sure to consult your gym’s expert. Someone should be able to help guide you with the right technique until you have it mastered. If you are putting in the effort, then you should maximize results with the best technique.  I cannot express enough that warm-up sets are critical to ward off injury.

Safety should always be your first priority when working out, and make sure you have realistic goals. You might want to see instant results, but slow and steady tends to work better in the long term.

Make sure to start out slowly when lifting weights, no matter how easy an exercise may seem.  If you do the exercise incorrectly, you may end up injuring yourself permanently.  It is always better to start out with less weight than you think you can handle, and then slowly increase the amount of weight that you use.

Also, check with your doctor before trying weightlifting, especially if you have been injured in the past.

Disclaimer: These weight lifting routines are very effective, and you will find that they will help you to get in shape. However, it is important that you have a spotter with you when you are working out. If you lift too much weight incorrectly, you could get into serious trouble and could end up with a serious injury.  Make sure to have someone around that can help you, or work with a trainer in order to be certain that you are doing the exercises correctly every time.