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Make sure you have an exercise program so you are not wasting time or injuring yourself. If you are unsure about what exercises you should be doing or you suffer from a particular condition (i.e. diabetes) then seek the advice of a qualified fitness professional to guide you and get you on the appropriate exercise program for your chosen goal. Your exercise program should be changed/modified every 6-10weeks to provide your muscles with new stimulus and to keep them increasing in size. Do not get into a rut where you are lifting the same loads on your exercises every time you train. As your strength develops you need to be aiming for increases in the loads you lift to continue your muscle development. A load increase doesn’t mean a big 10kg added. It can be as simple as increasing the load you lift by 0.5kg. However, ensure you are ready for the increase and don’t let your ego get the better of you. NEVER sacrifice good technique for too much load increase.
Example Weight-training Programs The following is a series of weight-training programs designed for muscle gain. Programs start from beginner to advance using the rule of exercise progression to determine the exercises for each program. NOTE: If you suffer from any conditions or injuries please consult a qualified fitness professional to determine the suitability of each program.
| Program: 1 Level: Beginner Program length: 4 weeks Program frequency: 2-3days per week | | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | | 3-10min warm-up (walking, bike, rowing) | | Body-weight squat | 3 | 15 | N/A | | Supported Row | 3 | 15 | Light to moderate | | Seated Chest Press | 3 | 15 | Light to moderate | | 3-5min cool-down (walking, bike, rowing) |
| Program: 2 Level: Intermediate Program length: 6-8 weeks Program frequency: 2-3days per week | | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | | 3-10min warm-up (walking, bike, rowing) | | Incline leg press | 3 | 12 | N/A | | Seated Row | 3 | 12 | Moderate to heavy | | Machine Bench Press | 3 | 12 | Moderate to heavy | | 3-5min cool-down (walking, bike, rowing) |
| Program: 3 Level: Intermediate Program length: 6-8 weeks Program frequency: 2-3days per week | | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | | 3-10min warm-up (walking, bike, rowing) | | D/B Squats | 3 | 10 | N/A | | D/B Row (supported) | 3 | 10 | Moderate to heavy | | Smith Machine Bench Press | 3 | 10 | Moderate to heavy | | 3-5min cool-down (walking, bike, rowing) |
| Program: 4 Level: Advance Program length: 6-8 weeks Program frequency: 3days per week | | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | | 3-10min warm-up (walking, bike, rowing) | | Smith Machine Squats | 4 | 8 | N/A | | Lat Pulldown | 4 | 8 | Moderate to heavy | | Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 8 | Moderate to heavy | | 3-5min cool-down (walking, bike, rowing) |
| Program: 5 Level: Advance Program length: 6-8 weeks Program frequency: 3days per week | | Exercise | Sets | Reps | Weight | | 3-10min warm-up (walking, bike, rowing) | | Barbell Squats | 4 | 8 | N/A | | Assisted Chin-ups | 4 | 8 | Moderate to heavy | | Dumbbell Bench Press | 4 | 8 | Moderate to heavy | | 3-5min cool-down (walking, bike, rowing) |
Compound and Isolation Exercises Compound exercises work multiple muscles across more than one joint. Bench press, seated row, and squats are examples of compound exercises. Isolation exercises work fewer muscles across a single joint. Bicep curls and leg extensions are examples of isolation exercises.
Many believe that in order to target certain muscles you should use more isolation exercises to develop that muscle more efficiently. However, isolation exercises are not the most effective way to build muscle as they do not allow for heavy loads to be lifted, which therefore results in minimal production of the various anabolic hormones your body produces to aid in muscle development. Compound exercises are far more effective for increasing muscle mass because they incorporate several muscle groups and allow for heavier loads to be lifted which results in a higher production of anabolic hormones.
Isolative exercises are useful in certain circumstances, such as rehabilitation and learning specific muscle activation and control.
Forget the Ab exercises Despite the constant recommendations from television, magazines, websites and friends, abdominal exercises do not help you “flatten you stomach” or get a “six-pack”. This is because you DO NOT burn body fat during abdominal exercises and the abdominal muscles do not increase in size when exercised due to the type of muscle fibre they consist of. The majority of abdominal exercises put you at a high risk of spinal injury. So, forget about the fancy abdominal exercises and machines that promise to get you a “sexy six-pack”.
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