I found what I think are three good weight training programs in Monica Brant's book, Secrets to Staying Fit and Loving Life. For those of you who don't know Monica Brant, she was a fitness and figure competitor and champion from the 1990s to now. She also runs fitness camps and does personal appearances. Keep in mind, she's got a lot more muscle mass than I strive for (she's been dedicated to wight training/muscle gain for YEARS), but I think her training principals are sound.
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Always warm up with medium-intensity cardio before weight training. I usually start on the treadmill and do 2.5 mph at a 15% incline, for 8 minutes. Monica does 3.5 mph with a 5% incline for 10 minutes.
SAMPLE PROGRAM 1: Train 3 Days a Week for General Conditioning
*Each time in the gym, you'll do a total body circuit, going from one exercise to another without resting in between. You can do the circuit once, twice, or three times, depending on your time and conditioning level. You rest more more than 30 seconds between exercises.
Monica says doing circuits are one of the best ways to burn fat and condition your body.
Example Exercises
Body Part Exercise
Shoulders Dumbbell press
Chest Incline dumbbell press
Biceps Seated alternating dumbbell curl
Triceps Triceps bench dip
Back Dumbbell bench row
Legs Lunges
Abs Basic ball crunch
Frequency: 3 days a week, skip a day in between
Exercises: If you do a second or third round, you can choose different exercises or do the same
Sets: Do one set per exercise
Reps: 15-20 per exercise. Add weight if you can do more than 20. It should not be so heavy that you can't do the last reps by yourself, but should feel challenging enough that you're ready to quit at 20.
Rest: No more than 30 seconds between exercises
Cardio: If you have time and these are the only 3 days you are at the gym, do 15-20 minutes of cardio before your circuit and 15-20 minutes after.
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SAMPLE PROGRAM 2: Train 4 Days a Week for General Conditioning
*This is still a circuit workout, but your body parts are split into two days.
Example Exercises
Frequency Exercise
Monday Arms/legs/abs
Tuesday Chest/shoulders/back
Wednesday Off
Thursday Arms/legs/abs
Friday Chest/shoulders/back
Saturday Off
Sunday Optional cardio day
Exercises: Pick two exercises per body part. If you do a second or third round, you can choose different exercises or do the same
Sets: Do one set per exercise
Reps: 15-20 per exercise. Add weight if you can do more than 20. It should not be so heavy that you can't do the last reps by yourself, but should feel challenging enough that you're ready to quit at 20.
Rest: No more than 30 seconds between exercises
Cardio: If time allows, do cardio before, during or after your circuit training. Otherwise, save it for another day. Monica says that doing cardio, even 15 minutes, will help you see results faster. She also recommends mixing it up- higher intensity on some time and lower intensity others.
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SAMPLE PROGRAM 3: Train 5 Days a Week for Muscle Definition and Conditioning
*This is good for the woman who wants to build muscle definition throughout her entire body. The program is a three day training split. (THIS IS WHAT I'M DOING NOW).
Example Exercises
Frequency Exercise
Monday Chest/shoulders/triceps
Tuesday Back/biceps/abs
Wednesday Legs
Thursday Off or Cardio
Friday Chest/shoulders/triceps
Saturday Back/biceps/abs
Sunday Off
Exercises:
Chest 2 exercises
Shoulders 3 exercises
Triceps 2 exercises
Back 3-4 exercises
Biceps 2 exercises
Abs 2-3 exercises
Legs 4 exercises
Sets: 3-4 sets per exercise
Reps: 1st set 15; 2nd set 12; 3rd set 10
Rest: One minute between sets
Cardio: Monica recommends doing some cardio for conditioning and to control body fat. She says, "Interval cardio sessions after weight training are best for optimal performance and results. Do not do your cardio before weights if you are trying to build muscle. Keep in mind that heavier training requires more attention and energy, so make sure you don't exhaust all your fuel by doing your cardio first."
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