Principles of Strength Training
Hard work is a value needed to achieve success in any endeavor. However, when used alone in strength training, hard work often turns out to be counter-productive. You can train all you want, at anytime and support it with your preferred diet but this is simply not an effective way to train. Being smart about training is not optional but rather essential for success. Strength training is based on scientific knowledge and should be approached systematically. Equip yourself with the knowledge that you can use to train more effectively and efficiently by reading these tips:
Order of your exercises - the order of exercises you undertake is perhaps one of the most misunderstood concepts of bodybuilding and weight lifting training. You will need to warm up your core muscle groups first to increase circulation and get your body warmed up for the rest of the routine. According to James Stoppani, author of the book, "Encyclopedia of Muscle & Strength", the best exercises to start your routine with are the bench press, deadlift and squat. After that, you should follow up with exercises that target the major muscle groups used in each of these exercises, and then continue by focusing on other muscle groups.
Always take note of your resistance level - Your maximum strength determines the optimal level of resistance for your training. Do some exercises to determine your strength's limit and its corresponding resistance. Use this information as a benchmark to set your goals for each training session. You would ideally need to spend most of your time exercising at 85 to 95 percent of your total strength. You would then need to adjust your resistance gradually as you gain strength.
Repetitions and number of sets - The number of sets you do per session indicates two things. First, it is a good estimate of how fit you are. Second, it also indicates if you are training beyond, under or at optimal capacity. The number of repetitions will be based on what you are trying to develop. Strength is best developed with low repetitions compensated by an increase in resistance. Endurance, on the other hand, is developed by doing numerous repetitions combined with low resistance. Decide whether you want to develop strength or your endurance and alter the way you exercise accordingly.
Timed meals - the types of foods you eat before and after your workouts will either support or sabotage your performance during each session. Make sure you're eating the right combination of carbs and protein before your workout to provide you with enough energy to sustain the session, and eat lean proteins after an intensive session to refuel and restore muscle cells. Consult with a sports nutritionist or read about eating for performance so you're not sabotaging your efforts during your muscle training program.
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