Muscular strength is the amount of weight that can be lifted in one repetition of an exercise.
Muscular endurance is the number of repetitions of a particular exercise that can be performed.
A rep, or repetition, is a single movement of an exercise.
A set is a group of repetitions.
Warm Up and Cool Down
Always remember to warm up before weight training and cool down after!
A few minutes of cardio activity will bring up the core temperature of the body and a set of the weight training exercises to be performed using light weight will bring your focus to the muscle groups that are to be worked. Light stretching is a good addition to the warm up as range of motion can be rehearsed for the planned activity. Warm up stretching is most often not the same as flexibility training. See Flexibility page for more information on stretching for flexibility training.
Cooling down is important to return the body to a non-exercising state. Easy walking and stretching are appropriate cool down activities.
Training Guidelines
Frequency of Training
For a basic wellness strength program, training each muscle group once per week is sufficient. You can train muscle groups more often but the muscles worked will need a minimum of 48 hours rest to allow for proper recovery between training sessions.
Suggested Sets and Reps
One to 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions of each exercise.
The Order of the Exercises
Larger muscle groups, such as chest and back, are generally worked before smaller muscle groups. Since smaller muscle groups, such as the biceps and triceps, are used in large muscle group exercises, they should not be fatigued prior to large muscle group exercises.
Breathing
Breathe with the weight training exercises. Synchronize your breath with your movements. Exhale on effort and inhale on return to start position. Your breath will guide you in the quality of your movement. Work slowly and deeply.
Form and Focus
Use good exercise form at all times. Poor form decreases the effectiveness of the exercise and increases the risk of injury. Stay 100% aware of the exercise your body is performing. Focus brings results to your efforts. Focus ensures safety in the weight room.
Challenge Yourself
Believe that you can improve and accomplish much. Step out of the comfort zone just a little bit and try to do more.
Train each of these muscle groups:
Quadriceps
Hamstring
Glutes
Calf
Chest
Back
Biceps
Triceps
Shoulders
Lower back
Abdominals
In the gym you always get back what you put in! Results are inevitable.
