Strength Training Principles and Guidelines:
Part Three
By Chad Tackett
Almost any form of exercise will stimulate some degree of strength and
muscle development. Unfortunately, misconceptions, myths, and
misunderstandings plague the fitness industry, especially in regard to
strength training. There is a huge attrition rate among those starting a
strength training program primarily because most people are not taught the
principles essential for a safe and effective program.
This article is part three of a five part series discussing the very
important principles and guidelines of a safe and effective strength
training program. This article discusses the importance of proper lifting
technique, exercising through the full range of motion, proper exercise
sequence, and the correct number of sets to do for what you're trying to
achieve. The previous article, part two of this five part series, explained
the importance of forcing blood to your muscles and proper lifting speed.
The following exercise guidelines are extremely important for your safety
and the effectiveness of your strength training program
Form/Technique
The most common and critical training mistakes may be those of exercise
technique. The tendency to use too much weight typically results in poor
form, which decreases your ability to get results, and increases the risk of
injury. Examples of poor form or technique are: bouncing the bar off the
chest in the Bench Press; using hip and back extension to initiate Bicep
Curls; arching the back or bending backward under Shoulder Presses; using
any sort of momentum in any exercise; and training at fast speeds. These
mistakes will not send the blood you need into your muscles and will work
counter to your goals. Be aware of these mistakes and eliminate them from
your program.
Exercise Through Full Range of Motion
Perform each exercise through a full range of motion, with emphasis on the
end of the positive phase. Full range exercise movements are advantageous
for strengthening the prime-mover, or agonist muscles--the muscles directly
trained in the exercise, such as the biceps in the biceps curl. Lifting in
the full range of motion is also advantageous for stretching the antagonist
muscles, the muscles that act in opposition to the agonist. In the Biceps
Curl, the triceps is the antagonist. Training in the full range of motion
enhances both muscle strength and joint flexibility.
Exercise Selection
It is very important to select at least one exercise for each major muscle
group to promote well-balanced muscle development. Training only a few
muscle groups or training one muscle group more increases the risk of
injury.
Exercise Sequence
Another important element of strength training is exercise sequence. When
performing a variety of weightlifting exercises, it is advisable to proceed
from the larger muscle groups to the smaller muscle groups. This allows
optimal performance of the most demanding exercises when fatigue levels are
the lowest and you feel fresh. Another reason, one that is often overlooked,
is illustrated by the common example of training both back and biceps.
Ordinarily, you would want to train your back first, since it is the larger
muscle group of the two; let's say you are doing the Rear Lat. Pull-down. In
that exercise, you are indirectly working your biceps, too, since both
muscle groups are at work in the pulling motion. This means that your biceps
will actually be warmed up and ready to train when you get to them. This is
the same for exercises requiring pushing motions such as the chest,
shoulders, and triceps. By the time you are done with your chest exercises,
both your shoulders and your triceps are warm and ready to train. Of course,
you might not always do your "pulling" (back and biceps) and your "pushing"
(chest, shoulders, triceps) motions on the same day--because as you reach a
plateau you will want to change your exercises, the order that you do them,
and the muscles that you train together, to provide a new stimulus and
interest for yourself. This will be discussed soon.
Sets
Another important element is exercise sets. An exercise set is the number of
successive repetitions performed without resting. The number of sets per
exercise is largely a matter of goals, interests and personal preference. We
recommend that people treat their first set as a warm-up--12-20 reps with
relatively light weight (done slowly). Then you can do either one, two, or
three more sets--even up to six (strength and power program)--depending on
whether you are at a beginning, intermediate, or advanced level and what you
are trying to accomplish.
If you are working on your second exercise for a particular muscle group, we
recommend that you do either two or three sets for that exercise since that
muscle is already warmed-up from the first exercise. Regardless of the
number of sets performed, each set--and each repetition--should be done in
proper exercise form and under control.
Please continue on to Part four, where I'll discuss the inverse relationship
between resistance and repetitions and the importance of progressive
resistance. That is, I'll explain the amount of weight you should use and
the number of repetitions you should do for the results you desire. I'll
also explain how to gradually increase the weight you use to stimulate
further gains. Until then, remember to use proper lifting technique,
exercise through the full range of motion, exercise in the proper sequence,
and use the correct number of sets for what you're trying to achieve. Good
luck, and enjoy all the wonderful benefits of strength training.
Continue to Strength Training
Workouts Part 4 >>>
Strength Training
Workouts Part
2
Strength Training Workouts
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