Strength Training Principles and Guidelines : Part 3
By Chad Tackett
Part : 1
2
4
5
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 initiateBicep 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 check back for Part
four,
where I'll discuss the inverse relationship between resistance and repititions
and the importance of progressive resistance. That is, I'll explain
the amount of weight you should use and the number of repititions 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.
This article was provided by GHF.
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