The beginners Break in routine

Hopefully by now everyone should know that for successful weight loss, and to keep it off, you need to train with weights

Many people are loath to start weight training for a variety of reasons. This is specially true of women who fear that as soon as they pick up dumbbells or any other type of weight they will somehow become massive muscled freaks with facial hair and deep voices! This is a shame as nothing could be further from the truth. The fact of the matter is that while cardiovascular training is good for weight loss it contributes next to zero for body composition, lean tissue, improved posture, muscular strength, preventing loss of bone density (osteoporosis also known as brittle bone disease). Weight training is the answer to many of these. 

Perhaps the best way to put it is that if you are pear shaped and you embark on a programme of exercise based solely around aerobic exercise you will just become a smaller pear! If you combine this with weight training you can sculpt and shape your body and you will go a long way to getting the body you want and the body that you deserve - a fit, healthy body that performs the way you want it to. A body that allows you to enjoy life and live it to the full.

That still leaves the question, however, of exactly where to start. There are so many programmes out there with a huge variety of options that it's easy to get overwhelmed with the sheer volume of information. however, as with most things in life, it is best to follow the KISS maxim (which stands for Keep It Simple Stupid). 

The best place is with a whole body programme. Why? Because our bodies are designed to work in unison, it involves all the major muscles, it gets them used to working with weights and it ramps up your overall metabolism. 

Before starting, however, seek the advice of your doctor or health care professional. I cannot stress this enough. Your health is the most important thing so get a check up or clearance first. The second thing is to have a professional exercise coach show you exactly how to perform the moves listed. You can watch as many videos on Youtube or follow other people in the gym (who may also be performing these exercises incorrectly!) but you need a certified professional to watch out for you and correct your form to eliminate injury and make sure you exercise in the correct manner!

During the break-in period you will work in sub-maximal fashion (i.e with less than full, all out intensity) every day for 5 consecutive days. This should take 20 to 30 minutes performing one set of a variety of exercises that work the major muscles. In this way you grow accustomed to the exercises and it will prevent you from suffering major soreness once you begin more intense training.

Start with a five to ten minute general warm up such a stationary cycle or treadmill. Just something gentle enough to get your heart rate up and your muscle limbered up. It should not be so intense that you are panting for breath! Leave the real work for the weights.

For all the exercises listed you should perform them once for 10 - 12 repetitions. Make sure your coach fine tunes your movements and corrects any slips in form. Perform each repetition in a nice smooth controlled manner with no heaving or jerking of the weight. On days 1 - 3 you will stop 3 repetitions short of failure (i.e where you are not able to complete another repetition). This will also allow you to fine tune your weights so that you know how much you are capable of handling. On day 4 you should stop 2 repetition short of failure and finally on day 5 stop at true muscular failure. This ensures that you have worked your muscle to it's full capacity so that it adapts and grows. There is no need to do any more.

The exercises are as follows (do them in the order listed)

• Squats - with a barbell or machine (works the majority of the leg and back)
• Leg curl (works the hamstrings - back of the leg)
• Calf raises (works the calf muscles)
• Rows - supported or bent over (works the major back muscles and biceps)
• Shrugs (works the trapezius and back muscles)
• Bench press - with dumbells, barbell or machine (works the chest muscles, front of shoulder and triceps which is the back of the arm muscles)
• Curls - with dumbells or barbell (works the biceps)
• Tricep pressdown (works the tricep muscles along the back of the arm)
• Crunches (works the abdominal muscles.

After this break-in period rest 4 to 5 days to let your body fully recover. After this resume training with such a routine no more than 3 days a week and pretty soon you will be on your way to the body you deserve!