How to lift weights "correctly" rages as a topic of discussion, debate and firmly held opinions. Typical in the realm of firmly held opinions, agreement remains far from universal and various experts have various suggestions.
Questions and advice abound on how fast or slow should we lift. Should we mainly do high intensity / low volume workouts? Should we do supersets with a lot more reps between resting periods? Should we use the heaviest weights possible or should we use lighter weights so we can improve our form or to protect certain smaller, weaker muscle groups?
From my personal experience nearly all of the touted prescriptions work to some degree, particularly when we first start using them, and particularly when we apply them in an appropriate context. Often a change in our routine leads to new gains, the variations and the change of pace hit muscle areas we typically don't work very hard. If we get stalled on a plateau using one lifting style, sometimes we can break new ground by switching to a different technique. Some different rules about how to lift weights apply in our teens than in our forties.
For example, after reaching a strength plateau with high intensity bicep training, I achieved a jump in size and strength by switching to supersets even though I used significantly less weight and a lot more reps between rests for a couple of months. Then I went back to a high intensity low rep workout and found I had made significant progress in the amount of weight I could curl for 6 to 8 reps.
Experiment and Track Your Progress
So experiment and monitor your results. See what kinds of progress different approaches yield for your particular body and how your muscles develop once the pump from your workout is gone. Are you feeling overly sore a couple of days later? Are you gaining strength or possibly over-training? I've met some very accomplished body builders who consciously change their workout style every four to eight weeks. They claim that once they get used to a routine their body adapts to it and they stop making any progress with it. They may only juggle two or three routines they know well, but they switch them up once they feel a familiar comfort setting in.
Those who train most effectively have spent time exploring and learning about their own bodies to find out what works for them and have kept an open mind to trying something new to see what kinds of results they can get with it. "Know thyself" seems a familiar refrain in evaluating weight lifting exercises.
The Basics
Get some basic education before you start. Buy a book or hire a trainer for a few weeks or purchase a training program and learn the basics. You should have at least a basic plan and a rudimentary knowledge of the risks, dangers and mistakes you want to avoid before getting started. You should have a basic plan or goal mind for what you want to achieve and decide how long you plan to commit yourself to making it happen. Start with sound fundamentals and then you can feel fairly secure with learning how to lift weights as you go.
Learn how to get in your best shape ever and become more attractive to the opposite sex by getting all the secrets you need with the web's #1 Leading Muscle and Fitness Program right now while it's on your mind!
FREE Details => http://www.FitnessFactsOnline.com
FREE Downloadable Reports => How to Lift Weights [http://www.MuscleBuildingShop.com]
Questions and advice abound on how fast or slow should we lift. Should we mainly do high intensity / low volume workouts? Should we do supersets with a lot more reps between resting periods? Should we use the heaviest weights possible or should we use lighter weights so we can improve our form or to protect certain smaller, weaker muscle groups?
From my personal experience nearly all of the touted prescriptions work to some degree, particularly when we first start using them, and particularly when we apply them in an appropriate context. Often a change in our routine leads to new gains, the variations and the change of pace hit muscle areas we typically don't work very hard. If we get stalled on a plateau using one lifting style, sometimes we can break new ground by switching to a different technique. Some different rules about how to lift weights apply in our teens than in our forties.
For example, after reaching a strength plateau with high intensity bicep training, I achieved a jump in size and strength by switching to supersets even though I used significantly less weight and a lot more reps between rests for a couple of months. Then I went back to a high intensity low rep workout and found I had made significant progress in the amount of weight I could curl for 6 to 8 reps.
Experiment and Track Your Progress
So experiment and monitor your results. See what kinds of progress different approaches yield for your particular body and how your muscles develop once the pump from your workout is gone. Are you feeling overly sore a couple of days later? Are you gaining strength or possibly over-training? I've met some very accomplished body builders who consciously change their workout style every four to eight weeks. They claim that once they get used to a routine their body adapts to it and they stop making any progress with it. They may only juggle two or three routines they know well, but they switch them up once they feel a familiar comfort setting in.
Those who train most effectively have spent time exploring and learning about their own bodies to find out what works for them and have kept an open mind to trying something new to see what kinds of results they can get with it. "Know thyself" seems a familiar refrain in evaluating weight lifting exercises.
The Basics
Get some basic education before you start. Buy a book or hire a trainer for a few weeks or purchase a training program and learn the basics. You should have at least a basic plan and a rudimentary knowledge of the risks, dangers and mistakes you want to avoid before getting started. You should have a basic plan or goal mind for what you want to achieve and decide how long you plan to commit yourself to making it happen. Start with sound fundamentals and then you can feel fairly secure with learning how to lift weights as you go.
Learn how to get in your best shape ever and become more attractive to the opposite sex by getting all the secrets you need with the web's #1 Leading Muscle and Fitness Program right now while it's on your mind!
FREE Details => http://www.FitnessFactsOnline.com
FREE Downloadable Reports => How to Lift Weights [http://www.MuscleBuildingShop.com]
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