Find Your Weight Training Plan

There are multiple angles you can take to attack unwanted weight, all of which can make a significant impact on their own. But why take only one angle when you can combine them to formulate a complete plan of attack? That’s what The 3 Pronged Attack for Weight Loss is all about: taking multiple angles or “prongs,” to attack and conquer the villain that is unwanted weight once and for all! One of those prongs is WEIGHT TRAINING.

Weight training should be included in any weight loss plan that is aimed at long-term success. Weight training helps you beyond the calories you burn during your workouts because it is your primary tool for building lean muscle. This is a huge factor when it comes to weight loss because the more muscle you have, the more calories your body will burn each day, even while you are sitting down or asleep.[i] However, with the multiple weight training methods and types of equipment from which you have to choose, it can be difficult to formulate a plan that you’re certain is right for you.

To create a weight training plan that is tailored to you, you’ll need to do two things: find your training method and find the equipment on which to perform your weight training.

Find Your Training Method

Find your training method and equipment based on what best suits your goals, physical fitness level and personality.

Circuit Training

Circuit training is one of the most popular and effective methods of weight training used to lose weight. Each circuit training workout consists of a series of multiple exercises that train different muscle groups consecutively with minimal rest in between. It is also a safe option for beginners or anybody who is just getting back into a fitness routine because it does not put too much stress on any one individual muscle group.

Click here for an example of a circuit training workout!

Split Training

Most commonly used by bodybuilders and athletes focused on building muscle, split training is a type of weight training that “splits” up the exercises you perform in each workout based on the muscle groups you train. The idea behind this method is to concentrate your efforts on individual muscle groups, then give each muscle group adequate time to recover from each workout by using them as little as possible on the days dedicated to other muscle groups.

There are many different ways to “split” your muscle groups up. Below is an example of one of the more common split training schedules:

Monday – Chest

Tuesday – Back

Wednesday – Shoulders

Thursday – Legs

Friday – Bicep & Triceps

Plyometric Training

Plyometric training is a popular type of weight training for athletes who want to train for a particular sport or activity. Plyometric workouts are designed to replicate the movements you make in a sport or activity. While plyometric training is an excellent way to burn calories and build athleticism, it is recommended that only intermediate-to-advanced weight trainers delve into this type of training.

Click here for an example of plyometric training

Find Your Equipment

Machines

Machine exercises are excellent for initially strengthening your muscles when you are first beginning a weight training program, or just getting back into one. Machines allow you to train specific muscles and movements while the machine guides you through the proper plane of motion. Although they are more commonly used by beginning weight lifters, advanced and intermediate weight lifters will sometimes use machines in a split training routine because of their ability to isolate specific muscle groups efficiently.

Cables

Cable exercises fall in-between machine exercises and free weights on the difficulty scale because they control the plane of motion of each exercise less so than machines, but more so than free weights. As a result, they are an excellent choice for performing any weight training method with any level of experience.

Free Weights (Dumbbells & Barbells)

Free weight exercises typically require the use of more stabilizing muscles than machine or cable exercises because you are in complete control of the plane of motion. As a result, free weight exercises can help you build more strength in your core muscles. This makes free weights more ideal for intermediate-to-advanced weight trainers.

Medicine Balls

It’s no coincidence that these weighted spheres are shaped like a ball since they have shown to be an outstanding way to improve sport-specific movements.[ii] As a result, medicine ball workouts are a solid addition to any plyometric training workout.

Body Weight

Body weight training can be a helpful addition to plyometric and circuit training workouts. However, there are only so many movements you can perform without weight training equipment, so body weight training exercises are best used in conjunction with another type of weight training for a well-rounded workout.

Once you have a weight training plan selected, check out the previous article on how to use CARDIO to lose weight by clicking the link below. Also, stay tuned for the third portion of The 3 Pronged Attack for Weight Loss series.

The 3 Pronged Attack for Weight Loss – Weight Training