Weekly Training Article | The Keys to Well-Rounded Strength Training | 5/21/12-5/27/12

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So you've decided to strength train,but do you have a well rounded strength training routine? There are manybooks and programs that will dispense information, but the bottom lineis that you are very unique. Your goals, your fitness level, yourexperience and your personal strengths and weaknesses all make youunique.
The reason I bring this up isbecause unless you find a program that talks directly to YOU, you willhave a hard time finding a routine that works for YOU. You'll need tofind well rounded strength training routines (many of them in fact), andhealthy meal suggestions.
A well rounded strength trainingroutine should include 7 factors. If your routine is missing one ofthese 7, I strongly recommend finding a new program. The 7 factors are:reps, sets, rest, recovery, exercises, pace and change. Some specificdetails are below.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #1: Reps. How many reps you need will depend on yourgoals. As a general guideline, you want to work anywhere between 8-12reps for adding lean muscle and toning up. Working at a rep range above15 is for endurance training. Rep ranges under 8 are primarily used foradding muscle mass and higher gains in strength.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #2: Sets. I like to stay between 3-5 sets for generalhealth and fitness. Sets higher than 5 should be supervised and part of aprogram designed by a trainer specifically for you. Sets under 3 areprimarily for power lifting and 1RM work.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #3: Rest. Inbetween each set should be at least 1 minuteof rest. This allows your muscles to gather back strength for the nextset. The only time rest between sets may be skipped is during asuperset. This is where you work one muscle and then immediately move tothe next muscle, and then back to the first muscle. Even under thiscircumstance, the first muscle is resting while you work the secondmuscle. So the rest period still exists.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #4: Recovery. If you work your biceps today, they need torest tomorrow. You should allow 48 hours of recovery between workingthe same muscle. This ensures proper rest. Gains in strength and sizeoccur during your recovery time.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #5: Exercises. You should do an exercise for each majormuscle group. If you are just beginning, I like to recommend a full bodyroutine. Choose an exercise for each muscle group and complete theproper amount of reps and sets that day.
You can split up your exercisesand perform them on different days. For example, you can do upper bodytoday and lower body tomorrow. Work your larger muscles first (chest,back, quads, etc) and then work the smaller muscles (triceps, biceps,calves, etc).
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #6: Pace. A good rule of thumb is to move through eachrepetition by following the speed of your breathe. Exhale on the hardparts and inhale on the easy parts. Or another unit of measure is 2seconds on the lift and 4 seconds on the lowering.
Well Rounded Strength TrainingRoutine Factor #7: Change. You should change your strength trainingroutine every 4-6 weeks. This will prevent your body from reaching aplateau and will help keep things fresh.
Source: physicalfitnessarticles.net