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Question
31 Jan 2006
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exercise programme
having had a look at all the different exercises there are on the website, if i want to put together my own routine, how many repetitions should i put in a set, how many sets should i do, how often should i increase the number of repetitions and sets. also is it best to focus on different muscle groups each day or should it be a combo that is repeated ?
FitnessDoc
Hi Scard
It all depends what you are trying to achieve. If your goal is to train for toning and some weight loss, then the main focus of the training must be cardio, and the weight training, which is of secondary importance, should be geared towards toning. This means doing lighter weight, and aiming for 3 sets of about 12 to 15 reps. If the goal is to build muscle, then you need to train more often, maybe 4 or 5 times a week, and you lift heavier weights, but do only 6 to 10 reps. Putting it all together is pretty tricky though, in terms of when you increase and when you go down, and not something that's easily (or possibly) explained on this forum. However, I think that if you stick to these guidelines, you should be OK. As for when you should increase the weights, I suggest in about 3 to 4 weeks, you should review what you are doing, perhaps increase the weight by 5 to 10% and then see how you respond. If you cope, stick with the new weight, otherwise drop back down for another 2 weeks.
Finally, I think it's best to separate muscle groups, upper and lower body is probably the easiest distinction, but again, there are many ways to set it all up.
Good luck
It all depends what you are trying to achieve. If your goal is to train for toning and some weight loss, then the main focus of the training must be cardio, and the weight training, which is of secondary importance, should be geared towards toning. This means doing lighter weight, and aiming for 3 sets of about 12 to 15 reps. If the goal is to build muscle, then you need to train more often, maybe 4 or 5 times a week, and you lift heavier weights, but do only 6 to 10 reps. Putting it all together is pretty tricky though, in terms of when you increase and when you go down, and not something that's easily (or possibly) explained on this forum. However, I think that if you stick to these guidelines, you should be OK. As for when you should increase the weights, I suggest in about 3 to 4 weeks, you should review what you are doing, perhaps increase the weight by 5 to 10% and then see how you respond. If you cope, stick with the new weight, otherwise drop back down for another 2 weeks.
Finally, I think it's best to separate muscle groups, upper and lower body is probably the easiest distinction, but again, there are many ways to set it all up.
Good luck
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