Weight Strength Training

Posts Tagged ‘Advanced Workout’

You started as a beginner, mastered intermediary weight strength training, and now you are ready for the real deal. Advanced strength training will be a test of the endurance you have gained as well as the skills you have developed. More than ever you will be consistently challenging yourself by pushing past personal boundaries in pursuit of more ambitious goals.

When you first started strength training, your goal was probably to attain a higher level of fitness. Now that you have met that goal you will have to figure out what your new goals are. Are you planning on toning muscles, gaining more muscle mass or developing specific muscle groups? Now that you are more fit, you may want to complete a marathon or even a fitness competition.

Once you have established what your immediate and long-term goals are, you will need to pick up your routine considerably. The days of exercising three days a week will be long gone, and will be replaced by sometimes grueling training sessions. When doing cardiovascular exercises, find a way to maximize each and every workout. You’ll need to carefully monitor your progress by timing your runs, taking measurements and watching what you eat. You will also have to be consistent in your training because even taking a few weeks off can cause your progress to be set back severely.

You’re now beyond being a beginner or an intermediate in weight training and all soreness should be gone and you’ll feel completely at ease with all forms of weight training. If you still find yourself having to ask what certain types of exercises are, chances are you’re not ready to move on.

Along with a robust training routine, you should also be focusing on your diet, amalgamating high-protein foods and tasty protein shakes. Remember, your workout plan should be fun and weight training isn’t meant to be boring. Fill up your iPod with some motivating music which has a beat that you can work to and will help your weight training.

Remember, strength training is just one form of weight training. This weight training style uses resistance and if you are unable to increase the weights you are lifting, then you are not ready to move on to a more advanced stage of weight training. You should now be totally in control of the amount of reps and sets you’re performing, without necessarily having to rely on a personal trainer or coach. It’s worth keeping in mind, however that you should look to still keep a trainer for motivational factors.

If you feel like you’re using your back when doing arm curls, then you’re definitely not ready to move up to this stage of weight training. In fact, you should always make sure your form is perfect in all strength and weight training. You should know the dangers of this by now and realize that an injury to your neck or back could really hinder your development.

You should also know the reasons for strength training: increased muscle, tendon and ligament strength, bone density, tone, metabolic rate and flexibility. All of these should have seen an increase in levels since your training has started.

These are some exercises that you should feel comfortable with carrying out in your weight training routine. If not, then you shouldn’t be looking to move on to advanced strength training.

Super Sets and Tri Sets

These focus on two or three exercises with minimal rest in between, really intensifying the workload on your muscle groups. For example, supersetting squats with bench press and supersetting shoulder press with lateral raises).

Forced Reps

This is where you remove an amount of weight if you feel you can’t complete your current set. You’ll need a spotter for this so they can quickly take a small amount of weight from the bar in, for example, the bench press.

Cheat Reps

You MUST have your form perfect when doing cheat reps, otherwise you could damage yourself. This basically entails swinging your body to aid the movement in order to get another rep out of the set. This must not be done for a whole set, only at the end of one.

If you’re not happy in carrying out any of the above, then you should not move on to the advanced techniques. If there’s any sign of neck or back strain as a result of your weight training, then do not use the techniques described above.

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Another option for those serious about weight strength training are intensive boot camp sessions. These boot camps can be taught by certified instructors, or just consist of a few dedicated friends intent on getting fit. These training classes are a fun and vigorous way to challenge yourself while shaping up. Many classes are taught outdoors where attendees can take advantage of unconventional equipment and perform impromptu exercises. Don’t be intimidated by the name; fitness boot camps can be tough, but you probably don’t have to worry about a real life Drill Sergeant breathing down your neck. That is, unless you signed up for that type of class.

Suitable for all fitness types, strength training boot camps usually come in beginner, intermediate and advanced levels. No matter what level you participate in, you will be pushed hard and expected to perform. The beauty of fitness boot camps is that really give you the push needed to get over personal blocks. Before participating in one, you may have met a plateau or just had trouble getting motivated. Have no doubt that after you have completed a strength training boot camp, you will be more fit, tougher and ready to sign up for the next session.