I did not want to create a strict schedule that my subjects had to follow but rather a basic outline for what their workouts can entail. The three levels can fit any amount of commitment ranging from 30 minutes 3 times a week to 2 hours 5 times a week. Two of the training guides required a gym while the other consisted of body weight exercises and nightly routines without a gym. The key element of my training guidelines was the “highly recommended” exercises. These exercises are there to maintain balance throughout. Basically, if you were only going to do a few of the lifts on the workout, do these. The most important part of resistance training is that all muscles are worked evenly. For example when training legs equal time and effort has to go toward quads as hamstrings. For the upper body if the chest is trained more than the back, the muscles on the back will not be able to support the chest muscles and the subjects posture is compromised leading to injuries. The other component of the training guides included a stretching routine that breaks down every body part and incorporated the bet stretching motives for each ensuring that no one pulls a muscle and achieves adequate growth. As we know stretching is perhaps the most important part of physical training. Of course subjects can follow the guidelines just as they are written, in which case they would complete a cardio segment of approximately twenty minutes of cardio followed by basic resistance training and then stretching to cool down. Horrendous. Yes after some feedback and some good old-fashioned research I changed up my program immediately. By the end the basic session at the gym looked a little like this: Ballistic and dynamic stretching followed by resistance training and 15 minutes of steady state cardio (or intervals for those looking to loose weight) and then another static stretch to cool down. The first complaint I receive of course had to do with time so I cut the cardio short by 5 minutes and decreased the set count by 1 for many of the moves however told the subjects to challenge themselves with the weight on the last set whenever they felt comfortable (I was always available for consulting). This way the workouts took shorter however were just as efficient. I moved the cardio vascular conditioning to the end because running and increased blood pressure helps clear lactic acid from your muscles. Cardio also depletes glycogen levels while weight training will not (sugar stored for immediate energy) so if you run before a lifting session you may not have as much energy to get the most out of your weight training.
In addition to the training and nutrition guide I included a stretching guide with a routine to target all the major muscle groups that the subjects could take part in whenever they needed. To ensure safety beyond always being in touch with my subjects I included a safety guide with written explanations and safety tips for each exercise and stretch in the workouts.
To view the actual guides look on the programs page
In addition to the training and nutrition guide I included a stretching guide with a routine to target all the major muscle groups that the subjects could take part in whenever they needed. To ensure safety beyond always being in touch with my subjects I included a safety guide with written explanations and safety tips for each exercise and stretch in the workouts.
To view the actual guides look on the programs page