- this training plan in powerlifting for athletes of medium and high levels of fitness, who need to include cycling in their training plan to overcome the "plateau" and further progression of loads. Strength training involves adherence to the regime, first of all, sleep and nutrition, and secondly, a good attitude to training, that is, you need to “kill yourself” in training, but approach everything wisely, because the restorative abilities of all people are different. This is especially true for athletes of an average level of training, because their adaptive mechanisms are not yet as prepared as the adaptive mechanisms of advanced security officials, and therefore, a cycle that develops the athlete’s endurance should also be included in the annual training plan. so that the powerlifter can increase his KPSh (number of barbell lifts).

Strength training for beginners "pump" and "lifters" does not need cycling, because the body has time to adapt to the load that you give it, and therefore, we recommend using strength training in classical style 5 to 5 with a gradual linear progression of loads. When you reach the maximum in competitive movements, you will need to switch to a program of power cycles, which will allow you to progress further. It is important to note that the program does not involve the use of anabolic steroids, although, using "vitamins", you will certainly progress much faster. Really, really important rules strength training are: warm-up, hitch, stretching, competent prioritization and selection of suitable auxiliary exercises.

Warm up before strength training

We have already written a whole detailed article about the importance of preparing ligaments, joints and muscles for training, which you can find, but now I would like to pay attention to the strength warm-up. What does it mean? Strength warm-up is a warm-up with a barbell or dumbbells, which involves a gradual increase in weight on the projectile and acceleration of the movements performed. The number of warm-up sets before strength training depends on the athlete's fitness level, since the higher training weight, the more steps you need to take before reaching your working weight.

You should always start a warm-up with an empty neck and 20-30 repetitions in slow pace so that the synovial fluid that lubricates the joints has time to stand out. After the first warm-up approach, 2-5 more approaches follow with a gradual progression of loads and a decrease in the number of repetitions. The athlete must complete the first approach for 10 repetitions with 40% of the working weight, the 3rd approach with 50% of the working weight for 8 repetitions, 4 for 5 repetitions with 60% and 5 - 75% for 4 repetitions. If the weight is really significant, then you can perform 2 more sets of 3 repetitions with 85% of the working weight. A warm-up should be performed before each basic exercise, and before all the others, a shortened version should be performed in two or three approaches.

Cool down and stretch after strength training

The cool-down involves performing a general dynamic warm-up again at the end of a strength workout to loosen the muscles, ligaments, and joints. A good solution would be to include training process cardio, when at the end of the training an athlete spins a bicycle for 20 minutes, jumps on a rope or does some other activity within a heart rate of 120-150 beats per minute. By the way, such a hitch will help the liver to utilize lactic acid, which will significantly speed up post-workout recovery. Other important point is heart training, since excessive loads can lead to myocardial infarction, which, of course, must be avoided at all costs!

Stretching can be used in different ways, moreover, it is desirable to stretch not only after or during training, you can also do stretching on non-training days. Strength training puts undue stress on your ligaments and joints, so if you stretch too hard at the end of your workout, you could get injured. On the other hand, the muscles and ligaments are hot after the training, so they are easier to stretch, it’s a sin not to use it, you just don’t need to abuse it! Progress in stretching on non-training days, but be sure to warm up before stretching so that the muscles, ligaments and joints are warm. Stretching will also help you recover faster between workouts.

Priorities in power cycles

The choice of priority is a very important factor in drafting training program, because the athlete must decide which competitive movement he wants to prioritize, as well as what goal he is pursuing. The ultimate goal in powerlifting, of course, is to increase the amount in competitive movements, but there are periods of work on intensity, there are periods of work on endurance, gaining muscle mass, you can actively work on increasing the results in the bench, squat or deadlift. Both the strength training itself and the selection of auxiliary exercises will depend on the prioritization.

In this case, we are talking about general strength training, which implies more or less even development of all competitive movements. However, the deadlift is performed only once per microcycle, while the squat and bench press are performed 2 times. The bottom line is that deadlift too much hard exercise, therefore, it makes no sense to perform it more often, since the athlete will simply drive himself into overtraining, because even during intensive study of strength in the deadlift, in full amplitude, the exercise is performed only once per microcycle. At the same time, as for auxiliary exercises, there are a lot of them for the back extensor in the program we offer.

utility room for strength training

Assistance is all exercises that are not competitive, which are performed to additionally load the muscles and work out those parts of them that receive less load in basic movements. The utility room allows you to level weak spots and avoid injuries to the ligaments, joints and muscles, since the developed stabilizers are able to take on the load at critical moments. You can perform auxiliary exercises directly during strength training, or at other times. Professional athletes train in the morning and in the evening, or on one day they do the base, and on the second utility room. What for? The fact is that the duration of the training should not exceed 60 minutes, because in 60 minutes the level of testosterone drops and a large amount of cortisol is produced, which makes the training pointless.

It is also worth noting that it can be difficult to perform support directly during hard training, also because the athlete after the base is no longer capable of anything. What to do? Amateurs tend to do 1-2 accessory exercises at the end of a workout, or none at all. You can train 4 times a week, dedicating one workout for the utility, in general, it's up to you, just like choosing the accessory exercises, since this program is not for beginners, you can become a master of sports with it, so prioritize! If you want results in a strength sport, train more, keep the regime, eat right, give up bad habits, do everything to achieve the goal, or don’t set it for yourself.

Strength training program

Strength program options:

Option number 1

Notes* the program is suitable for athletes of an average level of training; auxiliary exercises can be performed 2 times a week on Tuesday and Thursday, or include 2 auxiliary exercises at the end of each workout.

Option number 2

Notes* the program is designed to level the backlog in the bench press; auxiliary exercises can be performed 2 times a week on Tuesday and Thursday, or include 2 auxiliary exercises at the end of each workout.

Option number 3

Notes* this strength program is designed for advanced powerlifters who have developed adaptive abilities, because although the volume of training per workout is reduced, the volume of training per week increases significantly; support can be done on light training days.

Load distribution during a macrocycle

The macrocycle lasts 9-12 weeks; working weight during training depends on the stage of the macrocycle; "light" exercises involve the use of 65% of the working weight. Rest between sets is 3-5 minutes, in the bench press - 3, in the deadlift and squat - 5. The number of repetitions in the approach in a simple cycle is 5 to 5, in a complicated one it depends on the phase of the cycle. You need to calculate the weight on the projectile based on the desired result at the end of the cycle, which should be + 5-10%.

Simple 10 week cycle

1 week - 80%
2 weeks - 85%
3 week - 87.5%
4 weeks - 90%
5 week - 92.5%
6 week - 95%
Week 7 - 97.5%
8 week - 100%
9 week - 102.5%
10 week - 105%

Note* when the cycle ends, if you feel that you can progress further, then try to reach 110% in 2-3 weeks, then add 5% to the maximum result and start the cycle again.

Complicated 10 week cycle

1 part cycle - the number of repetitions 5 to 5
1 week - 80%
2 weeks - 85%
3 week - 90%
4 week - 92.5%
2nd part of the cycle - go to "4po4"
5 week - 97.5%
6 week - 100%
Week 7 - 102.5%
3rd part of the cycle - go to "6? 4? 2? 1"
8 week - 110%
9 week - 115%
10 week - 120%

Note* in part 3 of the cycle, the athlete performs 6 reps with 90% of his initial working weight, 4 reps with 100%, 2 with 105% and 1 rep with 110/115/120% depending on the week of the cycle. When the macro cycle ends, add 5% to the initial weight and repeat it again.

For those who want to get serious muscle mass, one of the top priorities will be to determine which training method is right for that particular adept. The article presents 5 training programs that will help anyone create strong and powerful muscles.

For those who need to gain muscle mass, one of the top priorities will be to determine what should be best workout on bodybuilding. There is a wide range of different programs available, so it is important to choose the one that best suits your needs.

It is also important that you understand what factors contribute to the best increase in muscle mass. A program that uses these principles will often be better than one that does not.

Let's take a quick look at some of the most popular bodybuilding training programs and identify the pros and cons of each.

The 5X5 program is one that is very popular among those who are looking to gain large amounts of strength and muscle mass.

The setup for this program consists of doing three basic (multi-joint) exercises that target the major muscle groups of both the lower and upper body in one workout for five sets of five reps.

At the end of each workout, you can add a few isolation exercises if you like, but the program does not include this.

pros

One of the most significant benefits of this program will be the increased frequency of training. Since in each session you will stimulate a large number of muscle fibers, you will release very high levels of testosterone, which contributes to a good degree of muscle growth.

Most athletes also find that they become more defined by following this program, which is an indication of its intense nature.

Minuses

The disadvantage of this program is that it is somehow not suitable for beginners to work with iron, due to its high intensity. For a beginner, this can lead to overtraining if he is overconfident!

It's best to have a 3-6 month weight training history so you can be sure your body is ready for this stressful challenge.

The second downside to doing this program is that you will be training three times a week, which is not beneficial for many other strength activities such as heavy lifting. sports training(CrossFit).

If you are participating in a competition athletics at a high level, it may be better to choose a slightly less demanding program so that you don't get overtired in your pro workouts.

Sample workout.

Use the 5X5 protocol for the core exercises as described above, and then reduce the training volume for the accessory exercises.

If you are someone who tends to have difficulty recovering from a workout, then you might want to set up a 3X5 program first and see how it works. Keep in mind that it is very easy to overdo it when training on the 5X5 program if you do not listen to your body.

Working on the program, switching between workouts - A and workout - B. three times a week, with at least one day off between sessions.

The two week training cycle looks like this:

First week

• Monday: Workout A
• Wednesday: Workout B
• Friday: Workout A

Second week

• Monday: Workout B
• Wednesday: Workout A
• Friday: Workout B

From the third week the cycle repeats.

Plan to rest 60 to 120 seconds between sets of core exercises and 30 to 45 seconds between sets of accessory exercises.

Workout program.

Workout A.

1. Bench Press- 5 sets of 5 reps.
2. Bent over row- 5 sets of 5 reps.
3. Pull-ups
4. Standing dumbbell side raises- 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.
5. Lying body raises on the floor

Workout B.

1. Squats with a barbell on the chest- 5 sets of 5 reps.
2. Army press- 5 sets of 5 reps.
3. Deadlift- 5 sets of 5 reps.
4. Barbell curl for biceps- 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.
5. R bending arms with dumbbells from behind the head while sitting- 2 sets of 8-10 repetitions.
6. Lying leg raises horizontal bench - 2 sets of 15 repetitions.

2. German volume training.

The next higher volume training program for building muscle is German Volume Training.

The protocol is very similar to the 5×5 program, but the program differs in that you will have to work in a higher range of sets - 10 and for each set you need a rep range greater than ten.

The design of this program is to focus on the two major muscle groups per workout, alternating between them for three days a week.

pros

For those who train with this protocol, this type of workout will allow you to build muscle mass at an incredibly high rate, provided you follow it. right plan nutrition.

Some people make the mistake of not caring about their nutrition while exercising on this program, and it is these people who are at a significantly higher risk of burnout in a short amount of time.

If you want to receive nice results from this program, stick to a high-calorie diet. These calories will be vital to maintain a high training volume and ability to gain muscle mass.

Minuses

As with the 5X5 protocol, if you plan to do any additional activities with this program - additional sports training, cardio, or other ways to activate the muscles and central nervous system, you may encounter some problems. As a general rule, you will need to cut back on everything else you do on the main program so that the body can have enough time to recover and progress further...make sure you take that into account.

Another relatively negative factor about this program is that if you are interested in developing maximum strength, this may not be the best idea.

The reason for this is that pure strength gains usually require you to lift weights in the lower rep range, while this program is designed to work at higher reps.

There are extended variants of German volume training, which provides a low rep range to enable heavy weight work. If this is important to you, consider it.

Sample Workout

For this workout protocol, you must choose one exercise for each muscle group and work it out for 10 sets of 10 reps each. Once these are complete, you can add a few isolation exercises if you like, but do them in the range of 2-3 sets of 10-15 reps.

Maintain the pace of your workout by resting for 60-90 seconds. Remember that since you are training in a higher range of sets and repetitions, you will not use the same big weight, as is the case with 5-6 rep workouts, so be sure to adjust your load accordingly. To start, choose a weight that is 50-60% of your 1 rep max.

The program is divided into three training days:

• Day 1: Chest, back.
• Day 2: Rest.
• Day 3: Legs, press.
• Day 4: Rest.
• Day 5: Shoulders, arms.
• Days 6,7: Rest.

Workout program.

Workout 1: chest, back.

1. Dumbbell bench press
2. Bent over row- 10 sets of 10 reps.
3. Reduction of hands in the simulator "butterfly"- 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
4. linkage

Workout 2: legs, abs

1. Back Squats- 10 sets of 10 reps.
2. Lying leg curls- 10 sets of 10 reps.
3. - 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
4. Hanging leg raises- 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

Workout 3: shoulders, arms

1. Army press- 10 sets of 10 reps.
2. - 10 sets of 10 reps.
3. French bench press on the lower block- 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.
4. - 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions.

3. FST-7 training program

The third type of training program for gaining muscle mass, which is quite often used, is the FST-7 program. This program does not specifically outline all the exercises that you need to perform at this stage.

It doesn't specifically say that you should split your body into specific splits (such as upper body and Bottom part body or chest/back, legs and shoulders).

The name FST-7 stands for Fascial Stretch Training, which indicates that one of the main goals of this program is to stretch the fascia tissue, which is the soft connective tissue that is found around your muscles (a kind of protective sheath) as well as around the entire the rest of your body.

It is primarily responsible for maintaining the structural integrity of the body, providing support and protection to the muscles, and acting as a shock absorber when you perform any activity during the day, as in gym as well as outside the home.

When this tissue is stretched, you see an increase in muscle growth. There is a higher release of minerals, amino acids and oxygen to muscle tissues.

To do this, do 7 sets of 15 reps on the last exercise you do for each muscle group. It is important that the rest periods between these sets are short - about 30 seconds at most.

Note: the working weight will be adjusted downwards from what you normally use for that particular exercise due to the fact that you will be working with a much higher total of 7 sets, and a higher rep range will require you not to take too much heavy weight.

pros

The pros of this program, beyond the obvious (better fascia condition), is that it still allows for a lot of flexibility on your part with the overall structural design.

If you want to focus on specific muscle groups, you can do that, or if you prefer the rest of the program to be lower in total volume because you don't have the best recovery rate, then you can do that too.

Another positive argument is that more high level reps and a set range of seven sets for this exercise, will significantly increase your metabolic rate, so whether your goal is to build muscle or lose fat, if you eat right and eat healthy food, you can see an increase in the performance of your workouts.

Minuses

Perhaps one disadvantage of such a workout is your inability to recover quickly after following such a protocol. Therefore, you will not be able to work in the same mode as you are used to.

Over time, you will likely find that your body will adapt to the load, so try not to quit the program too quickly if that is what you are looking for.

Stick to this program and make sure you're eating right and stretching between training sessions without adding too much cardio to the week as a whole and you'll likely start to see results and improvements with your fatigue levels dropping.

Sample Workout

This is another extremely intensive program, so you should always watch your recovery between training sessions.

Some people may prefer to use the FST-7 (final 7-set exercise per muscle group) principle in one of their workouts for a particularly lagging muscle group, while others may use it in all of their workouts for a week.

Expect more sensitivity and soreness from this program than you may have experienced before, and be prepared to tweak and adapt your own schedule based on that. Here is an example of an FST-7 program that you can use by applying the principle to all muscle groups.

Please note that you are better off choosing isolation exercises for 7 sets.

Rest 60 to 120 seconds between exercises, except for exercises where you have to complete seven sets. Here the rest period should be shorter and be around 30 seconds for a maximum muscle pump.

The training program will look like this:

• Day 1: Biceps, triceps, calf.
• Day 2: Legs.
• Day 3: Rest.
• Day 4: Chest, triceps.
• Day 5: Back, shin.
• Day 6: Shoulders, biceps.
• Day 7: Rest.

Workout program.

Day 1: Biceps, triceps, lower leg.

1. Barbell curl for biceps
2. Lifting dumbbells for biceps "hammer"- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. Bending the arms on the lower block
4. Barbell bench press narrow grip - 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
5. - 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
6. - 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
7. Raising on socks while sitting in the simulator- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
8. Rises on socks while standing in the simulator

Day 2: Legs.

1. Back Squats- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
2. leg press- 3.4 repetitions of 8-12 repetitions.
3. Leg extension sitting in the simulator- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Day 3: Rest.

Day 4: Chest, triceps.

1. Dumbbell bench press incline bench - 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
2. Dumbbell bench press on a horizontal bench- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. Bringing hands in a crossover from the upper blocks- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
4. Narrow Grip Barbell Press- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
5. Extension of arms from behind the head with dumbbells sitting- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
6. Extension of arms on the upper block- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Day 5: Back, lower leg.

1. Bent over row- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
2. - 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. - 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
4. Lifting on socks while standing in the simulator- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
5. Rises on socks sitting in the simulator- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Day 6: Shoulders, biceps.

1. Seated Dumbbell Press- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
2. Breeding arms with dumbbells in an incline- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
3. Lateral dumbbell raises- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
4. Barbell curl for biceps- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
5. Lifting dumbbells for biceps lying on an incline bench- 3.4 sets of 8-12 reps.
6. Bending the arms on the lower block- 7 sets of 8-12 repetitions.

Day 7: Rest.

4. Split program upper / lower body.

This protocol allows you to train four times a week, working each muscle group twice in a weekly cycle. One training day is the upper body, the second training day is the lower body, for a total of four days.

pros

The good thing about this type of program is that it a good option for beginner athletes who want to gain muscle mass.

This protocol allows enough break between upper and lower body workouts throughout the week and makes each workout a little less strenuous than the last. On the entry level exactly what is needed!

Advanced athletes can also train according to a set protocol using a full range of exercises, sets, reps and rest periods.

Another big advantage of this type of training is that it allows you to include more isolation exercises in the session. If you want to specifically target one of the smaller muscle groups (biceps, triceps, lateral deltoids, etc.), you can do it fairly easily.

Minuses

Because this type of training is so versatile, there aren't too many downsides. You can modify it in many ways to suit all your individual needs, making sure you get what you are looking for from your workout program.

This protocol is related to the fact that it is made for a 4-day program, and should be performed four times a week. If you have time scheduling conflicts, this may be a problem for you.

But even it can be overcome by training in this way: in one training week, you work on top body (eg Monday and Friday) and once over the bottom (eg Wednesday).

The second training week looks like this: Monday and Friday - lower body, Wednesday - upper body. On the third and fourth weeks, alternate these cycles.

Sample Workout

There are an endless amount of exercise options for this workout plan, and you should format the program based on how much volume you can handle, for whatever muscle groups you want to focus on, and whether you focus primarily on strength or muscle size.

The following example program is a good combination of multi-joint and isolation exercises. It will target all aspects - density, size, muscle strength depending on your fitness level.

The four-day training cycle looks like this:

• Monday: Workout A.
• Tuesday: Workout B.
• Wednesday: Rest.
• Thursday: Workout S.
• Friday: Workout D.
• Saturday and Sunday: Rest.

Rest periods are one minute for basic exercises. 30-45 seconds for isolation.

Workout program.

Workout A: lower body.

1. Back Squats- 4 sets of 5 repetitions.
2. Barbell lunges- 3 sets of 8 reps.
3. Leg extension in the simulator– 3 sets of 10 reps
4. Bending the legs in the simulator
5. Standing calf raises
6. Hanging leg raises- 3 sets of 15-20 repetitions.

Workout B: upper body.

1. Dumbbell bench press- 3 sets of 6 reps.
2. Bent over row- 3 sets of 6 reps.
3. Army press- 3 sets of 8 reps.
4. Breeding arms with dumbbells lying chest on an incline bench- 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
5. Lateral dumbbell raises- 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
6. Push-ups from the bench with a back stop- 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Workout C: lower body.

1. Romanian draft- 4 sets of 5 repetitions.
2. Climbing a bench with dumbbells- 3 sets of 8 reps.
3. leg press- 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
4. Sitting calf raises- 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
5. Standing calf raises- 3 sets of 15 repetitions.
6. Twisting with upper block on my knees- 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Workout D: upper body.

1. - 3 sets of 8 reps.
2. Top block pull wide grip - 3 sets of 8 reps.
3. Horizontal pull on lower block- 3 sets of 8 reps.
4. Extension of the arms from behind the head from the lower block while standing- 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
5. Extension of arms from the upper block(Spanish rope) - 3 sets of 10-12 reps.

5. Full Body Workout Program.

Finally, we come to training the whole body (Full Body). The 5x5 program can also be considered a Full Body workout up to some degree, since you work almost all major muscle groups with the three exercises you choose.

But a real full body program gives one specific exercise for each muscle group - quads, hamstrings, chest, back and shoulders (the arms get stressed when training the chest and back).

In addition to compound exercises, you can also do some isolation exercises if you want to further challenge smaller muscle groups. They - these exercises will be presented in the complex.

pros

One big argument in favor of this program, again, is that it's great for beginners, as long as they use a lower set number of sets for each exercise and keep an eye on their overall training volume.

Of course, the program can also be used by advanced athletes. Since it has a high frequency aspect, and working with it, they usually win, especially during the period of work on the relief.

There are many different combinations in which you can create a full body workout using various principles workouts (e.g. Weider principles) to add variety and keep progressing.

Minuses

The main negative point of the Full Body workout program is that you won't be able to focus on working out any specific muscle group, since you need to do exercises for each part of the body in one session.

As a rule, when performing such specialized training you need to do two or three exercises for the specific body part you're working on, which makes a Full Body workout a little overcrowded in volume.

Sample workout.

In each Full Body workout, you will work all the major muscle groups, using as many basic exercises as possible to keep your overall training volume.

Several isolation exercises are added towards the end of the workout to help further refine certain muscles and increase muscle pumps.

Fulfill following workouts, alternating between them for two to three days a week with one day of rest between them.

A two-week training cycle with three sessions per week is as follows:

First week

• Monday: Workout A
• Wednesday: Workout B
• Friday: Workout A

Second week

• Monday: Workout B
• Wednesday: Workout A
• Friday: Workout B

On the third and fourth weeks, the cycle repeats.

Rest periods between sets of basic exercises, 60-90 seconds and 45-60 seconds of rest between the second set of isolation exercises.

Workout program.

Workout A

1. Back Squats- 3 sets of 8 reps.
2. Bench press on a horizontal bench- 3 sets of 8 reps.
3. Army press
4. Barbell curl for biceps- 2 sets of 10 repetitions.
5. French bench press- 2 sets of 10 repetitions.
6. Rises on socks in the simulator while sitting- 2 sets of 15 repetitions.

Workout B

1. Deadlift- 3 sets of 8 reps.
2. Bench press on an incline bench- 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
3. Wide grip upper pulldown- 3 sets of 10 repetitions.
4. Leg extension in the simulator
5. Bending the legs in the simulator- 2 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
6. Lateral dumbbell raises- 2 sets of 10 repetitions.
7. Twisting lying on the floor- 3 sets of 15 repetitions.

Keep these five different types of workouts in mind when deciding which protocol to work on and which one will be the best. the best program bodybuilding workouts just for you.

You can and should change training programs to keep progressing and avoid plateaus, so don't think that once you choose one program it will be set in stone for you to follow for a very long period of time.

The article considers an example, effective strength program bodybuilding training, supported by theoretical knowledge. This approach to training, can be used for any power type sports.

In addition, we will also answer questions about how muscles work, where the energy of muscle contractions comes from, what are the benefits and harms of strength training, what to eat before and after going to the gym.

By strength training, it is customary to understand weight training (weights) in the gym, the main purpose of which is to increase overall strength, strength endurance, explosive force and of course build muscle.

Strength training will be different for all sports. So, for example, in bodybuilding, where the main goal is to build muscle, training will be aimed primarily at strength endurance, for powerlifting, training will be aimed at increasing explosive strength in one repetition, for armwrestlers, training will be aimed at increasing static muscle strength, for other types sports such as swimming, strength training will develop specific strength (eg stroke strength). One way or another, the goal of any strength training, any sport, is to develop muscle strength.

To understand how strength training affects the body of an athlete, you need to understand what makes you grow. muscle strength how it is served in training. We will not go far into biochemical processes, because this information will not be of practical use to you.

From the article on how muscles work, you might know that the main energy supplier for skeletal muscle is an ATP(adenosine triphosphate), which releases energy when broken down. But there are very few reserves of ATP in the muscles, literally enough for 2-3 seconds of work, therefore, ATP must be constantly taken from somewhere. The ways of ATP recovery in the body are different, and not the same, for different types sports. We are only interested in the path of ATP synthesis that occurs in power types sports. So, for example, at maximum muscle tension, during 10-20 seconds, energy supply occurs through the use of creatinophosphate, with a longer load, 1-2 minutes, another source of energy is connected for muscle contraction – anaerobic glycolysis(without oxygen), as a result of which, energy is released + lactic acid.

Thus, strength training consumes mainly creatine phosphate and glycogen(carbohydrates).

Below we summarize and the simplest formulas, for a better perception of information.

ATP breakdown

• ATP => ADP + F (phosphate) + free energy;

But there is very little ATP in the muscles., therefore, it is necessary to constantly restore to supply them with energy:

• ATP => ADP + F + free energy
• creatine phosphate + ADP => creatine + ATP

Creatinophosphate is a form of creatine storage in the muscles.

That is, creatine phosphate, restoring ATP, due to the transfer of the phosphorus group to ADP.

With a longer training session (1-2 minutes):

Complex carbohydrates, in the form of glucose molecules interconnected in a chain, enter our bloodstream with food, supplying our muscles with energy, as soon as there is a lot of glucose, the body begins to store excess carbohydrates in the muscles and liver in the form of glycogen.

In strength training, the oxygen-free pathway (anaerobic glycolysis) of glycogen breakdown is used.

Process anaerobic glycolysis can be expressed as follows:

• glycogen or glucose + F + ADP => lactate (lactic acid) + ATP

Thus, the body is supplied with energy in strength training.

IN aerobic training(running, swimming, cycling, walking) energy supply of muscles occurs due to aerobic processes:

• glycogen, glucose, fatty acids + F + O2 => CO2 + H2O + ATP

By now you should understand why aerobic training help burn fat, and anaerobic training (strength) helps build muscle.

Standing EZ Barbell Curl Exercise

Depending on your level of fitness, consumption, glycogen storage and creatine phosphate are different. So, for example, professional athletes have not only large reserves of creatine and glycogen in the muscles, but also a low consumption of these substances. Therefore, such athletes can train harder and longer, while showing high strength performance, unlike a beginner or untrained person.

Strength training example (bodybuilding)

For an example of strength training, here is an example of a training program that is used in bodybuilding to build muscle mass:

Monday

Wednesday

• (with weights) 4x12

Friday

The first number is sets, the second is reps. Weight should be commensurate with your real strength. As you practice, gradually increase working weights while maintaining the number of sets and repetitions.

This bodybuilding training program is universal, suitable for both beginners and experienced athletes. For professionals, that is, athletes who have a significant training experience (5 or more years), as well as a high level of fitness, various training programs are used that involve 5 workouts per week, with each muscle being worked out on a separate day ( split training).

Strength training in the gym

Note, this program primarily for building muscle mass, you should not use it to increase strength if your fitness level is significant (in this case, training programs will be used to increase strength indicators -).

When exercising, always pay attention to how you feel, listen to your body. If there is no desire to train, working weights are falling, there is no appetite, constant pain in the joints, ligaments, tendons, muscle cramps, and so on, then this is a sure sign. overtraining an athlete who requires immediate adjustments to your training, nutrition, recovery programs - always remember this!

The benefits and harms of strength training

Strength training (anaerobic), at home, or in the gym, is significantly different from aerobic, starting from the principle of muscle energy supply (as discussed above), ending with injuries that can be obtained. But, strength training can give something that aerobic training cannot give, therefore, an amateur athlete, an experienced athlete cannot do without strength training. We list below the main advantages and disadvantages of such training.

Benefits (pros) of strength training

If you do everything in moderation, do not overload your body with extreme loads in the gym, engage in "your pleasure", then such training will have a positive effect on your well-being, strengthen the immune system, the musculo-ligamentous apparatus, in addition, becoming stronger, your confidence in yourself, in your strength will increase, with each workout.

The realization that you are doing what others cannot, do not want, be lazy, pleasant thoughts, thoughts of a strong person will bring you.

As for the body, the reasonable, power loads will bring you the following benefits:

• strengthening the cardiovascular system
• increased metabolism
• increase in muscle mass and strength
• increase in the production of testosterone, growth hormone, as a result, your libido will increase, the body will rejuvenate
• increasing the strength of ligaments, tendons, muscle apparatus (you will lift everything heavy if necessary without fear of tearing your back)

Immediately dispel the myth that training in the gym, strength training, makes girls masculine. Not a single girl will be able to pump up big muscles in the gym, from strength training, because for this it is necessary to inject hormonal drugs, steroids. Maximum girls will be able to maintain their muscles in good shape, round, make elastic buttocks, you can read more about women's training.

The benefits and harms of strength training

Harm (cons) of strength training

Strength training with improper training, as well as with crazy loads that are most often experienced by advanced and professional athletes, to stimulate the growth of muscle mass and strength, can sometimes cause irreparable harm to health (in extreme cases), in all other cases, any strength training, will bring a person the improvement of the body.

Wrong technique for performing exercises, not restoring the body after physical activity, absence proper nutrition the main reasons for getting any injuries in strength training. To fix this, you just need to familiarize yourself with our website in more detail, consult with a competent trainer.

The following disadvantages of strength training will relate more to professional sports, which implies very large loads on the body, bringing it to exhaustion.

• wear, hypertrophy of the heart muscle
• torn muscles, ligaments, tendons, various spinal injuries

This list ends, of course, athletes do everything to prevent this from happening, they use sports nutrition, anabolic steroids, recover properly.

What to eat after and before strength training

Proper nutrition, when exercising in the gym, is one of the main anabolic factors for successful muscle building.

Before training, for 1-2 hours, have a hearty lunch / breakfast, especially if you decide to build muscle. In the event that your goal is to dry out, lose fat, then according to scientific research, do it better on an empty stomach, that is, try not to eat anything. However, we do not recommend coming to training with a "frantic" appetite, with this approach, along with fat, you can lose precious kilograms of muscle. Therefore, the best option would be if your goal of fat burning is a light breakfast, for example, yogurt with a banana, and tea is not sweet.

Athletes who sit on the mass tend to gain more muscles, high-calorie nutrition is recommended throughout the entire “mass gain”. In this case, it is advisable to eat high-calorie, nutritious food in 1 hour, for example, if training takes place in the morning, then a breakfast of scrambled eggs with fish / meat and salad with greens, as well as a banana with yogurt and nuts (walnuts) is quite suitable.

After training, you need to replenish the energy costs of the body, it is very simple to do this, just drink a portion of the protein-carbohydrate mixture (gainer), but do not get carried away with this if you are inclined to gain excess weight.

Nutrition before training in the gym

More precisely, a gainer will generally be contraindicated for you if you are a typical endomorph. A little sweet water (juice), it will be enough after training, and even better a quality jar BCAA amino acids (1-2 scoops), which will protect the muscles from catabolism (destruction).

Try, after training, within 1-2 hours, consume complex carbohydrates and proteins. For example, one of best practices food after the gym, will look something like the following products:

• Brown rice
• chicken breast
• Vegetable Salad
• yogurt + nuts
• fruit
• serving of protein

The so-called protein-carbohydrate window, which must be “closed” within 20 minutes after the training, is nothing more than a myth (according to all the same modern scientific works), or rather, its importance is greatly exaggerated if you replenish energy costs after not 20 minutes, but 40, or 120 minutes, nothing terrible will happen, the effectiveness of the training will not be reduced.

However, it should be remembered that after we have trained, a powerful mechanism for the synthesis of new muscle cells is launched. So, in order for this "mechanism" to bear fruit, it is necessary to maintain its performance by constantly pouring "fuel" into it in the form, the right products nutrition.

For information on how to properly gain weight, or dry, read the relevant articles.

Strength training is ideal for people who want to become stronger and healthier. However, in our opinion, combining strength training with cardio training (running, swimming, skiing, walking, cycling, etc.) will be better and more natural for the body, so you can develop strength, agility and endurance in many ways.

Now you know the main points of strength training, if something is not clear to you, ask in the comments.

1. Focus on core exercises

Basic exercises These are exercises that work most of the muscles in your body at the same time. Most important exercises are barbell squats, deadlifts and bench presses. Basic exercises will do much more than isolation exercises and give 90% of the results in the gym.

2. Use good technique

Good technique is very important when you start lifting heavy weights, because it allows you to avoid sports injuries in the long run. As the weight being lifted increases, technique will become more important. Work on building good technique with lighter weights before you start breaking your records. Injury caused by poor exercise technique can keep you out of work for weeks or months, and you should never neglect good technique.

3. Increase the weight

Of course, in order to become stronger, you need to challenge your body in the form of increasing weight lifting over several weeks. You should always keep this in mind if you want to get stronger - the weight you lift must increase. You won't always be able to lift more each week because other factors such as fatigue or lack of focus may discourage you from doing so. Try to increase the weight in small amounts each time you show up at the gym.

4. Set goals

In order to make progress and be successful in any field, you must have the solid and achievable conditions you aspire to. If you go to the gym without knowing what you will be doing, then you will have a low-yield workout. Before you put your foot on the threshold of the gym, you should know exactly what exercises you will perform and what kind of loads you will try to lift. I would recommend carrying a laptop with you to record your progress and the exercises you have done. If you have a clear list of goals, you will achieve much more during your workout.

5. Don't overexert yourself

Overexertion is the worst enemy when it comes to training, strength and sports competitions. If you overexert yourself, your body will not be able to regenerate properly and eventually there will be no progress and you will become weaker. Your body gets stronger and regenerates when you rest, not in the gym. Enough food and sleep are needed for the body to recover. In order to get stronger you have to take long breaks between workouts. Take a good rest between workouts so that your body fully recovers after a hard workout. A two or 3 day break may be advised if strength is your main goal.

6. Focus on your diet

Nutrition is essential part any strength training. To become strong and muscular you need a diet rich in vegetables, protein, complex carbohydrates and fats. Diet can provide 80% success in the gym. If your diet is evil, then your strength and stamina will be too. Anyone who wants to be strong should consume at least six types of protein-rich foods throughout the day.

7. Be persistent

No one has made any progress during the week and there will be times when you will seem to be making no progress. Building muscle and increasing strength is an unpredictable process and needs to be worked on even if it seems like you are standing still. Most people at some stage are in a situation where they don't get stronger. This is completely normal, because in the end, you will become stronger and you will get the volume of muscles that you were striving for. Focus on good food, rest and you will see results.

Reading time: 28 min

If you have dumbbells of different weights available, then you can work on the muscles even at home.

We offer you an effective strength training plan for girls at home + a ready-made selection of exercises, thanks to which you can change the quality of the body, making it elastic and embossed.

Rules for strength training at home

Why do girls need strength training:

• for muscle tone and getting rid of sagging body
• for round buttocks and getting rid of cellulite
• for strong back muscles and a healthy spine
• to speed up metabolism (muscle tissue burns more calories at rest than fat tissue)

1. To do strength training at home, you will need dumbbells. It is desirable to have a set of dumbbells of different weights or collapsible dumbbells. For example, for small muscle groups (triceps, biceps, delts) you need more a light weight dumbbells, for large muscle groups (chest, back, legs)- heavier weight. In addition, gradually you will need b about More weight dumbbells for progress in training.

2. What dumbbell weight should I use? It depends on your goals. If you want to tone your muscles a little and tighten your body, then you can use a small weight of dumbbells (2-5 kg). If you want to seriously work on the relief or build muscle mass, then you need to take more dumbbell weight (5-20 kg).

3. If you have small dumbbells, then you can do exercises with b about more reps (15-20 reps). In this case, work is underway on a slight muscle tone, body strengthening and fat burning. If you have heavy dumbbells and want to work on your muscle relief, then do a small number of repetitions (10-12 repetitions) with maximum weight: so that the last repetition in the approach is performed at maximum effort.

4. Perform each exercise in 3-5 sets, rest 30-60 seconds between sets. Rest 2-3 minutes between exercises.

5. If you don’t have dumbbells or you can’t buy them, then you can use rubber equipment to perform strength exercises. At the same time, you can purchase very compact and inexpensive equipment, for example:

Even if you have the required set of dumbbells, this inventory can be useful for an extra load.

6. If you are just starting to train or have little experience in exercising, we recommend that you first look at these articles:

• Workout for beginners: a selection of exercises + a ready-made plan
• Workout at home for girls: ready-made exercise plan for the whole body

7. Strength training should be done 3-4 times a week for 40-60 minutes. It is enough to train one muscle group 1-2 times a week. The detailed plan is shown below.

8. Be sure to warm up before your workout and stretch after your workout:

During stretching, pay special attention to the muscles being trained. good stretch after training, it helps to increase the range of motion, increase the efficiency of the lesson, avoid enslaved muscles and injuries. A good warm-up before training will better prepare your body for exercise and avoid injury.

9. If you want to not only tone your muscles, but also speed up the fat burning process, then be sure to include cardio training in your workout plan. It can be running, brisk walking, tabata workouts, exercise bikes or ellipsoids. It is enough to perform cardio 60-90 minutes a week (for example, 2 times a week for 30-45 minutes or 4 times a week for 15-20 minutes). Be sure to check out:

10. Always do strength training in sneakers to avoid joint problems and varicose veins. Wear comfortable clothing made from natural materials. When varicose veins veins, you can use compression stockings.

11. Without changing the diet, you cannot improve the body even with regular training, so we recommend that you start counting calories. If you want to lose weight, you need to eat in a calorie deficit. If you want to gain muscle mass, you need to eat in a calorie surplus and have enough protein. If you want to maintain weight and tighten the body, then select the "weight support" option.

Strength training plan for girls at home

If you want to tone your body or build muscle mass, we recommend doing strength training at home 3-4 times a week. Split workouts are considered the most effective, according to which you will train different muscle groups according to the following principle:

• Back + biceps ("pulling" muscles). During exercises on the back, the biceps of the arms are also involved, so it is logical to perform these muscle groups together. To these, you can add exercises for the press, if time permits.
• chest + triceps ("pushing" muscles). During chest exercises, the triceps are included in the work, so these two muscle groups are most often trained together. Also on this day, you can additionally work on the deltoid muscles (shoulders), as they also receive a load during triceps exercises.
• Legs (this includes gluteal muscles) . Usually there is a separate day for the legs, but you can also train on this day deltoid muscles(shoulders) or press. If you need additional emphasis on the hips or buttocks, you can train the legs 2 times a week.
• Shoulders (deltoids). On the shoulders, you can allocate a separate day (adding exercises to the press to them). But most often, girls add exercises on the shoulders to the muscles of the legs or the muscles of the chest and triceps.
• Press (muscle corset) . It makes no sense to allocate a separate day for the abdominal muscles. You can train them at the end of each session for 5-10 minutes, or add a full set of exercises on the least loaded training day.

Based on this principle and the number training days per week, you can choose from several options for classes. Below is a strength training plan for girls and exercises with dumbbells.

Strength training 3 times a week

Option 1:

• Day 2: Legs + Shoulders + Abs
• Day 3: Chest and Triceps + Abs

In this case, the workout will end with a short segment for the press for 5-10 minutes.

Option 2:

• Day 1: Back & Biceps + Abs
• Day 2: Legs
• Day 3: Chest and Triceps + Shoulders

Since the legs are often problem area for girls, you can allocate a separate day only for the hips and buttocks, and exercises for upper part distribute the body over 2 days.

Strength training 4 times a week

Option 1:

• Day 1: Back and biceps
• Day 2: Legs
• Day 3: Chest and Triceps
• Day 4: Shoulders + Abs

Option 2:

• Day 1: Back and biceps
• Day 2: Legs + Shoulders
• Day 3: Chest and Triceps
• Day 4: Legs + Abs

The second option is suitable for those who want to work more intensively on the formation of elastic hips and buttocks.

Strength training 5 times a week

Option 1:

• Day 1: Back and biceps
• Day 2: Legs + Abs
• Day 3: Chest and Triceps
• Day 4: Shoulders + Abs
• Day 5: Legs

Option 2:

• Day 1: Legs + Abs
• Day 2: Back and biceps
• Day 3: Legs + Abs
• Day 4: Chest and Triceps + Shoulders
• Day 5: Legs + Abs

The second option is suitable for those who want to work more intensively on the formation of elastic hips and buttocks.

Strength exercises for girls at home

We offer you a ready-made selection of strength exercises for girls at home for all muscle groups. The article lists the number of repetitions, but you can increase them if you are training with a small weight of dumbbells. Rest between sets 30-60 seconds, between exercises 2-3 minutes. If it’s hard for you to do some strength exercises with dumbbells (for example, for legs), then you can train without dumbbells for the first time.

The numbers 5 x 10-12 mean 5 sets of 10-12 reps.

Chest and triceps exercises

(3 x 8-10)

Or push-ups from the knees:

(4 x 10-12)

If you don't have a platform or bench, you can connect two stools or chairs. If there is no suitable furniture, you can perform it on the floor.

(4 x 10-12)

(3 x 10-12)

(5 x 10-12)

(4 x 10-12)

Back and bicep exercises

(5 x 10-12)

(5 x 10-12)

3. Dumbbell row with one hand (4 x 10-12 per hand)

(5 x 10-12)

Or Biceps curl with change of hand (5 x 10-12)

(5 x 10-12)

If you have a horizontal bar, then start training your back and biceps with pull-ups. Even if you don’t know how to pull up and have never done it before, be sure to check out our article with step by step instructions for pull-ups:

Shoulder exercises (deltoids)

If you train the shoulders along with the chest and triceps, or simply do not want to train this muscle group especially hard, then leave only exercises # 1,3,4 or reduce the number of sets.

(4 x 10-12)

(4 x 10-12)

(4 x 10-12)

4. Lifting dumbbells to the chest (4 x 10-12)

(4 x 10-12)

Exercises for the legs and buttocks

We offer you 2 selections of strength exercises for the legs: a simpler version and a more complex one. You can choose only one option in accordance with your level of training, or you can mix the exercises at your discretion, or alternate both options with each other on different days.

Option 1 for beginners:

(5 x 10-12)

(4 x 10-12 per leg)

(4 x 10-12 per leg)

(4 x 10-12 per leg)

(4 x 10-12 per leg)

Option 2 for advanced:

(5 x 10-12)

2. Forward lunges (4 x 10-12 per leg)