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Beginners Weight Training
Beginners Weight
Training
Weight Bodybuilding is no different from other sports it too has its own language. Just as tennis has serves and bodybuilding has sets and reps. Where baseball players talk of steals and RBIs, bodybuilders discuss pre-exhaustion and obtaining the ripped look. Over the ~ years every sport, including bodybuilding, has evolved to have its own lingo. The beginner’s weight training programs that’s followed requires a general knowledge of the basic bodybuilding terms.
Sets and Reps
Well to gain muscle mass one has to follow a basic beginner’s weight training program. Words fundamental to the foundation of bodybuilding are sets and reps. The word rep is an abbreviation for repetition, and one rep is one complete movement of a particular exercise. For example, if you are doing bench presses, one rep would involve taking the bar (or handle of the machine) from the rack, lowering it in a controlled manner to the chest, and then pushing it back to the starting position. That entire movement is called a rep. Usually reps are grouped together in bunches of 6, 8, 10 or more. A group of consecutive reps is called a set. If you perform 10 consecutive reps without stopping, you have performed one set of 10 reps. (We'll look at sets in more detail later in the chapter.)
Reps - How Many?
During the beginner’s weight training every body is looking for that magical rep range that will help gain muscle mass on over the shortest period of time. Even experienced bodybuilders find themselves frequently questioning their rep ranges. There are three broad categories of rep ranges - those to gain muscle mass, those for muscular shape and definition, and those for strength. Unfortu- lately there is no rep range that will produce maximum gains in all three categories at once. You must decide what aspect of bodybuilding you want to focus on during beginner’s weight training. Most bodybuilders find that low reps are best for increasing muscular strength 5-7 reps seem optimal to developing the lower back and legs while the upper body can be trained effectively with 3 to 5 reps.
If muscle mass is the desired goal in beginner’s weight training then 6 to 8 reps is considered the norm. Anything above 10 to 12 reps is reserved for precontest training when improving shape and separation is the main concern. Finally, there may be times when maintaining muscle mass is the desired goal. Reps in the 12 to 15 range would then be appropriate, although the lower body would be trained using higher reps (20 to 25). These rep ranges are averages and there can be variations.
Many find high reps best for gaining muscle mass. Others find they get all the shape and hardness they need from their diet, so high reps are seldom performed. The beginner’s weight training should consist of higher rep range, somewhere between 10 and 15 reps. After a few months you can proportionately increase the weight and decrease the reps. During the beginner’s weight training you get in tune with your body thus discovering what rep range works best for you.
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