STRENGTH TRAINING GUIDELINES
17
When begining an exercise program, avoid overdoing
it during the first few months. Progress at your own
pace, and be sensitive to your body’s signals. If you
experience pain or dizziness while exercising, stop
immediately and begin cooling down. Find out what is
wrong before continuing.
Remember that adequate rest and a proper diet are
important factors in any exercise program.
Warming Up
—Begin each workout with 5 to 10 min-
utes of stretching and light exercise to warm up.
Warming up prepares your body for more strenuous
exercise by increasing circulation, raising your body
temperature, and delivering more oxygen to your mus-
cles.
Exercise Form
—Maintaining proper form is an essen-
tial part of an effective exercise program. This requires
moving through the full range of motion for each exer-
cise, and moving only the appropriate parts of the
body. Exercising in an uncontrolled manner will leave
you feeling exhausted.
The repetitions in each set should be performed
smoothly and without pausing. The exertion stage of
each repetition should last about half as long as the
return stage. Proper breathing is important. Exhale
during the exertion stage of each repetition and inhale
during the return stroke. Never hold your breath.
Cooling Down
—End each workout with 5 to 10 min-
utes of stretching. Include stretches for both your arms
and legs. Ease into each stretch gradually and go only
as far as you can without strain. Move slowly as you
stretch and do not bounce. Stretching at the end of
each workout is an effective way to increase flexibility.
Staying Motivated
—For motivation, keep a record of
each workout. List the date, the exercises performed,
the resistance used, and the numbers of sets and rep-
etitions completed. Record your weight and key body
measurements at the end of every month.
THE BASIC TYPES OF STRENGTH WORKOUTS
Note: See the accompanying DVD to learn the correct
form for a variety of exercises that can be performed
with the resistance system.
Muscle Building
—To increase the size and strength
of your muscles, push them close to their maximum
capacity. Your muscles will continually adapt and grow
as you progressively increase the intensity of your
exercise.
Toning
—You can tone your muscles by pushing them
to a moderate percentage of their capacity.
Weight Loss
—To lose weight, use less resistance
and perform more repetitions in each set.
MANUAL MODE GUIDELINES
Determining the proper length of time for each work-
out, and the number of repetitions and sets to com-
plete, is an individual matter. Develop a workout style
that meets your personal needs.
Schedule your workouts for the time of day when your
energy level is the highest. Each workout should be
followed by at least one day of rest. Once you find the
schedule that is right for you, stick with it.
Each workout should include 6 to 10 different exercis-
es. Select exercises for every major muscle group,
emphasizing areas that you want to develop most. To
give balance and variety to your workouts, vary the
exercises from workout to workout.
DESIGNING A WORKOUT
Muscle Building
—Begin with 3 sets of 8 repetitions
for each exercise you perform. Rest for 3 minutes after
each set. When you can complete 3 sets of 12 repeti-
tions without difficulty, increase the amount of resist-
ance.
Toning
—Select a moderate amount of resistance and
increase the number of repetitions in each set.
Complete as many sets of 15 to 20 repetitions as pos-
sible without discomfort. Rest for 1 minute after each
set. Work your muscles by completing more sets
rather than by using high amounts of resistance.
Weight Loss
—Use a low amount of resistance and
gradually increase the number of repetitions in each
set. Exercise for 20 to 30 minutes, resting for a maxi-
mum of 30 seconds between sets.
