Success with Strength Training

Strength training is the most effective way to turn your body 
into a fat burning machine and stay in great shape! It is the 
most productive form of exercise there is! In order to be 
successful with strength training there are some basic principles 
that must be followed if you want to receive the many benefits 
which strength training has to offer! The three most critical factors
are progressive overload, intensity and recovery.

Progressive overload simply means that you must force your 
muscles to work harder each time. That means you can't use 
the same weight every workout, regardless of how many sets 
or reps you do. The best way to do this is by attempting to 
increase the resistance / weight used and, or increase the 
number of repetitions performed at each workout.
Intensity is also very important. You must force your body to 
increase its strength. For example, if you typically do 3 sets of 
10 reps on the leg press at 115 pounds, and your legs are capable 
of doing 16 reps, why is your body going to make any improvements? 
Your body will only add muscle if you force it to work at a higher 
level than it is used to. The most effective way to overload your 
muscles is to perform one or two sets per exercise, and continue 
each set to muscular failure. That means continuing each set until 
no more repetitions are possible. Challenge yourself!
Once you have overloaded the target muscle group you must then 
allow for proper recovery and over compensation. This means you 
must rest long enough to allow for recovery of the targeted muscle 
group, the nervous system, refill glycogen stores (energy stored 
within your muscles), and also allow enough time for the muscles 
to make improvements or increases. This process takes time. 
Generally, it takes between 2-7 days to recover from a strength 
workout! The harder you work the longer it takes your body to 
repair. Don't short-circuit your progress by strength training too 
often! 
Basic Guidelines for Successful Strength Training 
· Strength train no more than three times per week!
· Perform 1-2 sets per exercise! 
· Choose 1-2 exercises for small muscle groups and 2-3 for 
large muscle groups. (ex. 2-3 exercises for legs, back, chest, 
and 1-2 for arms, shoulders, etc.) 
· Choose no more than 8-10 exercises and work hard on them! 
Always keep a record of all workouts! Take each set to failure 
or fatigue! 
· Perform each exercise SLOWLY! Force the muscle to do 
the work -- NOT momentum! 
· As soon as you see a slow down in progress it's time to make 
a change to your program!
Below are some sample workouts and frequently asked 
questions regarding strength training.
Full-body Workout 1-2 x per week (approx. 30-40 mins.) 
Lat pull-down 2 sets Chest press 2 sets Leg press 2 sets 
Lateral raise 1 set Bicep curl 1 set 
Triceps pushdown 1 set Leg curl 1 set 
Leg extension 1 set 
Upper / Lower Split 
2-3 x per week (approx. 25-40 mins) 
A. Upper 
Seated row 2 sets 
Shoulder press 2 sets 
Lat pull-down 1 set 
Pectoral fly 1 set 
Lateral raise 1 set 
Bicep curl 1 set 
Triceps pushdown 1 set
B. Lower 
Leg curl 2 sets 
Glute machine 1 set 
Leg press 2 sets 
Leg extension 1 set
Frequently Asked Questions 
Q. How do I lose the flab on the back of my arm or my 
spare tire? 
A. It is physically impossible to only lose fat in one area. 
What you can do is decrease body fat by burning more 
calories than you consume. Increase muscle tissue with 
strength training and burn more calories all day long, 
even while you are sleeping! 
Q. How often should I strength train if my goal is to 
burn fat? 
A. 2-3 times per week would be great! You will build 
muscle tissue, which burns calories 24 hours a day, and 
you will decrease the chance for excess calories to be
stored as fat!
Q. What if I don't want to bulk up? I just want to tone. 
A. If it were that easy to bulk or get big nearly every guy in 
the gym would be huge] Women generally don't have the 
genetic potential to build large muscles due to hormonal 
differences. Plus, don't forget that adding muscle tissue to 
your body is a good thing! It makes everything you do much 
easier, reduces the chance for injury, and increases your 
metabolism! 
Q. How many sets and repetitions should I do? 
A. This will vary depending upon your goal. If you are training 
to increase strength, due fewer sets but higher intensity (1-2 sets 
to failure per exercise).  If training for muscle size, perform 
multiple sets (2-4 sets, but only 1 to failure). The number of 
repetitions will vary also depending upon the speed at which 
you move the weight and your goals. In general, shoot for 
8-12 reps.
Q. What are the benefits of strength training? 
A. Strength training, if done correctly, can make some major 
changes to your body and mind! Here are just a few: 
1. Increased metabolism 
2. Increased strength and flexibility 
3. Increased muscle tone 
4. Reduced stress levels