In order to set up your weight lifting routine you first have to decide what it is you want to achieve, you have to determine your goals for example do you just want to tone up your body and add a little muscle or do you want to delve deeper into competition bodybuilding or weight lifting. Whichever route you choose to take if you are a beginner then you will have to build up slowly and start with a beginner’s bodybuilding routine.

How muscle is built

In order to build muscle you have to give the muscle resistance and this can be achieved by lifting weights, this can either be what is termed as free weights which are dumbbells and barbells, using weight lifting machines or by using your own body weight by including exercises such as chin ups or dips.

If you are a complete beginner then probably the best course to take is a combination of all three, weight lifting will place different levels of stress on your body and this is perhaps the best way of giving your body time to adjust during this phase.

The beginner can then adjust their routine gradually adding more free weight exercises over a period of time, squat, bench press and shoulder press are all of what are called compound movements or multi jointed exercises as they work not only the targeted muscles but also supporting ones at the same time. By using these compound movements as part of your routine you will challenge your body to work harder and also increase the intensity of your routine.

Sets and repetitions in your workout

Your weight lifting routine will consist of sets and repetitions, a repetition or rep is made up of one push up for example or one lift of a dumbbell. A series of reps is called a set and this is for example 10 reps of a push up. The beginner should start off with just a couple of sets per body part and gradually increase this with time.

Form is more important to the beginner than the actual muscle gain and strength as these will be only moderate in the beginning, as you then progress in your routine your form will improve and you should begin to use a heavier weight with fewer reps. Progression of your routine will then allow you to add more sets to your routine in order to gain more growth, when building muscle it is essential that you perform low reps with heavy weights.

How many reps should I do?

There is no hard and fast rule what works for one might not work for another, the amount of reps will also be determined by what your goals are and whether you want to build stamina and endurance, speed, strength or a well developed body is your overall goal. Listed below is a guide for repetition ranges dependant on these factors.

3 to 5 reps – high intensity levels, advanced strength training, build muscle mass.

8 to 12 reps – moderate intensity levels, intermediate strength training, build speed, strength and muscle mass.

15 to 26 reps – moderate intensity levels, beginners to strength training, build stamina, endurance and a moderate muscle mass.

26 to 45 reps – light intensity level, beginners to strength training, build endurance and slight muscle mass.

Always be aware the heavier weights you lift the more stress you are putting on your body and the higher the risk of injury, never be tempted to show off or feel you have to prove something and leave the heavier weights for when you gain more experience.