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Getting results without adding more time By DAN STRAYTON —Donna, Mt. Airy Dear Donna, It’s great to see you’ve been doing strength training as part of your exercise routine. As with cardiovascular exercise, strength training has a number of variables you can “play with” to change your workout and keep producing results. For this article, I will assume you are currently doing two sets of each exercise then moving to the next exercise and so on. Here are a few things you can consider for your next workouts: Learn some new exercises. The first obvious change you can make is to change the exercises you are doing. Ask someone to show you a few new exercises on the machines or, better yet, with free weights or bodyweight exercises. By switching exercises, you present a new challenge to your muscles and they will respond by becoming stronger, firmer, more coordinated, etc. New exercises are the main way to invigorate your exercise program; however, there are things you can do with your current workout plan that can also get you excited to exercise again. Compound sets help maximize your time and increase intensity. A compound set consists of two different exercises performed back-to-back, usually including exercises that work different areas of the body. For example, you might do 12 repetitions of the chest press machine and, with little or no rest, perform 12 repetitions of the leg press exercise. You would then rest a minute and repeat those two exercises back-to-back again. Move on to two other exercises and perform your whole workout in that manner. Each set should be performed with a weight that is very challenging for those 12 repetitions. Drop sets are a great way to add intensity and burn additional calories without adding much time to your workout. A drop set is performed by completing an exercise to failure (meaning you can’t perform even one more repetition) then immediately decreasing, or “dropping”, the weight and continuing the set for another 3-4 repetitions. This extended set adds great intensity but can be done quickly and easily, particularly on machines. I suggest people add this to their programs by making the last set of each exercise a drop set. So, if you are performing two sets of an exercise, only the second set should be done as a drop set. Drop sets are only effective if you are using the correct weight on the initial set. You should feel as if you cannot do another repetition at the original weight before stopping to decrease the weight. Change your rest periods between sets and exercises. Shorter rest periods make for a more intense and challenging exercise experience. The amount of weight you use should remain very challenging but reduce the amount of time you rest between sets (30-45 seconds vs. 1-2 minutes). If you already rest a very short time now, and the workout does not seem very challenging, then you are probably using a weight that is too light. If that is the case, increase the weight (see below) and leave your rest periods alone. Increase or decrease the weight. The primary variable in a strength training program is the amount of weight lifted. If you’re currently performing 10-15 repetitions, try increasing the weight and doing only 6-8 repetitions for each set. As I’ve often said, you don’t need to worry about “bulking up” with these heavier weights. It is volume of training that increases muscle mass, not simply intensity. Your 2 sets of 6-8 repetitions of each exercise are not enough volume to suddenly have you looking like a bodybuilder. You could also decrease the weight that you are using if you decrease your rest periods (see above) or slow down your speed of movement (see below). Slow down. Take the same exercises, sets and reps that you do now and do them slower. The slower you go, the more work your muscles do and the better the quality of each set. It is natural for us to move a little too fast when doing our strength training exercises – it’s easier that way! To make the exercise more effective and more intense, slow your speed down to at least a 2/4 count or slower. This means, as you lift the weight, count slowly to 2 and, as you lower the weight, count slowly to 4. By going slower, you eliminate momentum and require your muscles to do all the work. Also, you keep the muscles under tension longer, which produces better results with less risk of injury. Try circuit training. Circuit training may consist of strength training exercises or a combination of strength and aerobic exercises together. True circuit training would have you move from exercise to exercise with little rest in between (20-30 seconds), using lighter weights for a certain number of repetitions or amount of time. It’s usually best to alternate upper and lower body exercises, if you can, or include aerobic exercises (pedaling a bike, jumping rope, step-ups, jumping jacks, etc.) between the strength exercises. Because of the short rest periods and constant movement of circuit training, you will need to use lighter weights. As such, circuit training will not produce the same gains in strength you can see with traditional strength training but it can burn a great deal of calories and give you one tough workout on the same machines you’re using now. So, tweaking the exercises you do, the weights you use, the rest periods you take and the style of the workout can all help you continue to enjoy your workouts and see results from your exercise program. Get creative, challenge yourself and have fun! Good luck and keep moving! [Dan Strayton, general manager at Health Unlimited on Century Drive in Mt. Airy, holds a master's degree in exercise physiology and would be happy to answer any questions you may have about exercise, health and fitness. Write to him in care of the Mt. Airy Messenger, P.O. Box 897, Mt. Airy, MD 21771?0897; or send e-mail to dans@myhealthunlimited.com.] |
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