Chapter 4 Training programs for the improvement of strength fitness

This is a suggested program for fitness fans interested in strength training as an activity to improve health, fitness, lifestyle and increasing energy. The suggested strength program is organized in 2 levels for a more progressive transition from entry-level fitness fans to strength training program designed for weight loss. Each level will be of 12 weeks duration, long enough to make visible changes in your body; improve your body shape, body posture, and more importantly, lose more body fat. I am certain that you are interested in this easy to follow program for different reasons, specifically because:

• It is a simple and effective program using user-friendly dumb bells and elastic bands available in every fitness equipment store.
• Offers good variety and involves action in most muscles of the body.
• Results in increasing the percentage of lean muscle fat (muscle with a very low fat content) and, as a result, your body’s metabolism will substantially increase, burning more fat and calories day and night non-stop. Remember that if the intake of calories are not burnt the remaining foodstuff will be deposited in the form a fat in different parts of your body.

For maximum training benefit I suggest you follow both levels of training in the order presented below. I do guarantee that at the end of the program you’ll be a completely different person, both physically and mentally.

Strength training Level 1:  Strength training for the improvement of healthy living

• Duration: 12 weeks
• Suggested audience: Entry-level fitness fans, individuals who do not have any strength training background, who haven’t followed strength training in the past 6-12 months.
• Scope of training:
• improve your level of strength fitness
• engage in a healthy lifestyle
• decrease your body weight
• improve your body shape and posture improve heart and lungs capacity via cardio training
• Training implements: Dumbbells (you can store them in a closet/small place in your home/apartment). For the scope of this program you need only three sets of dumbbells:
• a set of 20 lbs/8 Kg
• a set of 30 lbs/12-15 Kg, and
• a set of 40 lbs/15-20 Kg
• Purchase them before you start the program and have them available for the entire duration of the program.
• Training site: Your own home/apartment. Since exercises are simple, you can use any small place you may have in the basement, backyard, or even in a room in home/apartment.

Strength training Level 2:  Specific strength training for weight loss 

 Transition

At the end of Level 1, taking 2 weeks of transition is suggested. After you complete Level 2 you may take a 3-4 week transition (vacation). When you’re ready to start a new program you may:

1. Restart same program but perform each exercise at a higher pace, or
2. Contact me (www.guruoftraining.com) for a custom made program.

• Scope of training: To remove the fatigue accumulated in the past weeks of training by decreasing the training sessions per week to 1-2; decreasing the number of sets to 1, relax mentally, and, in the process, recharge your batteries for the next level of strength training to follow

Training Programs

In this section you’ll actually find suggested training programs intended to achieve the above training goals. Please select the level of strength training you are interested in and follow the suggested training program.

Please always keep in mind:

• Although I am proposing certain exercises, you can always change/add 1-2 exercises depending on equipment availability and personal preference, such as stressing a specific muscle group or parts of the body.
• Progression is built into the program you follow, such as increasing the load, difficulty of the program, the number of repetitions and sets. You don’t have to really worry about anything, just concentrate on your training.
• For best adaptation and recovery from training, every third week I have planned one week of transition, or body break, where training difficulty is decreased, fatigue will be removed, and you will be able to relax psychologically.

Strength training Level 1: Strength training for healthy living

To best serve your health needs and improved lifestyle, the suggested training program stresses the development of the foundation of strength but also has a cardio component. The scope of cardio training is to strengthen the heart, to make your heart stronger and healthier.

Training organization
The duration of the program is 12 weeks long, with the option to choose a follow-up program of another 12 weeks of a well-organized training program, Level 2. The program is presented in the form of weekly training charts where the headings specify the exercise number, the suggested exercise, the suggested load per exercise, and the rest interval (RI) in minutes you have to take after completing each set. At the bottom of the chart, a cardio training program is also suggested.

Load
Each of the weekly training programs has a column where the load in lbs is suggested for each exercise. This load is suggested per each dumbbell held in each hand for the entire duration of a set. The load often varies between 20-40 lbs. For instance, if the suggested load is 20 lbs, in reality you use 40 lbs, or 20 lbs for each hand. If your fitness capacity proves to be better, or if you improve faster or that the suggested load is not challenging, you may increase the load by 5-10 lbs for each hand.

Select the number of training days per week
Throughout the program I’ll progressively increase the number of training days from 3 to 4, and even to even 5. Highly motivated individuals may try 2-3 sessions for strength training and 1-2 cardio, for a total of 3-5 sessions per week. However, my suggestion is to progressively increase the number of training sessions as your body reacts to training. Do not rush! Allow the necessary time for your body to adjust to the early part of the program and eventually increase the number of sessions per week in the second part of the program.

Training time
Please select your training time of the day as per your other professional/family activities, such as early AM, any other time during AM or PM. Some of you, with a very busy schedule, may not have the flexibility of too many training sessions during the days of the week. In such a case try to maximize the weekends, where there is more leisure time. Consider, therefore, to train both Saturday and Sunday: one cardio and 1-2 strength training. You may use Saturday AM for strength while Saturday PM for a cardio session. For Sunday you may plan just a strength training session.

How to select the number of sets per training session

A set is considered the number of repetitions per exercise before you take a rest interval (RI). For instance, in the early part of the program I’ll suggest only 1, or 2 sets for some exercises per session, whereas in the second part, this will be increased to 2, or at times even 3 sets. Certainly, this increase in the number of sets is based on the fact that the body will naturally adjust to the program, your fitness capacity will increase and, as such, you’ll be able to do more work.

The notation of work

For each training level I’ll suggest a simple notation of work that will refer to the number of reps, sets and cardio training. For instance, the third column of the weekly training program specifies the load, or the weight of the dumbbells you‘ll hold in each hand, whereas in the suggested days of training I’ll specify the number of sets and the number of repetitions for each set, such as in this example: 2x12, meaning 2 sets of 12 repetitions for each set.

For cardio training, on the other hand, I’ll use a very simple method of notation, such as 1x30 minutes, meaning you have to do one times 30 minutes of uniform, steady pace of cardio training. When interval training is used, the notation might indicate 2x15 minutes, meaning two repetitions of 15 minutes, with the suggested rest interval (RI) between repetitions. For IT, the pace should be steady, but using a slightly higher speed throughout a repetition