First Things First
March 2nd 2007 04:26
The manner in which an individual trains is as important as the effort he/she is willing to exert in that training. How workouts are organized plays a huge part in whether or not optimum progress is made in a regimen. In several posts I have discussed the advantages of short,intense workouts done as frequently as is practicable. Today I would like to lay out some principals by which to organize individual workouts.
Workout organization is easily summarized by the phrase"first things first." These "first things"consist of:1) the large muscle groups and 2) those muscles you wish to emphasize. That means that on a given 30 minute workout you should be training a large body part first and then a smaller one. A back workout should be combined with a biceps or calf workout,for instance. The large muscles pull along your general fitness level in their train. If they are neglected or shunted off to the end of workout the result will be slow to no progress in overall adaptation. The glamor muscles like biceps can sometimes sing a Siren's song when you enter the gym. They,however, have to be placed in the second part of a workout.
Of these large muscles the one you are most unhappy about should come on the first day after a rest. If you are looking for a firmer chest, it should be the first muscle trained in a training week. I usually assign legs to the last day,because they can wear out the whole system and limit later workouts. I have often written that legs have to come last in their individual workout too, because they should leave you tired enough after them that another muscle group would be more than you can undertake with sufficient intensity.
The subject of prioritizing touches on the relationship of weights to cardio. I do not believe that a warm up period on the bikes etc. is a good idea before weight training. If you have to warm up I would prefer a light set or two of whatever you intend to do first. The business of weight training is about intensity and that is compromised when cardio comes first. I know all the arguments for warm up and I simply am not convinced that it limits training injuries.
A good workout would then consist of a large body part that is lagging and a smaller part:abs, arms etc. (I cheat on the system and do abs every time I go to the gym.) Cardio would be last,if it is a part of your regimen. I would say about 20 minutes on the big part and 10-15 on the smaller. Your servant,as always.
Trained legs first!
Of these large muscles the one you are most unhappy about should come on the first day after a rest. If you are looking for a firmer chest, it should be the first muscle trained in a training week. I usually assign legs to the last day,because they can wear out the whole system and limit later workouts. I have often written that legs have to come last in their individual workout too, because they should leave you tired enough after them that another muscle group would be more than you can undertake with sufficient intensity.
The subject of prioritizing touches on the relationship of weights to cardio. I do not believe that a warm up period on the bikes etc. is a good idea before weight training. If you have to warm up I would prefer a light set or two of whatever you intend to do first. The business of weight training is about intensity and that is compromised when cardio comes first. I know all the arguments for warm up and I simply am not convinced that it limits training injuries.
A good workout would then consist of a large body part that is lagging and a smaller part:abs, arms etc. (I cheat on the system and do abs every time I go to the gym.) Cardio would be last,if it is a part of your regimen. I would say about 20 minutes on the big part and 10-15 on the smaller. Your servant,as always.
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