| | Perhaps I can describe my current weight-training plan, and if I'm doing something wrong can someone let me know?
I alternate days between aerobic training on my mountain bike, and weight training at the gym.
I try to work each muscle group just once a week, and then let it heal and rebuild.
I mix it up between using machines and using free weights for each muscle group.
Because my legs are strong enough to max out almost all of the leg machines at the gym, I don't worry about whether I'm overdoing it, I mainly use them to exercise my heart and don't worry about building muscle mass there.
Because I've injured myself frequently in the past, I start each weight training session at very light weights, perhaps 25% of my maximum weight level, doing 10 reps very slowly and concentrating on form, seeing if anything is feeling sore and thus indicating I need to rest those muscles longer.
If the initial reps feel good and injury-free, i slowly add weight, 5 reps at each weight level, until I'm starting to feel some strain (usually around 70% to 80%), but still feeling strong. Then, my warmup complete for that machine, I repeat it on the other few machines that work the day's muscle group.
Warmups complete, I almost finish the workout for each machine, perhaps trying for three 5 rep sets working up to perhaps 95% of maximum weight, do the same for the other machine, then come back for the last set. At the maximum weight, i'll push to failure for one or two reps, catch my breath for a minute or so, then try to push another rep or two, maybe do it a third time. Pau! (Hawaiian for "done").
For example, on the shoulder pull-down machine, I've recently gotten so I can barely do the maximum weight of 255 pounds, so I'll start at about 60 pounds, and then add about 30 pounds a set or so until it gets somewhat hard at around 160 to 180 pounds, then come back after I've warmed up on the other machines and work up to 240 pounds, go around to the other machines again, and then one last go at 255, one or if i can manage it two reps to failure, catch my breath, and repeat until i've gotten 4 to 5 total reps in at max weight.
When I've finished all the machines, I'll do ten minutes on the bikes or elliptical machine, revving up my heart rate to 90% to 95% of the max allowed for my age (at age 50, that's a "no-go" of 170 heart rate, so 160 is roughly my target max rate for the workout.)
A typical week:
Day 1: Shoulders / chest Day 2: MB (Mountain Biking) Day 3: Biceps / triceps Day 4: MB Day 5: Torso Day 6: Legs Sunday: Rest day
OK, any obviously counterproductive stuff here? Thanks!
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