need help making a weight lifting plan

http://www.exrx.net . They also have some articles about different ways of training. JessicaLynn102 gave some very good advice, follow it.

You'll want to work the muscle and it's agonist on the same day. This means that if you work your quads, also work your hamstrings, if you work your biceps, also your triceps, abs, then also your lower back, chest, also your upper back. You want to be BALANCED.

When it comes to training, I started with 2 sets of 8-12 reps. This should exhaust you, since you will be struggling on your last rep. When training, you should work your larger muscles first (typically the legs and chest & back), then smaller muscles (arms, calves). But to add variety, you can mix up the order.

Personally, I weight train 4 days a week, after cardio, so that you're warmed up. I have 2 routines so that a muscle is not over-trained.

1: Quads/Hamstrings: lunges & squats
Abs/Lower Back: elbow planks and bird-dog (on all fours, extend right arm & left leg, then reverse it)
Bicep/Tricep: Curls & Skull Crushers

2: Inner/Outer Thigh: Leg Raises (On side, raise upper leg, then raise the lower leg, to add resistance, hold a dumbbell on top of the leg you're raising)
Obliques: Side Planks, Roman Twists (basically rotate from side to side)
Chest&Upper Back: push ups (or any modification to get you to a full push-up) & Bent Over Rows

Don't forget to stretch afterwards. It'll feel so good to do so. The website has a list of stretches to do after you've worked a part. Also, monitor your progress. After 3 weeks, you should up your weights (even if it's only by 1 lb). When you first start training, it's going to be difficult. It'll get easier. YOU DON'T WANT IT TO GET EASIER. When it starts to get easier, up your weight, otherwise you'll plateau.

Hope that helped.

current weight: 122.0

145 137.5 130 122.5

115

Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred (I think that's what it's called) is great not only for workout ideas but also great recipes and meal plans. I don't follow anyone's specific plan except for what I've created on my own. Here's what I do:
Monday - legs, abs
Tuesday - chest
Wednesday - back, abs
Thursday - arms (biceps/triceps)
Friday - shoulders (my fave!), abs

For each day/muscle group, I do roughly 5-6 different excerices.

Hope this helps! :)

I don't know of any websites but here is what I have learned

1. Keep good form

- you want to use the heaviest weights possible, while still being able to keep good form.

- If you cannot complete a set or your core is wobbling all over the place to get the weight up - it is too heavy

- Your last rep should be very challenging (if not, you need more weight)

- Concentrate on good form through the eccentric contractions. Ex. During a bicep curl, bringing the weight down is even more important than the way up because it is lengthened. So do this slowly and controlled.

2. Don't work same muscles two days in a row
- The muscles need time to rebuild and repair... this is essential to building strength and toning up


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It is very likely that you will need more than a 5lb weight to train.

You can probably use the 5lbs for dumbbell lateral raises. I would say for biceps you will want at least a 7 to start maybe 10. Your legs are much stronger than your arms so you can maybe use 10lbs or 15lbs weights for squats and lunges.

Again these are just starting points for you. The golden rule is use as much weight as you can with good form.


A GREAT resource is Sparkpeople. The demonstrations are very easy to follow and give you great ideas for new things to try. (https://www.sparkpeople.com/resource/exerc
ise_demos.asp?exercise_type=upper)


Good luck! I never used to lift weights and now I find it very rewarding.

Edited by: JESSICALYNN0102 at: 2/9/2010 (16:54)

Hey I've been going to the gym 6days a week and doing mostly cardio. I've been picking up the 5lb dumbells and doing some excercises my friend taught me, but honestly I have no idea what parts of my body they are working, how often I should be lifting or really anything about strength training. There is a lot of stuff on google but it all says different things and honestly it's kind of overwhelming. Does anyone know of a good book or website that they reccomend to someone just beginning their weight lifting routine?

Thanks!!

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