Find a qualified trainer to show you the proper form and help you to develop a safe program.
The trainer should be certified and have several years of experience in the personal training field.
When starting a strength training exercise and conditioning program, begin with very light weights, or no weight at all for some of the exercises. You will need to build strength slowly, so as not get injured.
Select one exercise for each major muscle group. ( Major muscle groups are listed below)
Decide on a sequence. I would advise starting with the larger muscles and ending with the smaller ones.
Perform the exercises slowly and contract fully. As a general rule, the lifting part of the exercise should take 1-2 seconds and the lowering 3-4 seconds.
For the conditioning phase of this program which is 4-6 weeks, lift 2-4 times a week and perform 1-3 sets of each strength training exercise. Start with 1 set the first week and than add sets as you see fit. An exercise set is the number of succesive repetitions performed without resting.
Do around 12 reps per set in the conditioning phase for the first 1-2 weeks. The following 3-6 weeks start progressivly going heavier in small increments and doing 9-12 reps.
Here Is A List Of The Major Muscle Groups
Choose a strength training exercise for each major muscle group to ensure that you get a balanced workout.
Quadriceps...The front of the upper leg
Hamstrings...The back of the upper leg
Hip adductors...The inside of the thigh
Hip abductors...The outside of the thigh
Low back
Abdominals
Pectoralis major...Chest
Rhomboids...Rear shoulder girdle muscles
Trapezius...Large trapezoid shaped back muscle. You can feel the top of this muscle when you shrug your shoulders.
Latismus Dorsi...A large v shaped back muscle. This is the big impressive muscle that the bodybuilders love to develop and show off when they do a lat spread. I am assumimg you have actually watched a bodybuilding competition
Deltoids...Shoulder muscles.
Biceps...I think this one is self explanatory
Triceps...Back of the arm opposite of the bicep
Neck flexors and extensors
Other muscles that should be trained regularly
Gluteals...Butt or rear end
Obliques...Side of the abdominals
Gastrocnemius...Calf or back of the lower leg
Anterior tibialis...Front of the lower leg
Flexors and forearm extensors...Front and back of the forearm
Ok that list is a bit overwhelming!
So this is what we will do.
Let's keep it really simple and I will give you specific strength training exercises right here and now. One that you can easily do at home or at the gym. This is a great starting point.
You will need dumbells...5, 8, and 10 lbs. for starters. Eventually you will need weights that will challenge you a bit more. So if these are too light or vice versa than you decide how much you can handle.
A bench or the floor.
Simple Conditioning Workout
Leg-Lunges or a Ball Squat also know as a wall squat, if you don't have a ball.
Chest-Chest press with dumbells. Alternate modified push ups or wall pushes.
Back-Bent over rows with dumbells.
Shoulders-Arm raises with no weight or very light weight to start.
Biceps-Dumbell Curls.
Triceps-Dumbell extensions
Calves-Calf raises on the edge of the stairs.
Abdominals-Crunches
Go to my core exercise page to learn more about
six pack abs.
I assume that you have either never trained with weights before or have taken some time away from training with weights. This workout does not cover all of the muscle groups yet. As you progress we will add new exercises and muscle groups. For now concentrate on conditioning only.
See you in 4-6 weeks for Step Two Conditioning Link at the bottom of this page.
Lets make it even easier!
I have organized a short overall body conditioning workout on various pages of Carvey Running Tips.
The
Upper Body Exercises
page, has three specific exercises for you to follow by video. That upper body workout which includes a chest exercise, a back exercise and a shoulder exercise is a perfect starting point combined with some
abdominal crunches
and it is all you will need to start day 1 of your strength training exercises workout. Go there and I will guide you through to day 2.
Step Two Building Strength
Back to Strength Training Routines
From Strength Training Exercises To Home
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