How you design your training program depends on your goal. If you want to become lean and lose body fat, you will train differently than if you want to build muscle size.


So, "How much weight should I lift and how many reps should I do?"


To answer this specifically, you need to look at what you want to accomplish...


To become lean and lose body fat:

Strength training can really help you lose Body Fat because after a strength training workout your body burns calories at a faster rate for up to 24 hours. So, you are still helping your body lose fat for hours after your workout. To lose body fat, you need to burn more calories than you eat. However, one of the biggest mistakes people make is not eating enough protein. You need to eat fewer calories that come from sugar or carbohydrates, but make sure that you continue to eat enough of protein. In a nut-shell, Protein helps you build lean muscle.


One good way to weight train for fat loss is to do circuit training. In circuit training, you move quickly from one exercise to the next with little or no rest between sets. Because you are not taking a rest between sets, do not try to lift a lot of weight during each set (use a weight that is 40% to 60% of your 1RM for each exercise). So, for example, if your 1RM for leg curls is 100 pounds, then you should use 40 to 60 pounds for each set. Do 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps for each exercise. Rest no more than 30-60 seconds between sets.


Women shouldn't worry so much about the idea that lifting weights will make them gain weight and get bulky. Since muscle takes up much less space than fat does, women who weight lift will start to notice their clothes fit more loosely. Also women are less likely to gain muscle size compared to men who lift weights, because women have much lower (nearly 20 times) testosterone levels then men. Testosterone helps increase muscle growth.


To gain muscle size:

If your goal is to gain muscle size, then nutrition is very important. To build bigger muscles you need to eat more calories than you burn. You want to make sure you gain quality weight (lean body muscle) versus body fast. You do this by eating enough quality protein (such as lean red meat, chicken, fish, eggs and nuts) and by following a proper training program, otherwise you will just gain fat.


To gain muscle size, you need to focus on progressing from one workout to the next. You can accomplish this by changing up some of the training variables, such as, increasing the amount of weight you lift, performing more or less reps & sets, changing up the rest periods between sets - The more rest you take between sets, the more you'll allow your muscles to recover, so that you can lift heavier weights - Lifting Heavy weights are one of the greatest ways to add muscle.


Try to train in the 4 to 8 rep range per set, using a weight that is somewhere between 60% to 80% of your 1 rep max for a given exercise. So if your 1RM for bench press is 200 pounds, you should lift between 120 and 160 pounds for each set. Do 3 to 5 sets and rest about 1 to 3 minutes between sets - 1 minute for moderately heavy weight and 3 minutes for HEAVY weight.


There are many types of training programs. Ask a certified strength and conditioning coach or personal trainer to design a program that will work for you. If you would like me to design a quality strength training or overall fitness routine (weight training workout, cardio regimen, diet, stress-less protocol, etc) for you, contact me and we'll discuss.

Keep Going!

James Villepigue CSCS