Initial training program in the gym. The Ideal Gym Workout Program for Men - A Plan for Total Body Transformation

Timko Ilya- the lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>

Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. Candidate of Masters in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category in weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.

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Date of: 2014-03-13 Views: 726 024 Grade: 4.8

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People often come to me with the question: “Help me create workouts for myself.” I have a slightly negative attitude towards such amateur activities, but I understand that it was, is and will be. Since not everyone has money for a coach. And there are also people who fundamentally want to do everything themselves. And there are gyms where there simply is not a single trainer. Or there is not a single intelligent coach (which is not so uncommon). In general, be that as it may, anyone who has at least a few months of training experience behind them is quite capable of creating their own personal plan. But if you are a complete beginner, then it will be much more difficult for you. After all, you don’t even know which muscles are trained by this or that exercise. Therefore, I recommend that such people use ready-made programs from this site. Well, for everyone else who wants to play the “be your own coach” game, let’s start slowly. And the first thing you must do:

I. Decide on the main goal of training

In total, training in the gym can pursue 5 main goals:

• Increased muscle mass and strength;
• Weight loss;
• Increased strength (without changing body weight);
• Relief (without changing body weight);
• Maintaining the achieved form.

In each of these directions, you can also highlight or emphasize individual parts of the body. But these are already nuances. In general, you should choose only one goal for yourself. Since it will not be possible to pursue several goals at the same time (for example, reduce your legs and increase your arms). You will simply be chasing several hares and not catching a single one.

II. Decide on the number of workouts per week

The number of workouts is determined by your goal and your capabilities (availability of free time, money and energy). If you just want to keep fit, then 2 workouts a week is enough. If you want to increase mass and/or strength, then it is advisable to do at least 3 workouts (although I know cases where people grew well even with 2 workouts). Well, when losing weight or getting toned, there should be at least 3 workouts. And ideally 4 - 5. But be that as it may, people, as a rule, are forced to rely on the availability of free time. Just don't deceive yourself. Soberly assess your capabilities and estimate how often you can visit the gym. After all, if you make a plan for 4 workouts a week, but only go 2-3 times, then you will have to redo the plan again.

III. Determine the method of doing the exercises

Personally, I identify 6 methods of performing exercises:

• (suitable for increasing strength and/or mass);
• (suitable for weight gain, weight loss and relief);
• (suitable for weight loss);
• (suitable for weight loss and relief).

Each method is suitable for one, 2 or even 3 purposes and is absolutely not suitable for the rest. But at the same time, for each goal there are 2 - 3 suitable methods. Let’s say you can lose weight using supersets, the circuit method, and combined training. But grow the mass either using the separate method or supersets. And for strength (without increasing mass) only the separate method is suitable.

IV. Decide on a set of exercises

Write down all the exercises you want to do during your workouts. Moreover, it is better to immediately sort them by muscle groups. If you do not have enough experience, then problems may arise with this due to basic ignorance of anatomy and biomechanics. Well, as a hint, you can look at the article:. Or use MENU – EXERCISES. Where they are already sorted by body parts. The amount of exercise can vary greatly depending on your goals and amount of training. Let's say, if you train 2 times a week to stay in shape using a combined method, then 10 basic exercises (5 per workout) will be enough for you. If you are actively losing weight with supersets of 5 workouts per week, then the number of exercises can be 40 or even more.

V. Spread exercises throughout your workouts

After you have written out all the exercises, you need to distribute them among your workouts. How to scatter depends on the goal. – 1 – 3 muscle groups per workout (depending on the number of workouts). Not more. That is, you don’t need to try to pump all the muscles in every workout. As a hint, you can read: . Weight loss– on the contrary, all muscles are trained a little at each workout. Here your task is to load the whole body and expend as much energy as possible. Relief– it is possible to divide by type, both when gaining weight, and by type, as when losing weight. It depends on the method of performing the workout, on the characteristics of your body and on the focus of your diet. Form support– well, there could be any option. Depending on how you achieved this shape: through weight loss or through weight gain.

VI. Determine the order of exercises

Next, you need to prescribe the order of performing the exercises, which also plays a big role. Especially when gaining weight. When losing weight - less, but still do not neglect this stage. When gaining mass and/or strength– you can put exercises in a block of 2–3 exercises one after another for one muscle group. Or you can alternate antagonist muscles (biceps - triceps, chest - back, etc.). In any case, at the end of the workout, you should maximally hammer exactly those muscles that you have planned for today. Weight loss– here the “block” is unnecessary and even harmful. You just need to alternate top and bottom. You can alternate antagonists. But, under no circumstances, not as a block. The load should jump from one muscle to another throughout the entire workout. This is the only way you can load your entire body. Relief– you can either block or alternate antagonist muscles. In some cases, alternating top-bottom is suitable. But this, in my opinion, is a little unsuitable for the terrain. - any option. Again, it depends on how you arrived at this form.

VII. Determine the number of sets and reps

A very important parameter. After all, it directly affects. The higher the weight and the lower the number of repetitions, the lower the intensity of the training and the less. I usually distribute approaches (including warm-up) and repetitions like this: When gaining weight– 3 – 5 sets of 6 – 12 repetitions in basic exercises. And 3 - 4 sets of 10 - 15 repetitions in auxiliary exercises. With increasing strength- 4 – 5 sets of 2 – 6 repetitions in basic exercises. And 3 sets of 8 - 12 repetitions in auxiliary exercises. Weight loss– 2 - 4 sets of 12 - 20 repetitions everywhere. Relief– 2 – 4 sets of 12 – 15 repetitions everywhere. Maintaining the achieved form– 3 – 4 approaches. The number of repetitions depends on your previous goal.

VIII. Plan to change the weight of the equipment during training

Well, the last stage is to determine how your weights and number of repetitions will change from workout to workout. In the case of maintaining shape, relief or losing weight, this is not so relevant (although it also matters). But if you want to increase muscle mass or strength, then this is a very important parameter. And here, alas, everything is so individual and unpredictable that I cannot give anything specific advice in absentia. Read the articles: and. There you can understand the basic principles of how this is all done.

Conclusion

Yes, as you have seen for yourself, drawing up a training plan is a very difficult process with a lot of nuances and different options. I have created over 1000 training programs in my life. Although this is a very approximate figure. But I never make a plan for a person until I personally train him for at least a month without a program. Only after 1 – 2 months do I know more or less exactly what is more suitable for this or that person. If you have trained for at least several months, you also have some idea of ​​what suits you best and what you want to do with your body next. Therefore, thoughtfully and in the order in which I just told you, draw up your next training program. Well, for those who don’t want to bother, I can create an individual training program.

The training program in the gym for men differs from the women's version in its high load and strength bias. Programs for girls most often pursue the goal of losing weight, while a training program for men aims to increase strength and gain mass.

Approaches to creating training programs

Today is the age of free information. Everything can be found on social networks and other open sources. Today, few people ask questions of interest to truly experienced and competent specialists in these matters. The easiest way is to find the answer on the Internet and choose one of the options yourself. Men's training is no exception.

On the Internet you can find many different programs, ranging from “how to increase biceps in a week” and ending with “lose weight in 3 days.” It is clear that such programs are simply designed to attract attention and this is not men’s training. Because you won’t increase your biceps with training in a week, just as you won’t lose weight in 3 days with cardio.

Of course, there are a number of good quality programs that were compiled for someone individually and then posted on the Internet. They are not always useful for us, since they were created for someone else, taking into account the characteristics of his body.

We need a program that will take into account:

1. Our health.
2. Our preferences.
3. Our capabilities, physique, physiological features.

We can only generalize point 2 - since many people have similar questions and goals (for example, how to pump up a beautiful body for a man, increase body weight, gain pumped up muscles).

But everyone’s health and physiological capabilities at a particular point in time are different. Therefore, I note that the following programs are a generalization. They will certainly be useful, but their effectiveness will not be as high as with an individual approach. However, it is quite possible to start with a generalized program, subsequently adjusting it to suit yourself, taking into account your own needs. After all, a beginner often has no idea what his body is capable of.

When creating an advanced training program in the gym for men, you need to use an individual approach, treating the practitioner as special, unlike anyone else. Using this approach, you can conduct effective strength training for men.

First program for beginners

Before you work towards achieving your desired goal, you need to test your capabilities and understand your level of preparation.

We are not talking about basic exercises, although you will need to do the bench press from the basics. This is done through a test program designed for a month. Working weights must be constantly adjusted, and the trainer should not leave the beginner unattended.

In the first month, it is likely that you will be able to gain a little weight and become more pumped up than before. It turns out that the test program also provides a slight anabolic effect.

The test program cannot include squats and deadlifts, since the muscles of an inexperienced guy in training are not yet ready for such work.

On the first day, you can introduce the bench press, finding out how much a guy can bench press 8-10 times in his first session.

Another nuance of the test program is that for the first three workouts there should be no more than two approaches in each exercise.

This is what a version of a test training program for men might look like (if the number of approaches and repetitions is not indicated, then everything is done 2x10):

1. Cardio 10 minutes on an exercise bike or treadmill.
2. Bench press in 2 sets of 8–10 reps.
3. Pullover lying on a bench with dumbbells.
4. Dumbbell flyes on a bench parallel to the floor, the same number of repetitions.
5. Raising legs while hanging on the press.

1. 10 minutes on a treadmill or exercise bike.
2. Press your legs twice 10 times.
3. We bend our legs in the simulator.
4. We extend our legs while sitting in the exercise machine.
5. We do calf raises in a machine or in a Smith or Hack machine.
6. We do crunches while lying on the floor, legs thrown over the bench, knees pointing to the ceiling.

1. Hyperextension.
2. Head pull in a block machine.
3. Lower back rows in a block machine.
4. Arm extension in a block frame.
5. Biceps curl.
6. Cardio 10 minutes and stretching.

For the first week, everything is done exactly this way, then a third approach is added and over the course of a month the working weights are gradually increased.

In the third week, lunges with dumbbells are added on Day 1. In the third - raising arms with dumbbells to the sides, and in the second. At first, all these exercises are done in the same way in 2 approaches.

In the fourth week, on the first day, squats with an empty bar are added in two sets of 10 reps under the close supervision of a trainer. During this week you should learn how to squat correctly.

Competent men's training in the gym for beginners is nothing without the correct selection of weights. No set of strength exercises for men without an adequate choice of working weight will give good results. This is another role of a personal trainer: to help you choose an effective weight. Only an experienced athlete can do this for themselves.

The trainer’s job is to teach the exercise technique, monitor the correct execution, decide on weight selection based on what he sees, and adjust the program every day, if necessary.

In the first month, you should master the basics of bench press and squat techniques, strengthen your muscles for other exercises and work with heavier weights. There is also a strength training program for men. In the second month, you can start trying deadlifts with an empty bar to hone your technique.

For those who are not in the gym for the first month

I hope you already know the technique of performing many exercises and have achieved some results, both in strength and external terms. Let your biceps increase by 1 cm compared to what it was - this is already a result.

Now you can set specific goals and train in the gym to gain muscle mass and increase strength.

A training option may look like this (if the number of approaches and repetitions is not indicated, do 2x10):

1. Cardio 5-10 minutes (choice of exercise bike or treadmill).
2. We bench press the barbell. We do 4 sets of 6–8 repetitions.
3. We press dumbbells, lying at an angle of 30 degrees, 3 sets of 8 repetitions.
4. Press the barbell upside down at a 30-degree incline for the same number of repetitions.
5. Reduction of arms in a crossover (3x8).
6. French bench press (3x8).
7. Arm extension on a block (3x10).
8. Any 2 abdominal exercises, 2 sets of 15 reps each.

1. Cardio.
2. We squat with a barbell for 4 sets of 6–8 repetitions (not counting warm-up approaches).
3. Lunges with dumbbells.
4. Leg extension in the simulator.
5. Calf exercises.
6. Pull the lower block to the chin (or a barbell instead of a block).
7. Arnold press with dumbbells.
8. Lateral raises of dumbbells.

1. Cardio.
2. Hyperextension, do 2 sets, 15 repetitions each.
3. Deadlift 4 sets of 6 reps.
4. Hyperextension 15 times slowly with a delay at the top point.
5. We pull the barbell in an inclined position (3x8).
6. Pull the top block (3x8).
7. Pull the bottom block (3x10).
8. Biceps curl (3x8).
9. Hammer or dumbbell curls (3x10).

This training plan is aimed at simultaneously gaining mass and increasing strength.

Different goals - different programs?

Male training for weight gain can be exactly the same as for increasing strength, since one develops in parallel with the second. Your mass will grow following your strength, and your strength will grow with your mass.

Another issue is burning fat - here strength training and exercises for gaining weight are not entirely suitable.

Thus, weight loss and weight gain programs for men will vary. But strength training for men will be very similar to mass-building. More often they are the same (the conditional division of the number of repetitions into 3-6, 6-12, 12 or more is really arbitrary for this case, since both mass and strength increase with 3, 6, 10 repetitions).

How to gain weight without excess calories? No training plan will help in this case - the body has nothing to build muscles from. Therefore, it is necessary to provide the body with building material.

In fact, quite a lot of people approach a trainer with the only question: “why aren’t my muscles growing, how to gain muscle mass?” They work with normal weights, bench press under 100 and pull more than 100 kg, but the weight remains the same. Having lost patience, they run to try various undesirable methods that allow them to get quick and very short-term results. Then they give up, causing great harm to themselves.

In most cases the answer is simple. Calculate the amount of dietary supplements you consume per day. You will see that there is little protein there. And if you eat protein-rich foods for a couple of months and continue to work out hard, the people around you will notice the results.

There are also difficult cases when the physiology of the body is so unique that it reacts poorly to strength training. Testosterone levels practically do not fluctuate with loads, and weight does not change at all. It happens. But you shouldn’t immediately assign yourself to this category until you’ve tried a healthy diet for a couple of months.

It also happens that we do not see external changes, because we contemplate ourselves in the mirror every day. Believe me, if you visit your loved ones once a month, for example, they will notice the difference.

Supersets and circuit training

Any program does not last forever, it is advisable to change it every 2-3 months. You can use the following information to add more variety to your training program.

A superset is several exercises that are performed without interruption. A superset can be performed for synergistic and antagonistic muscles. For example, alternating between barbell curls and cable extensions is a superset for antagonists. And the bench press and dumbbell flyes are for synergists.

Supersets help overcome upper strength thresholds and increase endurance. They are effective when you reach a plateau and need to create shock loads.

Circuit training is a large number of exercises for different muscle groups, which are performed one after another with a very short break. The number of repetitions here is 15 or more, it is advisable to complete the approach in 20-40 seconds. This option is very grueling and is well suited for creating relief and burning fat.

Unlike supersets, it is better to work in machines here. You can include a circuit option in your program once a week.

Almost any woman who decides to work out in the gym is faced with the question of choosing a training program. To create an effective set of exercises, it is necessary to take into account the purpose of future training, health status, and whether you have experience working out on exercise machines and with weights.

Exercise programs for weight loss and weight gain differ in the selection of exercises, intensity and volume of aerobic activity.

A woman’s hormonal background affects the results of her workouts in the gym. The female body has low testosterone levels, so gaining muscle mass is slow.

During menopause, women are prohibited from following strict diets that disrupt testosterone production.

Excess estrogen disrupts fat metabolism leading to weight gain and reduces the effectiveness of weight loss programs. Active cardio training, leading to significant loss of body fat, can disrupt the course of menstruation. If they are accompanied by pain, exercise in the gym should be temporarily stopped.

Warm-up

Any workout begins with a set of exercises to warm up the muscles and prepare the body for physical activity. Warm-up includes light aerobic exercise on a treadmill or exercise bike.

To increase the mobility of joints and the spine, bend over and twists of the torso, swings or circular movements of the arms and legs. An effective warm-up complex increases body temperature and heart rate. The last stage of the warm-up is stretching the muscles and ligaments.

Stretching exercises

To warm up the pectoral muscles, clasped behind your back, your arms are extended and raised to the ceiling. In order for the back muscles to stretch, you need to grab a support with your hand, bend, and move your pelvis back, straightening your legs.

If you raise your arm up, then bend and pull the elbow towards the opposite shoulder, the triceps will get a good stretch. Bends until your hands touch the floor stretch the hamstrings, lower back and buttocks. To warm up your thigh muscles, you need to bend your leg at the knee so that your heel points up, then use your free hand to pull it up and towards you.

Features of training for beginners

For women who are working out in the gym for the first time, exercises on machines should be included in the training program. The main goal of the first classes is to develop the correct technique for performing the exercises safely.

Beginners’ muscles do not know how to contract effectively, so exercises with exhausting loads and the use of significant weights are not allowed. To perform basic exercises with a barbell and dumbbells, a woman should learn to consciously hold the pelvic floor muscles under tension, especially when placing stress on the body in an upright position.

Features of training for women after 40 years

A gym training program for women should take into account the physiological changes that occur in the body after 40 years. To maintain muscle mass, two sessions a week are enough, in each you need to perform from 4 to 8 exercises, trying to use all muscle groups.

The intensity of training should be limited due to poor elasticity of the ligaments and tendons.

Age-related changes affect the accuracy of movements, so block exercise machines, dumbbells and fitness equipment are used in classes. It is advisable to update the training program monthly so that the body does not get used to monotonous movements and loads.

Does a woman need exercises with barbells and dumbbells?

It must be remembered that well-developed muscles are responsible for correct posture, elegant gait and overall appearance. Only by working with a barbell and dumbbells of moderate weights, a woman will build and achieve elasticity of muscles, for example, buttocks.

Properly selected load when exercising with free weights has a positive effect on the functioning of the heart muscle and blood vessels, as well as on the relief of the body. Multi-joint exercises with barbells and dumbbells allow you to maintain muscle tone while exercising at home.

You should not be afraid of significant weight gain when lifting heavy weights; low levels of testosterone in the female body protect against this problem.

First workouts for women: losing weight

Based on the principle of “do no harm,” a weight loss training program should be adapted to the physical and age characteristics of the body. To do this, a test load is given in the first lessons.

If completing the planned number of repetitions is difficult, you need to reduce one approach at a time in the entire complex or in those exercises that are especially difficult to cope with.

In the first month of training, aerobic exercise should be given after performing exercises on simulators.

In this case, it is necessary to control that the pulse does not leave the fat-burning zone. To calculate the lower and upper boundaries of the zone, you need to subtract the age from 220, and then calculate 60 and 70%.

First workouts for women: gaining muscle mass

The main task of the first training when gaining weight is to master the correct technique of performing exercises and to involve a complex of small stabilizer muscles in the work. Therefore, you cannot immediately lift heavy barbells and dumbbells; the working weights of the equipment must be increased in subsequent workouts.

In initial classes, it is enough to perform exercises on simulators with moderate load, 2-3 sets of each. In the warm-up set, a larger number of repetitions are performed with less weight, the load increases with each subsequent approach. The duration of the session varies from 30 to 50 minutes, depending on the physical capabilities of the woman.

The best exercises in the gym

Training programs for men and women are significantly different. In the gym, ladies, as a rule, strengthen their muscles, giving them a beautiful appearance, so basic and isolated exercises should be included in the training complex.

On the back

The lever pull in the simulator significantly loads not only the latissimus, but also the trapezius muscles of the back. This simulator will successfully replace pulling a barbell or dumbbells to the stomach.

The upper back area is effectively worked out by doing pull-ups and vertical rows to the chest on a block machine. To work out the lower back, it is common to perform deadlifts with a barbell, an alternative to which is hyperextension, especially for problems with the spine.

On your feet

Classic squats with a barbell are one of the most effective exercises to work out the entire complex of leg muscles. Women with weak backs or spinal problems should squat on a hack machine and also do leg presses on a machine.

To increase the tone and volume of the gluteal muscles, you need to regularly do lunges with dumbbells, as well as leg raises in the simulator. Women should remember to engage their calf muscles by performing standing calf raises.

In your arms

Dumbbell overhead extensions and push-ups are popular exercises for the shoulder extensor muscles. If the triceps are a problem area, then they are additionally worked on by extending the arms on a block machine and doing barbell presses with a narrow grip.

The beautiful shape and volume of the biceps will be ensured by curling the arms with a barbell while standing.. Dumbbells make it possible to load the biceps brachii muscle in a sitting position at an incline, and curls on a biceps machine increase the intensity of the arm workout.

On the press

A woman should initially perform regular and reverse crunches while lying on a bench to prepare the abdominal muscles for more demanding work. The intensity of the training is increased by working on a press machine and crunches on a block simulator.

For women who are working out in the gym for the first time, exercises on machines should be included in the training program.

The fat layer in the lower abdomen is reduced by lifting bent legs in a machine that has elbow rests. The abdominal muscles, which are responsible for a slim waist, are well worked out by the torso machine and body turns with a body bar.

Gym workout chart for women

Gym training program
Item no.	Exercise name	Approaches	Repetitions
Workout 1 (muscle tone)
		5 minutes
1	Lever traction in the simulator	3	10-12
2	Vertical row on a block machine	3	15
3	Chest press in the machine	3	10-12
4	Raises with dumbbells while lying on a bench	3	15
5	Leg press in the simulator	3	10-12
6	Leg curls on the simulator	3	15
7	Leg curls in a lying machine	3	15
8		3	12-15
9	Regular crunches	3	20
10		3	50
11	Walking uphill on a treadmill	30 min
Workout 2 (circuit)
	Warm-up: orbitrek	5 minutes
1	Horizontal row on a block machine	3	15
2	Dumbbell press while lying on a bench	3	15
3	Standing dumbbell curls	3	15
4	Arm extensions on a block machine	3	15
5	Leg extensions on the machine	3	15
6	Leg curls on the simulator	3	15
7	Raising bent legs on the simulator	3	15
8	Orbitrek	30 min
Day of rest
Workout 3 (strength)
	Warm-up: exercise bike	5 minutes
1	Bench press	4	10
2	Squats	4	12
3	Bent-over barbell row	4	10
4	Standing barbell curls	4	10
5	Arm extension with dumbbell up	4	10
6	Barbell deadlift	4	12
7	Reverse crunches	3	15
Day of rest
Workout 4 (working out problem areas)
	Warm-up: orbitrek	5 minutes
1	Lunges with dumbbells	3	15
2	"Gluteal bridge"	3	20
3	Leg raises on the simulator	3	20
4	Bench push-ups	3	15
5	Bent over arm extension with dumbbell	3	15
6	Arm extensions on a pulley machine with a cable handle	3	15
7	Oblique crunches while lying on the floor	3	20
8	Torso twists with a bodybar	3	50
9	Lateral bending of the torso	3	20
10	Exercise bike	20 minutes
Cardio training (60 minutes)
1	Warm-up: walking on a treadmill	5 minutes
2	Orbitrek	15 minutes
3	Interval walking on a treadmill	35 min
4	Exercise bike	10 min
5	Cool down: walking on a treadmill	5 minutes
Day of rest

Circuit training

The circuit training program in the gym is used by women to lose weight without losing muscle mass. Circuit training consists of 6-10 exercises that cover the entire musculature of the body, sometimes muscles are worked locally on different days.

In each approach, the exercises are performed alternately for 10-15 repetitions, at a fast pace and without a break. To get a tangible result, you cannot exercise to failure, and you must also follow the technique and have experience in training.

Cardio training

Cardio training involves any aerobic exercise that increases your heart rate and is aimed at burning subcutaneous fat.

A well-equipped fitness club offers a large selection of equipment for aerobic exercise:

• Treadmills,
• exercise bikes,
• orbitreks
• rowing simulators.

Cardio training is long-term; you should start with walking, which gradually increases the load on the heart. For training, one or several simulators are used, with different operating times.

Split training

The essence of the method is to train muscle groups separately during the week. So on Monday the biceps and back muscles are loaded, on Wednesday - the quadriceps, calves and shoulders, and on Friday the pectoral muscles and triceps are left. The lesson consists of several exercises for each muscle group, the number of approaches and repetitions determines the final goal of the training program.

Split training is effective for gaining weight or shaping your figure, and when losing weight - for targeted work on problem areas. The separate training system is not suitable for those who have just started training or often miss classes.

Power training

For women, a strength training program in the gym consists of basic exercises, taking into account body type and age characteristics. The main part of the workout includes 5-6 exercises, performed in three approaches.

Working out the muscles for 8-10 repetitions, with breaks of no more than 90 seconds, increases the level of testosterone in the blood, which stimulates the subsequent increase in body weight. The weight of the weights should allow you to complete the planned number of repetitions without compromising the correct technique. If the next day you feel muscle stiffness, you need to slightly reduce the working weights during your next workout.

Proper nutrition during active training

The caloric content and composition of the daily diet should correspond to the goals of training in the gym. When training for weight loss, you should not allow severe reductions in calorie intake, so as not to disrupt the metabolism in the body.

When gaining weight, protein is consumed at the rate of 2.5 grams per kilogram of “clean” body weight, that is, without taking into account the weight of fat. Most of your daily protein should be eaten after training and in the evening.

Carbohydrates are a source of energy and also an important component of muscle growth, so they account for up to 50% of the daily calorie intake. The diet includes slowly digestible carbohydrates and fruits, which are eaten before the afternoon snack and an hour before class.

Fats should not be excluded from the diet, but they should not be abused, so as not to increase the amount of subcutaneous fat. All basic nutritional components are divided into three main meals and two low-calorie snacks.

Does a woman need proteins and gainers?

A woman who wants to gain weight or lose weight aesthetically should supplement her diet with sports supplements. Nutrient mixtures consisting of 50% protein or more are called proteins and are added during training for muscle growth and during strict diets.

Protein shakes are easily digestible, help cope with hunger and provide the body with essential amino acids for the growth and preservation of muscle fibers.

Gainer is a carbohydrate-protein mixture that fully restores after physical activity, but is not advisable if you have problems with rapid weight gain. Women who have a thin physique or who do not have the opportunity to eat regularly need to balance their daily diet with a gainer.

Important: Protein, if consumed incorrectly, is harmful to health, so when choosing a sports supplement, you should consult with a professional instructor or doctor.

Sample menu for 3 days for women

On the day of strength training, nutrition takes into account the body's need for protein and carbohydrates to work at increased intensity. An important meal is a snack 30-60 minutes before training.

It is advisable to divide the morning snack into two meals, and dinner includes slow carbohydrates to restore muscle glycogen:

• Breakfast - an omelet with a couple of eggs and oatmeal with milk.
• Snack – a glass of fruit juice.
• Snack – a small apple or tangerine.
• Lunch – a portion of boiled fish with rice and vegetables.
• Afternoon snack – cottage cheese or drinking yoghurt.
• Before training - a small banana.
• After class - a gainer or protein shake, depending on the time of training.
• Dinner - poultry, vegetable salad with broccoli, a piece of bread with cereals.

On the rest day, the diet should ensure complete recovery and growth of muscle mass:

• Breakfast – bake pasta in the microwave with cheese and egg.
• Snack – juicy fruit.
• Snack – green tea with dried apricots or dates.
• Lunch – beef chop, buckwheat porridge, fresh tomatoes and cucumbers.
• Afternoon snack – 30 g muesli with yogurt.
• Dinner – lean meat, vegetable stew.
• Before bed – low-fat kefir and 1/2 teaspoon of bran.

Eating on the day of cardio training creates the conditions for achieving maximum fat burning. You must not eat any food before or for an hour after class.

The menu should include only slowly digestible carbohydrates, and protein foods for dinner:

• Breakfast – rice with vegetable salad.
• Snack - vegetable salad.
• Lunch – lean meat, some buckwheat porridge and fresh vegetables.
• Afternoon snack – unsweetened yogurt with 1/2 teaspoon bran.
• Dinner: cottage cheese casserole and unsweetened yogurt, or optionally a protein shake.

When to expect the first results

An excellent result of a month of persistent strength training is about 400 g of new muscle mass. By building no more than 100 grams of muscle per week, women should not expect immediate visual effects when gaining weight.

The effect of daily exercise on improving tone becomes noticeable after two weeks.

Muscles maintained in constant tension look voluminous and more prominent.

The first results in the gym are achieved most quickly by women who want to lose weight. To do this, you need a training program that combines strength and aerobic exercise, and adherence to a proper diet.

Visible results appear after just a few regular sessions.. Reducing your daily calorie intake and high-intensity training can help you lose up to 1 kg of excess weight per week.

The training program in the gym should correspond to the goal that the woman sets for herself. The intensity of classes is selected taking into account the age-related characteristics of the woman’s physiology and physical capabilities.

To ensure that the first results of training are not long in coming, you need to carefully plan and strictly follow your diet. Expert advice will help you avoid mistakes in nutrition and choose the right sports supplements.

Gym training program for women: video

Training program for beginners, watch the video:

3-day split program, watch the video:

A training program is what a man needs to make his body perfect.

After all, the combination of exercises, frequency of exercises and even the number of repetitions are of enormous importance.

Let's look at several options for classes for men with different goals - for weight loss, for gaining muscle mass and with varying degrees of training.

Gym training program

To properly create a training plan in the gym, First you need to decide on your goal which is being persecuted. It could be:

• fight against excess weight;
• muscle building;
• increase in strength indicators;
• improvement of relief;
• maintaining the achieved form.

Choose only one direction. You shouldn’t spread yourself thin: if you set two goals, then neither of them will be fully achieved.

Warm-up

Warm-up without workout is healthier than workout without warm-up

Warm-up exercises warm up the joints, their lubrication improves, and as a result, less stress is placed on the cartilage. The tendons become more elastic and the risk of rupture is reduced. More force develops in the muscles.

Warming up without further training is more beneficial than training without warming up.

10 minutes are allotted for warming up. It is formed from the following components:

1. Running, jumping, working on cardio equipment - 4–5 minutes. The pulse should increase to 130-160 beats/min. This warms up the body as a whole.
2. Rotational movements, and the whole body is loaded, especially the spine, knees, shoulders. This allows you to prepare the joints.

Basic Workout Plan

The advantage of the “base” is that the largest number of muscles and joints are involved in the work.

Main basic exercises:

• squats using a barbell;
• bench press;
• deadlift.

Before drawing up a personal program, the athlete selects exercises, sorting them by muscle groups. Their number varies depending on the frequency of training. If you go to the gym twice a week, a dozen exercises are enough, five per session. This is enough to keep fit.

Then the exercises are distributed between workouts according to the following principle:

• muscle building workout(strengths): up to 3 groups are worked out (depending on the frequency of training), exercises are arranged in blocks - 2–3 per muscle group, another option is to train antagonist muscles in turn;
• excess weight: a small load on all muscles, load top and bottom in turn, the block principle is not used;
• relief study: both the first and second principles are possible, which depends on the characteristics of the body, the nature of the diet; exercises are performed in the same order as when gaining weight;
• form support: depends on how the form was acquired.

The duration of the basic training is 40 minutes, no longer. During this time, the athlete spends all testosterone.

Number of repetitions and approaches

This parameter especially affects the intensity of training. Approaches and repetitions, including in the warm-up, are distributed as follows (approaches/repetitions):

• for muscle growth: basic - 4-6/6-12, auxiliary - 3-4/10-15;
• increase in strength: basic - 4-7/2-6, auxiliary - 3/8-12;
• excess weight: 3-4/12-20;
• relief: 3-4/12-15.

For muscles to grow, they need stress.. Such stress is a change in repetitions of exercises (adding or reducing), increasing weight, changing the method of performing an exercise. Then the body does not have time to adapt to the stress. Another factor is replacing the exercises in the program with similar ones, then the same muscle groups begin to work differently. You should add unfamiliar movements to your workouts.

Stretching

This block is also performed before the start of training. Stretch:

• quadriceps;
• femoral biceps;
• outer, inner surface of the thigh;
• buttocks;
• small of the back;
• caviar.

Stretching is performed for 5 minutes, more rigid groups work twice as long.

Programs

For weight loss

The training is carried out in supersets. Exercises in pairs are performed one after another, then take a break for 2-3 minutes, and repeat the pair. When the initial level is mastered, the number of repetitions and sets is increased.

Workout number	Pair	Exercise	sets/repetitions
1st	1	Crunches on an incline gymnastic bench	3/12
			3/10
	2	Squats using a barbell (on the shoulders)	3/10
		Head pull, overhead block	3/10
	3	Standing chest press, standing position	3/10
		Lying leg curls on a lying machine	3/12
	4	from the gymnastics shop, behind	3/10
		Pulling with a barbell, standing position	3/12
2nd	1	Leg raises	3/10
		using dumbbells	3/10
	2	Lunges using dumbbells	3/10
		Block pull (horizontal)	3/10
	3	Barbell press, performed from behind the head while standing	3/10
		Leg extension performed on a machine	3/12
	4	Horizontal push-ups, performed with a wide grip	3/10
		Curling arms with weight (barbell), performed while standing	3/10
3rd	1	Crunches, performed while lying down	3/10
		Hyperextension	3/10
	2	Leg press	3/10
			3/10
	3	Rows from the upper block, performed with a narrow grip	3/10
		Bend over, place a barbell on your shoulders	3/10
	4	Stepping behind a bench using dumbbells	3/10
		Dumbbell raise, lying position	3/10

The program is accompanied by a diet.

To build muscle mass

Day, muscle group	Exercise	sets/repetitions
1st, legs and chest	Barbell squats, 60% of working weight	3/10
	Bench press	4/10
	Push-ups performed on parallel bars	3/12
	Incline press	4/12
2nd	Rest
3rd, lats, biceps	Pull-ups performed with a wide grip	4/until tired
	Barbell row to the waist	4/12
	Deadlift using a T bar	3/12
	Hammers	4/12
4th	Rest
5th, leg and shoulder muscles	Barbell squats, 80% working weight	4/12
	Romanian deadlift	4/12
	Seated press	4/12
	Pull up to chin level	4/12
	swing to the sides	4/12
6th	Rest
7th, lats and chest	Bench press	4/8
	Press performed on an inclined plane	4/12
	Pull-ups performed with a wide grip	4/until tired
	Dumbbell row	4/12
	Lower block thrust	4/12
8th, 9th	Rest
10th, long dorsi muscles, triceps	Deadlift	5/8
	Shrugs	4/20
	Press (close grip)	4/12
	Standing French press	4/12
11th, 12th	Rest
13th, legs	Barbell squats, 100% working weight	4/10
	Leg press	4/12
	Romanian deadlift	3/12
	Lunges	3/12
	Calf raises	3/20
14th, 15th	Rest

For beginner athletes

Training for beginners accustoms the body to stress, allows you to build muscles and increase strength.

Day	Exercise	sets/reps
1st	Roman chair crunches	3/10
	Bends using a goat	3/10
	Sumo squats, a barbell is placed on the shoulders	4/12
	Seated bench press	4/12
	Chest rows from the upper block, performed with a wide grip	3/10
	Half-over with weight (barbell), performed with a wide grip while lying down	3/10
	Wrist flexion/extension	3/10
2nd	Leg raises on the horizontal bar	3/10
	Push-ups on a bench from behind	4/10
	Pull-ups performed with a narrow grip	3/10
	One-arm French press	3/10
	Curls with EZ bar	3/12
	Chest press, performed while sitting	3/12
	Shin performed in a standing machine	3/12
3rd	Back extension performed on a machine	3/10
	Crunches using the Roman chair machine	3/10
	Deadlift, performed with dumbbells	4/6
	Lunges with raised barbell	3/12
	Barbell press, performed standing or sitting from behind the head	4/8
	Swing forward using one dumbbell	3/10
	Lateral arm swings, from the lower block	3/10

For advanced athletes

after 2 years of constant exercise, muscle growth slows down

The difficulty in creating a program for such an athlete is that after the first or second year, muscle growth stops. Then they organize training according to a different principle. The program is built on the following principles:

1. High intensity.
2. The working weight is chosen so that you can complete the program with it.
3. The order of the described exercises changes in each new workout.
4. The muscles are worked with two basic and as many auxiliary exercises.
5. Between sets the athlete rests for about 3 minutes.

Day	Exercise	sets/reps
1st, chest muscles, biceps	Barbell press, performed lying down	3/6
	Same thing, dumbbells	3/8
	Press performed in the Hammer machine	3/12
	Raises with dumbbells, performed lying down	3/15
	Barbell curls, performed in a standing position	3/6
	EZ-bar biceps curls	3/8
	"Hammer"	3/12
	Arm curl using a block	3/12
2nd, leg and deltoid muscles	Leg press	3/6
	Lunges, performed with dumbbells in hands	3/8
	Extension of the lower limbs	3/10
	Leg Curl	3/10
	Army press	3/6
	Press using dumbbells, performed while sitting	3/8
	Inclined dumbbell flyes	3/10
	Reverse dilutions, use “peck-dec”	3/12
3rd, back muscles, triceps	Deadlift	3/6
	Weighted pull-ups	3/8
	Wide row, performed on the upper block	3/10
	Head Pull	3/12
	Push-ups performed on weighted parallel bars	3/6
	Press, prone position, close grip	3/8
	Arm extension with a dumbbell, performed from behind the head	3/10
	Same thing on the block	3/10

For legs and buttocks

To prevent the body from looking disproportionate, special programs are provided for pumping the leg and gluteal muscles. The training includes the following exercises:

Training is carried out 1–2 times a week.

Full program for 3 days

With regular training, this program will help bring the male body back to normal.

Day, muscle group	Exercises	Sets/reps
1st, chest muscles, abs, biceps	Barbell press, lying position	3/10
	Dumbbell press, performed lying on a horizontal or inclined surface	3/10
	Horizontal push-ups	3/10
	Barbell curl, standing position	3/10
	Dumbbell curls, performed lying or standing	3/10
	Pelvic lift, lying position	3/10
2nd, shoulder girdle, leg muscles	Squats using a barbell placed on the shoulders	3/10
	Leg press performed in a machine	3/10
	Leg extensions, performed while sitting	3/10
	Leg curl, performed lying down	3/10
	Calf raise	3/10
	Barbell press, performed sitting or standing	3/10
	Dumbbell press, take a standing or sitting position	3/10
3rd, back muscles, abs, triceps	Sumo	3/10
	Pull-up on the horizontal bar	3/10
	Block pull up to waist height	3/10
	Hyperextension (reverse)	3/10
	French press, performed in a prone position	3/10
	Extension of arms on a block	3/10
	Lifting the body, lying down	3/10

Traditionally, they warm up first and stretch at the end.

Split training

These workouts involve working individual muscle groups on different days. They are associated with a high level of stress. Here's a four-day split for an experienced athlete.

Day	What muscles	Exercises	sets/repetitions
Monday	Breasts	Decline Barbell Press	4/6
		Same thing, dumbbells	4/6
		Horizontal push-ups	4/6
Tuesday	Back muscles	Deadlift	sets of 10-8-6-3 reps
		Linkage	4/6
		Head Pull	4/6
		Horizontal thrust	4/6
Thursday	Shoulders, arms	Press, performed sitting, from behind the head with a barbell or dumbbells	4/6
		Retraction of arms with dumbbells to the side	4/6
		Barbell curl	4/6
		Press (narrow grip)	4/6
Friday	Legs	Squats performed with a barbell	4/6
		Leg press	4/6
		Leg extension, performed while sitting	4/6
		Calves, standing	4/15
		Same thing when sitting	4/15

How long to study?

The lesson plan is adjusted every few months

Designing a workout is not an easy process. It requires adjustments, which are carried out after 1-2 months, in order to know the strengths and weaknesses of the athlete. Some exercises may not only not produce results, but also have the opposite effect.

Depending on the level of training, the body gets used to the program in different ways:

• for beginners - 10–18 weeks;
• for those who have been practicing for more than a year - in 8–10 weeks;
• for experienced athletes - in 4–6 weeks.

If there is a need to change the training program, then they change not only the strength, but also.

With a constant frequency of loads and following the recommendations of trainers, the first results appear within 1.5–2 months. But it is important to consider that different muscles develop differently. For example, it is more difficult to pump up abs than arm muscles.

Also, the effectiveness depends on the method of nutrition. Food should contain a sufficient amount of protein, which is the building material for muscles.

Most beginners, when they come to the gym, often start doing heavy basic exercises without having a sufficient level of training for this. On the other hand, there are those who from the very beginning accustom themselves to training on machines, without paying due attention to free weights. However, these two categories of novice athletes are united by incorrectly constructed training programs, which they often write for themselves. In this article we will analyze the best training programs in the gym for beginner athletes.

Training goals

Before starting to draw up any program, it is necessary, first of all, to decide on the goals that the future program should achieve. Training goals can be both physical body parameters (strength, endurance) and external ones (muscle mass, relief, weight loss, etc.). At the same time, physical parameters are trained mainly through strength exercises, and external parameters require not only a special training regimen, but also compliance with the correct diet. This is their key difference. It is a mistaken belief that only with the help of training programs can you increase muscle mass, improve your appearance, or ensure effective burning of excess fat.

At the initial stage of training, your training goals will not be particularly important, but after completing the basic stage of training, you will have an idea of ​​​​what programs to use and what parameters to work on improving. Therefore, the stage of defining training goals is key.

Introductory stage of training

This stage is a must-have for any novice athlete. The fact is that at first neither the muscles nor the cardio-respiratory system of the body are fully prepared for serious stress. In addition, you yourself are unlikely to know the limit of your physical capabilities. Therefore, the introductory stage of training includes work on all major muscle groups in minimal intensity and minimal volume.

The total duration of the introductory stage is 4 weeks.

Workout #1 (Monday)

Training#2 (Wednesday)

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15

Training#3 (Friday)

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15
	2	15

Basic stage of training

At this stage, we will have to train according to split schemes, that is, on each training day we will specifically train two specific muscle groups. Basic period training is more intense and voluminous, and also provides greater load on the main muscle groups.

The basic stage of training will include 2 training programs - one is intended for beginners at an intermediate level, the other for beginners at a lower intermediate level.

Below the middle level This is understood as a level of fitness at which an athlete can perform basic exercises with his own weight - pull-ups and push-ups, at least in an average number of repetitions (at least 6-8).

Below average is understood as a level of fitness at which the athlete cannot perform exercises with his own weight (pull-ups, dips) or performs them in a small number of repetitions (less than 6).

The total duration of the basic stage is 8 weeks.

Training frequency – 3 times a week.

Basic complex for beginners of the INTERMEDIATE level

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	3	12
	3	maximum
	3	12
	3	12
	3	15
	3	15
	2	15
	2	15

Training#2 (Wednesday): Shoulders + Legs

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	3	12
	3	12
	3	15
	3	12
	3	15
	3	12

Training

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	3	12
	3	maximum
	3	maximum
	3	12
standing	3	15
	3	15
	2	15
	2	15

Basic complex for beginner athletes of BELOW INTERMEDIATE level

Workout #1 (Monday): Chest + Back + Abs

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	3	12
	3	12
	3	12
	3	12
	3	15
	3	15
	2	15

Training#2 (Wednesday): Shoulders + Legs

Exercises	Approaches	Repetitions
	3	12
	3	12
	3	15
	3	12
	3	15
	3	12

Training#3 (Friday): Biceps + Triceps + Abs