Getting Started: Basics of Training

Now that you have your goals set, you need to adopt a training routine that will help get you to your goals. Keep in mind there is no one size fits all routine out there. So, we are going to go over some different training philosophies.

There are two fundamental ways of loading your routine: vertically and horizontally. A vertically loaded routine is one that moves from one exercise to the next. Typically, there is little to no rest between the exercises. An example would be: a set of chest presses, followed by squats, bent over row and finishing with a Russian twist. This way of exercising, most often referred to as circuit training, allows one to work the entire body without fatiguing any one muscle group. It also keeps the heart rate up during the entire session which burns more calories. I would recommend this type of routine to anyone who would like to focus on losing weight, increasing their muscular endurance and/or cardiovascular endurance.

Horizontal loading works through a list of exercises one at a time. For example, one could begin with a compound movement such as an overhead press. If the routine calls for 4 sets of 12 reps, one would finish all 4 sets before moving on to the next exercise. This fatigues the muscle group much more as it is under much more stress and time under tension. One would typically train 1-2 muscle groups at a time with horizontal loading although it can be used for more as well. In order to train the entire body, one would have to split it up into groups and work one group a day. I would recommend this training load for people looking to focus more on hypertrophy (muscle growth) and strength. This type of training can be modified to burn more calories and fat, focus on strength, focus on muscle size etc.  I'll touch on that detail in another post!

Examples:

Vertical

(30 seconds each, 15 seconds rest)

Squat

Push up

Lunges

Bent over row

V ups

Military press

Rest 30-60 seconds between rounds and complete 2-5 depending on fitness level

Horizontal

(Back and biceps)

Bent over Row 5x10

Seated cable row 4x12

Lat pull down 4x12

Deadlift with hex bar 5x10

Inlcine DB Biceps Curl 3x AMRAP

Rest time between sets all depends on your goals and fitness level. Keep them between 30-60 seconds.