Whether you are engaging in cardiorespiratory, resistance or flexibility exercise, there is a foundation for addressing the various components of a complete program necessary for results. An effective, yet simple outline for such a plan involving the basic principles of training is known by the acronym F.I.T.T., which stands for:

·  F-Frequency or How often you should train

·  I-Intensity or How hard you should train

·  T-Time or How long you should train

·  T-Type or What mode you should use

The FITT principles vary for different stages of your training, your fitness level and specific goals.

For a beginner or someone newly returning to exercise it is recommended to gradually allow the body to become accustom to the new demands being placed on it. This foundation phase usually should last approximately four to six weeks all the way up to 3-6 months, depending on your level of development, background and consistency. A beginning resistance-training program would look something like this:

·        Frequency= 2-3 times a week or every 48-72 hours between workouts for the same body part

·        Intensity= 1 set for each exercise and 1-2 exercises per body part

·        Time= 12-15 repetitions per set

·        Type= Multi-joint exercises that work various muscles/joints and train movement, control, stability and proper form and neural pattern

 Tips for progression and advancement

When starting an exercise program or doing anything that your body is not normally accustom to doing, it will be required to change and adapt to the new demands being placed on it. This is why beginners usually see results faster than those who have been training for any length of time; their body’s are not used to doing the exercises and must change right away. The mistake often made is in thinking that, ‘since what I first started out doing allowed me to gain 10 pounds of muscle, or lose ten pounds of fat, this must be what I must always do to continue to make progress’. This common yet misguided logic is what most often leads to people becoming frustrated and giving up on their aspirations for a better conditioned body.

To continue to make progress as your body becomes fit you must continually change the type, amount and style of exercise, or stimulus, to continue to see results. This style of program design is commonly referred to as periodization training. It refers to taking your body through different phases of training at various points in time. Professional and collegiate coaches for top athletes who must not only train for maximum performance, but need to recuperate, or down shift, to avoid overtraining and continually improve have long used this style of training. Periodization is discussed in greater depth in chapter 15.

To continue progressing, a few key components should be considered:

Variables that can be changed or modified include:

Repetitions                   Exercise order     

Sets                           Training Intensity

Training Duration           Training Volume

Training Frequency        Repetition Tempo

Rest Intervals               Exercise Selection

Plane of Motion             Emphasis on Contraction Type

Using these variables in different resistance training systems will keep you on track and provide an almost endless variation of components to modify.

There are many resistance-training systems that can be used in an effective total program. Some of these systems include:

·  Single-Set         Performing one set of each exercise.

·  Multiple-Set       Performing a multiple number
                      of sets for each exercise.

·  Pyramid             Progressing a weight upwitheach
                      set while decreasing repetitions.
 

·  Superset                   Performing a couple of Exercises back
                             to back with no rest

·  Circuit Training          Performing a series of exercises
                             one after the other with minimal rest.

·  Peripheral Circuit       Performing a variation of Circuit 
                             Training training that uses different
                             exercises for each set through the circuit.

·  Split-Routine             Performing a routine that breaks the
                             body up into parts to trained on separate 
                             days.

The Single Set System

This is one of the oldest training methods. It consists of performing one set of each exercise. Each set usually consists of 8-15 repetitions in a controlled tempo. ACSM guideline recommend performing this form of exercising for promoting sufficient development and maintaining muscle mass. While multiple sets may be more beneficial for strength and muscle development in more advanced trainees, the single set system has been shown to be just as effective for the beginner. By applying variations to rest periods, repetitions and intensity, single-set training can be very effective.

Multiple-Set System

This training system has been popular since the 1940’s and consists of performing a multiple number of sets for each exercise. Multiple set training has been shown to be superior to single set training as you advance. Your body responds to the added sets, reps and intensity to allow you to continue to improve. This style of training must be used correctly to avoid the damaging effects of overtraining.

Pyramid System

The pyramid system involves a triangular or building approach that can either progress up in weight with each successive set while the repetitions decrease or decreasing the weight with each set. In the light-to-heavy approach, you start with 10-12 repetitions with a lighter load and increase the resistance while simultaneously decreasing the number of repetitions performed with each following set. Ending up performing as little as 1-2 repetitions in the final set for a total of 3-6 sets.

Superset System

This system originally was defined as performing two sets for different, usually opposing, body parts one after the other with as little rest as possible. For example, doing a chest press exercise and then doing a cable row for the back. This term is now commonly used to refer to just about any group of exercises that utilize this type of system of training, namely compound, giant and tri-set systems.

Compound Sets

This style involves performing two exercises for the same body part back to back with little to no rest. For example, you might perform a set of bench presses for the chest and then do a dumbbell fly right after it without taking any rest between the two exercises. (This is todays common "super-set" definition).

Tri-Sets

Tri-Sets use three exercises done one after the other for the same body part or muscle group. You might perform a set of shoulder presses, move directly to lateral shoulder raises and then perform front shoulder raises. Although using various super-setting techniques usually involves repetitions of 8-10, you can use any number that achieves the desired result.

Circuit Training

This system consists of performing a series of exercises performed one after the other with minimal rest. Several recent studies have compared the effects of circuit weight training to other more traditional modes of endurance exercises such as a treadmill, cross-country skiing, jogging, and/or bicycling in relationship to energy expenditure, strength and improving overall fitness. It has been shown that circuit training is just as beneficial as traditional forms of cardiovascular exercise for improving fitness and increasing excess post-exercise oxygen expenditure (EPOC). Typically, this style of training uses 1-3 sets of 8-20 repetitions and all exercises should be performed immediately after one another. Examples would be 4-5 exercises of push, pull and legs grouped together. This style of exercise has proven to be extremely productive and time efficient for both cardiorespiratory, muscular fitness and changing body composition. Currently, many popular fitness chains base their entire program on this concept. 

Peripheral Circuit System

This system is a variation of circuit training. It uses different exercises for each set through the circuit and can be divided into 2-4 sequences, all of which contain different exercises for each body part to be trained. A single sequence consists of 4-6 exercises for each of the main body parts. For example, you can perform the first sequence or 4 exercises in a row with 8-15 repetitions, then you rest for 30-45 seconds and perform the second sequence and so on. This style of resistance training is also extremely effective and allows for a good variety of exercises to be performed for each body part while still being time efficient.

Split-Routine System

The split-routine involves breaking the body up into parts to be trained on separate days. This is the system most body builders and strength athletes predominately use. Many exercises and sets for the same body part are performed to optimize muscular strength and growth (hypertrophy). By breaking the body up into parts that are trained on different days, more work can be performed for one or two muscle groups in the allotted time for a workout. This also allows for more recuperation time between workouts, which they need due to the higher total volume of work performed. There are a wide variety of split routines you can incorporate depending on your schedule.

Additional Intensity Techniques

Along with the advanced systems covered, there are still more that can be added to your program for the finishing touches to keep you continually progressing. Remember that intensity techniques are for the more advanced lifter and should be used no more than every 4^th or 5^th workout to avoid overtraining. Following is a list and brief descriptions for each.

Rest-Pause This involves using a weight you can only lift for 2-3 repetitions (after a warm-up) then putting it down and resting momentarily (10-15 seconds), then perform another 2-3, rest, then another and so on until you can longer lift the weight. Using a spotter is highly advisable!

Pre-Exhaustion With this one you perform an isolation exercises for a muscle and then immediately follow it with a compound exercise. Since you have ‘pre-exhausted’ the muscle, you will increase the intensity and fiber recruitment when you perform the compound movement with the assistance of other muscles. An example would be to perform a chest fly (an isolation movement) then follow it up with the bench press (a compound movement). 

Descending Sets Also known as ‘Drop Sets’, with this technique you begin with a certain weight that allows you to perform the desired number of repetitions and as you fatigue, dropping the weight down to perform more, then dropping the weight again and so on. This one is a great for a pump!

Staggered Sets With this technique you simply add in a set for a smaller muscle after each exercise performed for a larger muscle. An example would be adding in a bicep curl after doing dumbbell rows for your back.

Forced Reps This one requires a lifting partner for most exercises. After performing the exercise to concentric muscular failure, have a lifting partner help you crank a few more repetitions out with his or her assistance.

Negative Reps This one is similar to forced reps, except that the emphasis is placed on the eccentric, or negative, portion of the movement. Perform the normal repetitions for an exercise to failure then have a workout partner help you up through the positive portion and fight against the eccentric weight as it is lowered.

Super-Slow Reps This technique is just what the name says, repetitions done at a much slower than usual rate. The typical time under tension performed is 10 seconds up and 10 seconds down. This one can become very difficult to perform due to the extended time under load, but is relatively safer because momentum and the need for maximum weight are greatly decreased.

Cheating Technique This technique should only be used by experienced and advanced trainees. It involves performing a number of repetitions of an exercise until you can no longer perform it utilizing strict form. From there you continue to perform the exercise by "cheating" just enough to get the weight past the sticking point in the range of motion so that you can continue to perform a few more reps. This requires strength, control and stability in many of the critical joints and muscles that, if performed incorrectly, can cause serious injury. Use caution with this technique!

So there you have it. Much of what you need to know about advanced resistance training and constructing a complete program for continued results!