Subscribe RSS FeedWeight training is a great way to get fit, tone the body and burn fat. Muscle is hungry and therefore consumes a lot of calories to maintain itself, which is why weight training is a good way to help control weight. However, a traditional bodybuilding routine is not always the best weight training workout to follow, as bodybuilding workouts focus on isolation exercises, which are designed to help definition in specific muscles. For all round health and fitness you should do compound weight training exercises, which work several muscles in unison.
Compound weight training exercises have the added advantage of burning more fat too. Because the movements involve several muscles working together they work the body harder than isolation exercises. If you want maximum fat burning in your workouts as well as increased metabolism from having more muscle tissue a compound weight training routine is idea.
Athletes follow these types of workouts as they create more explosive muscular power. However, just because athletes and professional sports players do these exercises, it certainly does not mean that you cannot. We all respond in similar ways to these exercises, i.e. building strength and burning fat.
Compound Weight Training Exercises
For athletic strength it is advisable to workout in the range of 5-8 reps per set, with 2 work sets. Warm up before each work set with one or two light sets of 10-15 reps. Use weights that are heavy enough to ensure that you have to work very hard to complete the last few lifts.
Always ensure that your form is good. If you cannot complete the final lift without breaking proper form then you have reached muscular failure. After each set rest for 2-3 minutes, if you are working really hard on the bigger exercises, such as the squat and deadlift you may have to rest for up to 5 minutes to ensure you are fully recovered before starting the second work set.
Biceps and triceps are the two muscles that are effectively worked in isolation. Although you will be working both of these muscles when doing the other exercises, it is recommended that you work them in isolation at the end of a session.
Another isolation exercise that is important for athletes is the calf raise as this helps to strengthen the Achilles and provides support when pushing off on a sprint or landing from a jump. The calves are like the biceps and triceps of the lower body, they are relatively small compared to the big work muscles of the thighs and back, but they are still important.
It is up to you whether you do all the exercises in one long session or split the workout. If you split them, it means you can work harder on each exercise and do not risk over training. A popular split is the push/pull split.
Push Exercises
- Barbell Bench Press
- Shoulder Press
- Calf raises
- Tricep Extensions
Pull Exercises
- Barlbell Squat
- Barbell Deadlift
- Power Clean
- Bent Over Row
- Pull Ups (assisted and modified pull ups are recommended)
- Chin ups
- Barbell Curl
The deadlift and power clean both work the same muscles in the legs and lower back, so do not perform both of these in the same session. The power clean is a very dynamic weight lifting exercise that strengthen and work the entire body from the legs to the shoulders. Power clean is excellent for building muscle too, and a correct form is vital to prevent injury. A power clean is essentially a deadlift and upright row combined that works the hips, back and arms.
