by Adam Fletcher

Created on: June 27, 2009   Last Updated: July 08, 2009

A weight training program is simply an organized schedule which includes what exercises you will be doing, how many sets, how many reps of each exercise, and what days of the week these exercises will be completed. Everybody's weight training program will be different. Long and short term goals and how long you have to achieve these goals are the points that will differentiate your plan from someone else's.

Now, when creating your workout plan the first thing you need to ask yourself is this: what do I want to achieve? Do I want to be slim and toned or do I want to be bulging with muscle?

Reps, Weight, and Sets:

There are 3 basic divisions of weight training and they will determine how many reps you do and the weight you use.

Strength Training: For strength. Big muscles are created. Reps: 2-6.

General Sport Training: For athletes. Gain an athletic look. Muscles are semi large. Reps: 8-12.

Muscular Endurance Training: Great for people who do a lot of cardio. Flat and long muscles. Reps: 15-25.

Now that you have thought of your goals you should be able to fall into one of these categories and know how many reps you should be doing.

Determining the amount of weight to use for your reps is quite simple. By the end of the last set you should feel a burn and be tired. Do not over exert yourself, but just have a slight burn through the muscle that you're exercising.

The number of sets really doesn't matter as long as by the end of your workout session the muscles you worked are tired. Many people, including myself, use three sets.

How Often Should I Work Out?

For best results you should exercise 3-5 times a week, with leaving at least one day to rest.

When you finish exercising your muscles enter into a phase called muscle recovery time. Muscle recovery time is the time it takes for the ripped muscle tissue to repair itself and come back to full capacity. If you work out during muscle recovery time injury may occur. You need to properly rest each muscle exercised. Muscle recovery time is 48 - 72 hours for every muscle except for the abs and obliques. The abs and obliques (love handles) can be exercised every day as their muscle recovery time is 24 hours.

Muscle Confusion:

Muscle confusion is exactly what it says; confusing your muscles. We are creatures of adaptation. When we do the same exercise all the time our body adapts, our performance stops improving and starts to level out. In order to confuse your muscles and continue

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