Buffalo Run TEAM

The American College of Sports Medicine recommends one set of eight to 12 repetitions (10 to 15 reps if you are 50 or older) for all large muscle groups twice a week. And yes, you only have to do one set. If you do have more aggressive goals it may be necessary to complete multiple sets of each exercise, but for the majority of people one set is enough.

Here are a few guidelines to follow when designing your resistance-training program.

• Quality and execution of movement is critical. It makes no sense to perform 20 sloppy reps. It is far better to perform eight reps with good form.

• Use resources to ensure that you are using good form.  If you don’t have access to a personal trainer, you can often find examples of instructional videos on YouTube.

• Take it slowly. A lot of people lift much too quickly, using momentum instead of muscle. Try to take 4 or 5 seconds to complete a repetition. A set of 8 to 12 repetitions will take approximately 30 seconds to 1 minute to complete.

• Remember to breathe. Focus on exhaling as you lift the weight or when you exert and inhaling as you recover or lower the weight.

• Maintain good posture. Proper posture is critical to ensure you are working the proper muscle groups and not putting your body at risk of injury. Always keep your abdominals contracted and pull them up and in toward your spine to help stabilize your trunk. Keep your shoulders back and chest lifted up and out during seated, bent-over or standing exercises.

• Find the proper weight. If you cannot perform 8 reps, the weight is too heavy. If you can perform 12 reps with perfect technique, increase the weight by 5%.

• Your muscles require a day of rest.  Perform your muscle conditioning sessions on alternating days.

Which exercises will do the trick?

There are literally hundreds of different exercises you could perform to get the results you want. Start with basic exercises. Every 4 to 6 weeks try to add a new challenge to any exercise that you are performing.

You can do this by:
• changing the resistance (add more weight)
• the exercise (single leg vs. standard squat)
• the order in which you perform them
• the number of sets or reps
• the recovery time you take between exercises
• the number of days you work out each week

Sample program you can do in the gym or at home
Twice a week set aside 30 to 45 minutes
Squat
Push Ups
Lunges
Seated Row
Hamstring Curl
Lat Pull Down
Back Extensions
Shoulder Press
Plank
Side Plank

Have fun, build muscle, and with consistency you will see results.