Fitness

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Starting a weight training program

Weight training can boost your strength, tone your muscles and help you lose fat. Ready to start a weight training program?

Warm up with five to 10 minutes of stretching or brisk walking. Then choose a weight or resistance level heavy enough to tire your muscles after about 12 repetitions. With the proper weight, a single set of 12 repetitions can build muscle just as efficiently as can multiple sets of the same exercise.

To give your muscles time to recover, rest a day between exercising each specific muscle group — and remember to complement weight training exercises with daily aerobic activity. Overall fitness will soon be yours!

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2. Pollock ML, et al. Resistance training for health. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. http://www.fitness.gov/resistance.pdf. Accessed March 1, 2010.
3. Peterson DM. Overview of the benefits and risks of exercise. http://www.uptodate.com/home/index.html. Accessed March 1, 2010.
4. Wilmore JH, et al. Principles of exercise training. In: Wilmore JH, et al. Physiology of Sport and Exercise. 4th ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:186.
5. Earle RW, et al. Resistance training and spotting techniques. In: Baechle TR, et al. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:325.
6. Harman E, et al. Administration, scoring, and interpretation of selected tests. In: Baechle TR, et al. Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning. 3rd ed. Champaign, Ill.: Human Kinetics; 2008:249.