Guidelines

1. Guidelines • The following resistance training guidelines are recommended for the apparently healthy adult

2. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 1. In consultation with your clients, identify the primary goal of the program (i.e., strength, muscular endurance, muscle size, or muscle toning) and ask them how much time they are willing to commit to this program.

3. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 2. Based on your client’s goals, time commitment, and access to equipment, determine the type of resistance training program (i.e., dynamic, static, or isokinetic). ACSM 2002

4. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 3. Using results from your client’s muscular fitness assessment, identify specific muscle groups that need to be targeted in the exercise prescription. ACSM 2002

5. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 4. In addition to core exercises for the major muscle groups, select additional exercises for those muscle groups targeted in step 3. ACSM 2002

6. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 5. For novice weightlifters, order the exercises so the same muscle group is not exercised consecutively. ACSM 2002

7. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 6. Based on your client’s goals, determine appropriate starting loads, repetitions, and sets for each exercise, as well as frequency of the workouts. ACSM 2002

8. Steps for Developing a Resistance Training Program • 7. Set guidelines for progressively overloading each muscle group. ACSM 2002

9. Fundamental Guidelines • A primary goal of the program should be to develop total body strength and endurance in a relatively time-efficient manner. ACSM 2002

10. Fundamental Guidelines • Programs lasting longer than 1 hour per session are associated with higher dropout rates. ACSM 2002

11. Fundamental Guidelines • While more frequent training and additional sets or combinations of sets and repetitions elicit larger strength gains, most recreational exercisers will think the additional improvement is relatively too small for the amount of effort. ACSM 2002

12. Fundamental Guidelines • Adhere as closely as possible to the specific techniques for performing a given exercise. ACSM 2002

13. Fundamental Guidelines • Perform every exercise through a full range of motion. ACSM 2002

14. Fundamental Guidelines • Perform both the lifting (concentric phase) and lowering (eccentric phase) portion of the resistance exercises in a controlled manner. ACSM 2002

15. Fundamental Guidelines • Maintain a normal breathing pattern, since breath-holding can induce excessive increases in blood pressure. • Valsava Maneuver ACSM 2002

16. Fundamental Guidelines • If possible, exercise with a training partner who can provide feedback, assistance, and motivation. ACSM 2002

17. Fundamental Guidelines • Caution is advised for training that emphasis lengthening (eccentric) contractions, compared to shortening (concentric) or isometric contractions, as the potential for skeletal muscle soreness is accentuated. ACSM 2002

18. Exercise Selection • ACSM recommends an emphasis on multiple-joint exercises for maximizing muscle strength and closed kinetic chain movement capabilities in novice, intermediate, and advanced individuals. ACSM 2002

19. Order of Exercises • Order the exercises so that your client first executes multi-joint exercises -- such as the seated leg press, bench press and lat pull-down -- that involve larger muscles and more muscle groups. ACSM 2002

20. Order of Exercises • Then have your client progress to single-joint exercises for smaller muscle groups. ACSM 2002

21. Training Order When training all muscles in one session: • multiple-joint exercises before single-joint exercises, • large muscle group exercises before small muscle group exercises, • rotation of upper and lower body exercises. ACSM 2002

22. Training Order When training upper body one day and lower body on a separate day: • multiple-joint exercises before single-joint exercises, • large muscle group exercises before small muscle group exercises, • rotation of opposing exercises (agonist-antagonist relationship) ACSM 2002

23. Training Order When training individual muscle groups: • multiple-joint exercises before single-joint exercises, • higher intensity exercises before lower intensity exercises. ACSM 2002

24. Order of Exercises • When you prescribe two or more exercises for a specific muscle group, instruct the average individual to alternate muscle groups so that the muscle can rest and recover between exercises. ACSM 2002

25. Order of Exercises • In contrast, most advanced weightlifters prefer to do compound-sets or tri-sets in order to completely fatigue a targeted muscle group. ACSM 2002

26. Order of Exercises • To use this system, the client performs 2 (compound sets) or 3 (tri-sets) exercises consecutively for the same muscle group, with little or no rest between the exercises. ACSM 2002