Training program for strength and mass at the same time

Which training program to choose to increase strength and mass is not always obvious. If you decide to take care of your body and start regularly visiting the gym, it is important to study the issue of the effectiveness of training for different muscle groups in more detail.

To choose the most effective program, you need to take into account some nuances: the purpose of the training, your state of health, whether you have experience working out on exercise machines and using weights. Programs for losing weight or, conversely, gaining weight differ greatly from each other in the selection of exercises, intensity of exercise and volume of loads.

Rules and features

Each gym provides new clients with an introduction to the trainers, services and area. An introductory lesson for girls together with an experienced trainer is necessary in order to determine the level of physical fitness, draw up an optimal plan for future classes, and also describe the sequence in which the exercises should be performed.

At the first training session, you become familiar with the technique of performing each exercise. To master the gym, it will take about 4-5 weeks of regular training. After learning all the basics, you can begin independent training and adjust the degree of load, which only increases with each training session.

The strength training program, designed for a week, includes 3-4 workouts, the duration of which is 60-90 minutes. There should be a rest day between workouts, during which the muscles can recover. Mass training also involves alternating exercise and rest.

A strength and mass training program for women should be developed taking into account muscle size. The fewer there are, the less attention should be paid to them. That is why training for women should include a basic complex, but the main load should fall on the muscles of the part of the body where there are more of them.

In the female body, most of the muscles are localized in the lower part, so it needs to be trained more intensively than the upper part. Based on this, you need to develop a training scheme like this: 2-3 exercises on the legs and only one on the back, shoulders, arms or chest.

Rules for training for mass and strength:

1. Training for mass must necessarily include a basic and isolating complex, and for strength it mainly includes multi-joint exercises.
2. Strength training lasts about 2 hours, and weight training no more than 60 minutes, and this is due to the fact that the breaks between approaches are longer.
3. During training for strength, muscles contract at medium and high speeds, and for mass – at slow and medium speeds.
4. The number of repetitions during training for strength is from 1 to 6, and for mass – 6-12.
5. The optimal number of workouts per week is 3-4.
6. Strength training involves infrequent aerobic exercise, unlike mass training.

Power training

Power training focuses on overcoming resistance in general, as well as the ability to overcome resistance in the shortest possible time. In simple terms, the expression P = F • v means that power can be increased by increasing strength/speed or using mixed methods. To maximize energy production, you can use a combination of non-load exercises (eg, 0% 1RM) and loaded exercises (eg, up to 90% 1RM), gradually increasing the variety of programs. This approach allows you to work continuously throughout the workout (from 0 to 90% 1RM), which helps to maximize its output. Do not forget that exercises should be performed as quickly as possible, but with constant monitoring.

• Typically, during such training, the resistance is lower and the speed of movement is much higher (exercises with increasing resistance are also a form of power training);
• The following strength exercises can be adapted for power training: squats, lunges, overhead presses, biceps curls, vertical and horizontal push-ups, bench press, triceps overhead press. Adaptation is carried out by accelerating concentric contractions (at the moment of lifting the weight) and maintaining a slow pace of eccentric contractions (returning the weight to its original position).
• Power measures how quickly a person can apply force to produce a desired movement. For example, you may have enough strength to cross the road, but it is the power that determines whether you can cross it before the traffic light changes. Likewise, power prevents falls by helping a person react quickly if they trip or lose their balance.

Why are they needed?

The strength and mass training program has recently become popular among the fair sex, and all thanks to the fact that it succeeds in:

• make your figure more graceful;
• carry out a radical correction of the silhouette;
• create strong muscles that provide beautiful shapes;

• keep the body healthy, because muscle mass allows you to prolong the health of bones and joints, reliably protecting them from injury;
• make the body resilient and strong due to developed muscles.

How to increase muscle strength and size?

Anyone who wants to develop strength will benefit from training with heavy weights. In this case, the number of repetitions should be minimal. The best option would be 2-5 repetitions within one approach.

For training, you should select multi-joint movements. They are more effective than isolated exercises targeting similar muscle groups. This way the body relaxes opposing muscles and activates synergistic muscles.

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If you are more interested in muscle size than their strength, then you need to do 8-12 repetitions in one approach. In this case, the weight must be selected in such a way as to cope with the approach.

In addition, to increase muscle volume, you need to periodically change exercises and the technique of performing them. For example, you can change the bend angle or the simulator.

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Contraindications and possible harm

A training program for strength and mass will bring invaluable benefits to the female body, but we must remember that it can also cause harm.

It is contraindicated to exercise:

1. During menstruation. During these few days, the female body becomes less resilient and especially vulnerable. The body saves energy for bearing a fetus, so for this period it is worth excluding all strength training or using only light exercises.
2. The period of gestation. During this period, the female body undergoes serious changes, and any excessive activity can provoke miscarriage and spontaneous abortion. Even minor stress can cause complications during labor.

If a woman’s history contains records of the presence of certain pathologies, then physical activity is also contraindicated.

These include:

• bronchial asthma;
• atherosclerosis;
• arrhythmia;
• hypertension;
• heart diseases.

If physical activity is still needed, then it is better to consult with a specialist and choose the optimal complex.

Adaptations for Strength and Power Training

Because power training involves overcoming a load through the development of high speed of movement, neuromuscular adaptations such as an increase in the percentage of fast-twitch muscle fibers, faster reaction times, and an increase in the frequency of neuromotor units are possible.

This and other issues are discussed in detail at the “Motor Control and Learning” seminar. Find out more...

Strength training helps to increase the number of muscle fibers and improve their synchronization.

Week schedule

Any workout must begin with a warm-up, which will help prepare the muscles for stress and prevent injury. And a workout for strength and mass, like any other, should end with a cool-down, during which the muscles recover after exertion.

The table below offers a starting template for a training program for women who are just starting their sports journey and have decided to change their body. This pattern can change depending on the woman's preferences. The plan involves 3 classes per week. It is the woman herself who decides whether to include cardio exercise in the plan or not, and everything depends on her well-being and goals of the training process.

Circuit training is an ideal option for overweight women. It is recommended for use by women who already have experience in the gym. That is why it is recommended to include it in the training process after 3-4 weeks of intense training. Circuit training involves the inclusion of 10 exercises that are performed without interruption.

At the end of each circle there is a break, but no more than 5 minutes, and after that there is another circle and there can be 3-4 of them in total.

Circuit training may include the following exercise program:

• twisting in the simulator;
• hyperextension;
• dumbbell or barbell press;
• Romanian deadlift;
• leg extension in the simulator;
• dumbbell rows with an inclined body;
• weighted squats;
• push ups;
• barbell row behind the head.

Circuit training provides an anaerobic load on the body. But only if the pace of the training process itself is optimal.

Development of a strength training program[edit | edit code]

When developing a strength training program, numerous factors play a large role, which were outlined in the article Strength Training Techniques. According to some authors (Kraemer, Hakkinen, 2002), the following stages are the most important when developing a training session.

Analysis of the strength requirements of the sport[edit | edit code]

This is the very first step in developing a program, and it is of great importance. This analysis of the requirements of a particular sport forms the basis of the training program and determines the subsequent program. A carefully conducted analysis allows you to obtain the necessary information about the relevant muscle groups, their energy resources (aerobic and anaerobic), their mode of operation (isometric, concentric, eccentric), as well as the possible risk of injury or injury already received.

When analyzing muscle groups, biomechanical measurement methods are used. These include, for example, kinematic studies of movements based on video recordings. With their help, you can accurately determine the angles of the limbs and their acceleration during movements. The exact state of the muscles being trained and their strength potential can also be studied using EMG (determining the degree of muscle activity during movement) and dynamometry (measuring the force generated in the muscles, for example, when lying on the floor). Trainers usually, based on their experience, have a good understanding of the functioning of various muscle groups. This experience and knowledge is very useful as a complement to biomechanical analysis.

It is also important to take into account the energy needs of muscles when developing a training program, since the choice of training stimuli (load standards) must take into account special aspects of metabolism. In the case of strength training, this means that anaerobic processes must be optimized first. Forceful contractions lasting less than 10 s are performed primarily by ATP and creatine phosphate (CP). Strength development over a longer period of time is associated with the predominance of anaerobic glycolysis. This must be taken into account when developing a training program, which either should include types of tension that are short but very intense, or should be aimed at developing the ability to maintain tension for a long time.

In addition to the energy needs of the muscles, determined by the specifics of a particular sport, the training program is also significantly influenced by the corresponding types of muscle work. The principles of biomechanical analysis described above and their connection with the characteristics of a particular sport underlie the goals of the planned load. For example, a wrestler’s training program includes not only exercises to develop dynamic strength, but also isometric exercises aimed at developing holding strength and arm strength, since this mode of muscle work is found in many types of “holding” techniques.

In addition, injury specifics should be taken into account when planning strength training. It often turns out to be advisable to compensate for excessively one-sided loads within the framework of any sport with appropriate strength exercises. For example, targeted back training is very useful for tennis players. In addition, after injury, strength training of weakened parts of the body (for example, when the ankle joints are damaged while playing volleyball) can be of great importance in order to effectively and painlessly recover and return to playing their sport.

From the analysis of the strength requirements for each specific sport, an analysis of the training goals follows. This also applies to strength training for fitness and general health purposes. In the latter case, the training objectives are influenced not so much by the specifics of the sport, but by the personal goals of the trainee - if, for example, it is important for him to increase muscle mass or achieve healthy posture. Such goals are the basis of planning and training programs here.

Selection of exercises[edit | edit code]

Exercises can target single-joint and multi-joint movements. The choice of exercises should take into account the strength requirements of the sport. Multi-joint exercises (compound exercises), such as the back squat, require more intermuscular coordination than single-joint (isolation) exercises (such as straightening the knees). In many sports, it is advisable to include basic exercises in the training program. In most sports, strength is developed using all or at least many joints. Examples include ball games, athletics and gymnastics. If strength training is aimed at building a physique, these factors are not of great importance. Strength training to improve strength endurance or increase muscle mass should contain both isolated and compound exercises, while when training speed-strength qualities, the emphasis is on compound exercises (ACSM (American College of Sports Medicine), 2002). In any case, when choosing exercises, it is necessary to consider whether sufficient load is achieved on the trunk muscles. This aspect is also extremely important for strength training of the limbs. In this case, it is necessary that the exercises include concentric and eccentric phases of muscle work.

When choosing exercises, it is also important to consider whether they are performed on machines (for example, an incline leg press machine) or with free weights (dumbbells, etc.). The advantage of exercise machines is that they are usually reliable in operation, and in addition, they are easy to learn to perform movements in a certain sequence. The machines also specifically train specific muscle groups while keeping other muscles or parts of the body in a fixed position. Because of this, machine training is used more for training beginners and experienced athletes than for experienced professionals (ACSM, 2002). The advantage of exercise machines is that the exercises do not require well-developed coordination, it is possible to precisely control the load, and exercises on them are associated with a lower risk of injury (for example, to the spine). The disadvantage of exercise machines is that the movements performed on them sometimes have little in common with sports movements. Kinesthetic and proprioceptive responses during free weight exercise are more consistent with those athletic tasks or daily activities. In addition, there are more variations of free weight exercises, so their use seems especially appropriate when training experienced athletes (Stone and Borden, 1997; Stone et al., 2000). When training experienced athletes, an important condition for training with free weights is met, since at this level the athlete already knows how to appropriately coordinate power efforts and has sufficient supporting power and strength in the back muscles.

Similar to free weights, pulley pulleys provide a wide range of isolation and compound exercises (with horizontal, vertical and diagonal movements). That is why they are also often used in physical therapy, especially since such exercises allow you to practice movements encountered in everyday life and train the coordination and stabilization functions of muscles.

Sequence of exercises[edit | edit code]

There are clear recommendations regarding the sequence of individual exercises (ACSM, 2002). If, within one training session, exercises are performed on all parts of the body and large muscle groups, then:

• first you should work with large muscle groups, and then with small ones;

• First you should perform basic exercises, and then isolated ones; or

• You should alternate exercises for the upper and lower body.

When training separately, when exercises for the upper and lower parts of the body are performed on different days, you should also work first with large muscle groups and only then with small ones and start with multi-joint movements, and then switch to single-joint ones or alternate exercises on agonistic and antagonistic muscle groups. groups. In addition, when training different muscle groups separately, you must ensure that high-intensity exercises always precede lower-intensity exercises. It is often advisable to start training with new exercises with untrained movements, and then continue training with simple and familiar exercises (Aaberg, 2006).

These recommendations are based on the idea that the combination of large (multi-joint) and intense forms of exercise requires the athlete to have optimal athletic form, necessary for high accuracy of movements and good technique. This quality of training cannot be achieved while in a fatigued state. Although these recommendations sound quite convincing, there are a number of reasons why in special cases one can deviate from them (Kraemer, Hakkinen, 2002). In elite sports, you can often encounter situations where it is in a tired state that you have to achieve maximum speed-strength results. Situations of this kind arise, for example, at the end of a handball game, when the back row players still need to be able to jump high when taking shots at goal. The corresponding specific requirements of a particular sport should be reflected in the targeted construction of training sessions and in the sequence of exercises.

Load distribution[edit | edit code]

When distributing the load, first of all, you should pay attention to the number of approaches, the duration of the break between approaches, the intensity of the load (weight), as well as the rate of force development (Kraemer, Hakkinen, 2002), which does not necessarily have to correspond to the speed of movements. Load standards have already been discussed earlier. Due to the fact that when planning training, specific types of adaptation should be taken into account, load standards must correspond to the assigned tasks, i.e., improving strength indicators or abilities. This implies the number of approaches, while, as a rule, it is assumed that for a beginner, one approach is enough to achieve a good training effect corresponding to the initial stage. In subsequent stages, the number of approaches gradually increases (ACSM, 2002). High-intensity exercises, in which even highly professional athletes, withstanding the corresponding extreme load, achieve very good results after just one approach, do not correspond to this model of training planning (Giessing, 2008).

When distributing the load, the following aspect sometimes also plays a significant role: some muscles in the human body primarily perform stabilizing and supporting functions in everyday life. This so-called tonic muscle contains a large proportion of slow-twitch muscle fibers (ST fibers) and tends to shorten. Phasic muscles, on the other hand, are composed largely of fast-twitch fibers (FT fibers) and perform primarily directed movement functions. This muscle group tends to lose tone (Kraus-Leifeld, 2002). Because tonic and phasic muscles are tensed differently in everyday life, various types of muscle imbalances can occur.

The function of the muscles determines to what extent they should be stretched (tonic muscles) or strengthened (phasic muscles). In addition, muscle function determines how much strength endurance training is needed, for example to develop the ability to maintain tension. It is not possible to derive a general rule for distributing the load on individual muscles, because some tonic muscles (for example, m. rectus abdominis - rectus abdominis) also tend to weaken and therefore need to be strengthened. Therefore, these recommendations should be reviewed on a case-by-case basis, taking into account the individual qualities of the athlete.

The works of Barteck (Barteck, 1998) and Rimbach (2001) provide the following list of muscles for which, according to the authors, it is advisable to use strength exercises of increased intensity:

• serratus anterior muscle (m. serratus anterior);

• rhomboid muscles (mm. rhomboidei);

• the ascending part of the trapezius muscle (m. trapezius pars ascendens);

• abdominal muscles (mm. abdominis);

• gluteus maximus, medius and minimus (mm. gluteus maximus, medius et minimus);

• tibialis anterior muscle (m. tibialis anterior).

Stretching exercises are suggested for muscles that tend to shorten:

• pectoralis major and minor (mm. pectoralis major et minor);

• descending part of the trapezius muscle (m. trapezius pars descendens);

• muscle that lifts the scapula (m. levator scapulae);

• muscle that straightens the spine (m. erector spinae);

• iliopsoas muscle (m. iliopsoas);

• short, long and magnus adductor muscles (mm. adductor brevis, longus et magnus);

• rectus femoris muscle (m. rectus femoris);

• ischiocrural muscles (m. ischiocruralis);

• soleus muscle (m. soleus);

• calf muscle (m. gastrocnemius).

As a conclusion, we should briefly dwell on the role of range of motion. When strength training, the entire range of motion due to the anatomical characteristics of each joint should be optimally used. The range of movements is also influenced by injuries or damage and the specific goal setting of the athlete or the specifics of a particular sport (Aaberg, 2006). This often means that when performing joint flexion exercises, the range of motion must also include (near) maximum extension at that joint. Using the joint to its full potential simultaneously serves to preserve its functions. In this case, hyperextension in the joint should be avoided, especially under high loads.

Training plans for the initial and advanced stages[edit | edit code]

Training plans should be individualized and take into account the athlete's personal goals, the characteristics and demands of the sport, the athlete's past experience, especially injuries, his personal strengths and weaknesses, and much more. Therefore, it is quite difficult to give a general formula for their compilation.

The plans below should be treated as general guidelines; they must be compared with the characteristics of each case and appropriate changes must be introduced into them. They can only be considered as a possible application of theory in practice.

When creating training plans, it is fundamentally important that training sessions include a sufficient number of rest phases. If pain or signs of fatigue occur during or after training, you should lengthen the rest periods, reduce the intensity of the exercise, or, in certain cases, consult a doctor.

When creating a training program for beginners, the first thing to choose is exercises for large proximal muscles, especially the abdominal muscles and back extensor muscles. These exercises should cover the full range of all joint movements and be performed repeatedly with submaximal tension; maximum tension is excluded at this stage (Zatsiorsky, Kraemer, 2008). Beginner athletes, as well as those with some experience, should first perform a large number of exercises on machines, which will then be gradually replaced by exercises with free weights over the following months. In addition, at this stage exercises are performed on all parts of the body. You cannot immediately switch to separate-type training: training of various forms of strength manifestation (taking into account restrictions regarding fast strength and reactive strength) must be planned in a yearly cycle and have a certain frequency.

The first approximate training plan is based on a basic program in accordance with the recommendations of Kraemer and Hakkinen (Kraemer, Hakkinen, 2002). This plan is designed for beginner training, which is carried out 2 times a week. Over a period of 6 to 8 weeks. At least 12-16 training sessions should be conducted, and the number of series should be increased from 1 to 3. The basic program (Table 3) includes training of important muscle groups, exercises for which are performed in each lesson - both basic and isolated exercises. The sample plan also includes some free weight exercises, which can be replaced, where possible, with appropriate machine exercises. In addition to this program, the following exercises are also offered: single leg extensions, wrist crunches, and reverse grip wrist crunches (Berschin, 2005) in different training sessions; calf raises, French press, dumbbell rows on a bench, hyperextension.

Table 3. Example of a training plan - basic program for 6-8 weeks.

Table 4. Example of a plan for a year

Table 5. Split-type training program for experienced athletes for 4 days

The emphasis here is on push/pull exercises, and the muscles that bear the majority of the load are given at least 48 hours of rest in a four-day training week.

When to expect the effect

The training program will bring real results within 1-2 months, but only if a person not only trains regularly in the gym, but also reviews his diet.

A training program that helps women develop strength and gain mass will provide invaluable benefits if it is properly designed and followed regularly. With its help, you can not only tighten your figure and make your body shape beautiful, but also get rid of extra pounds and improve your well-being.

Exercising helps strengthen the immune system, stimulate the production of hormones, and protect bones from injury. To achieve visible results, it is important to train regularly, be sure to increase the load with each new workout and review your diet.

Sports training

From the above facts, it becomes quite obvious that power training is useful not only in everyday life, but also in competitive endeavors.

• High-speed exercise leads to specific speed adaptations, which makes it important for the development of the body's performance during physical activity.
• Athletes who participate in sports that require highly developed fast running or high jumping skills may also benefit from power training.
• Increasing speed of movement is one of the most desirable goals for achieving significant athletic performance. Incorporating ultra-speed exercises into your training program can be very beneficial in this regard.
• In addition, short training sessions cause dramatic neuroadaptations, resulting in rapid increases in physical strength without muscle hypertrophy.

Training program 2nd cycle

Hard week. Day 1: back, day 2: triceps, day 3: chest, day 4: shoulders, day 5: legs, day 6: biceps. Large muscle groups: Mon/Wed/Fri, small groups: Tue/Thu/Sat.

Easy week. In terms of the number of training days, the order of muscle groups and the arrangement of exercises, it completely repeats a difficult week.

How to gain weight

If you completed all 5 sets 5 times without much difficulty, then the weight is light enough and it’s time to increase it.

On average, weight increases by 2.5 – 5 kg:

• For squats and deadlifts, it is rational to take a 5 kg step
• For bench press – 2.5 kg

After increasing the weight on the barbell, you are unlikely to be able to immediately do all 5 sets of 5 reps.

Most likely you will be able to complete this task only in the first 2-3 approaches. In the remaining ones it can be 5 sets of 4 or 3 repetitions.

Work with the set weight until you can again do all 5 sets of 5 times, and then increase.

Training program 3rd cycle

Hard week. Day 1: legs, day 2: shoulders, day 3: back, day 4: biceps, day 5: chest, day 6: triceps. Large muscle groups: Mon/Wed/Fri, small groups: Tue/Thu/Sat.

Easy week. In terms of the number of training days, the order of muscle groups and the arrangement of exercises, it completely repeats a difficult week.

What are sets and repetitions in training?

Strength exercises can be performed in different ways: more sets and fewer repetitions, and vice versa, in “rounds”, when the exercise is performed over a certain period of time. But a more common option is training consisting of sets. In other words, “approaches”. This option involves loading through repetitions (repetitions). This training scheme is most often used in strength training. In fact, the goal of strength training can be to increase strength, increase strength endurance, and gain or lose mass. Only the number of approaches, repetitions and rest time changes. You can complicate the training process by adding supersets and dropsets, which increase the intensity of the training, muscle fatigue, and also improve the work on the terrain.

Training program 1st cycle

Hard week. Day 1: chest, day 2: biceps, day 3: legs, day 4: triceps, day 5: back, day 6: shoulders. Large muscle groups: Mon/Wed/Fri, small groups: Tue/Thu/Sat.

Easy week. In terms of the number of training days, the order of muscle groups and the arrangement of exercises, it completely repeats a difficult week.

Training program 4th cycle

Hard week. Day 1: biceps, day 2: chest, day 3: triceps, day 4: back, day 5: shoulders, day 6: legs. Large muscle groups: Tue/Thu/Sat, small groups: Mon/Wed/Fri.

Easy week. In terms of the number of training days, the order of muscle groups and the arrangement of exercises, it completely repeats a difficult week.