1. Resistance training is the most important activity for reshaping your body. Not only does it tone your body but it plays a very important role in promoting fat loss because of the metabolic properties of muscle tissue.
2. Your weight training routine is structured as a three-day split routine. You’ll be training each muscle group once per week.
3. Some indispensable do’s and don’ts:
· Keep a workout journal. It can be a spiral notebook or as fancy as you like. Keep track of every training session. Use the “star” method * to track your progress. Every time you use a heavier weight than before on a set, get more reps with a particular weight, or complete a series of sets in less time give yourself a star in your journal.
4. You’ll alternate between a 45 minute weight training routine one day and a 30 minute cardio session the next. You can adjust the days as necessary but you must get in 3 resistance training and at least 3 cardio sessions per week.
Day 1: Shoulders / Biceps / Triceps
Day 2: Cardio (Treadmill Intervals)
Day 3: Quadriceps / Glutes / Hamstrings / Calves
Day 4: Cardio (Stationary Bike Intervals)
Day 5: Back / Chest / Abdominals
Day 6: Cardio (Stair Climber or Elliptical)
Use the same weight for all sets. Use AS MUCH WEIGHT AS YOU CAN WITH PERFECT FORM for the target amount of reps. If you can do more reps than the target, add weight. If you can't get at least the lower recommended amount of reps, then lighten the weight slightly.
Finish all your sets for a particular exercise before going to the next exercise.
Keep up a good pace during your workout. Perform a set, stretch the target muscle group, and then go right to your next set: lift – stretch – lift – stretch.
In order to become your best “you”, you’ll have to train beyond your comfort zone. Once you become accustomed to the prescribed exercises, you’ll pick a weight that is heavy enough so that the last few repetitions are very difficult (nearly impossible) to finish. This is how you will get the fullest benefit in both tone and fat loss from your training. With a little experimentation you’ll soon have a good idea of exactly how much weight you need to use for each exercise.
Once you achieve “baseline” weights for your workouts keep progressing in one or more of the following areas each time you workout:
· Amount of resistance or weight used for a particular set.
· Number of reps performed with a particular weight.
· Reduce the amount of rest time between sets.
· Train harder – go for the burn.
Many Bikini athletes take one or more cardio classes during the week in addition to, or in place of their scheduled cardio days.