TRAINING FOR THE FITNESS / FIGURE ATHLETE

PRIMARY GOAL: First stage preparation for future figure or fitness competition

1. Your weight training goal is to improve your muscularity, muscle tone, and separation while developing an athletic looking physique.

2. In order to achieve your training goal and be the best “you”, you must show progress 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.
• Increase the sets.
• Train more often.

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. You can download our recommended journal format at: www.bodybuildingworld.com; click on Training Diary in the yellow box at the top of the page.

• Use proper form.
• Make sure each exercise is working the correct area. Use a full range of motion on every exercise to develop muscularity and separation.

4. Train with weights at least 5 times per week Monday through Friday. You can adjust the days as necessary but really try to get in 5 training sessions per week. We’ll be focusing on the parts that are especially important for Figure Competition – legs, back, shoulders, and arms (and of course abs and glutes).

Day 1: Legs (quad emphasis)
Day 2: Back / Delts / Biceps
Day 3: Chest / Triceps
Day 4: Legs (glute/hamstring emphasis)

Day 5: Back / Delts / Arms

In this program you’ll use the most effective progression scheme, the Double Progressive System. After a warm-up, use the same weight for all sets. Start at the low end of the suggested rep range. Gradually increase the repetitions, usually adding one rep each week until you reach the top number of suggested reps for each set of a particular exercise. Then add weight and start over at the lower end of the rep scheme.

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 recommend amount of reps, then lighten the weight slightly.  Go pretty quick between sets.  You should not rest more than 90 seconds between sets.  Your cardio should follow your weight training except for a 5-10 minute warm-up.  The best times to do your cardio are in the mornings, after your weight training or in the evening before bed.

BONUS EXERCISES: it is very beneficial for the FIGURE COMPETITOR to perform push-ups and chins as often as possible. It can be as part of your cardio or at the end of your workout. To progress - just try to go for a greater cumulative number each week. If you do ten pushups each workout of week one, that’s 50 cumulative reps; next week – beat that total.

FIGURE ATHLETE TRAINING – PROGRAM

MONDAY: LEGS

Leg Press                                 3 x 10-15 reps

Squats                                      3 x 8-12 reps

Hack Squat Machine                  3 x 10-15 reps 

*do the Hack Squats as One and One Half Reps.  This means go all the way down below parallel with your quads, then come half way up, then all the way back down, and then all the way up.  This equals 1 repetition.

Stiff-Legged Deadlift                 3 x 12 reps

Leg Extensions                         3 x 12 reps

Abs                                          8 sets of 25-50 (use any variety of exercises you want)

TUESDAY: BACK, DELTS, BICEPS (LIGHT DAY)

One Arm DB Row                      3 x 8-10 reps 

Pulldowns                                 3 x 8-12 reps

Seated Cable Row                     3 x 8-12 reps (or do any seated machine row)

DB Lateral Raise                       3 x 10 reps each way (bent-over lateral, side lateral, front raise)

Cable Curl                                 3 x 8-12 reps

Incline DB Curl                          3 x 8-10 reps

Calf Raises                               6-8 sets of 15 reps on any combination of machines

WEDNESDAY: CHEST, TRICEPS

Incline DB Press                        4 x 6-10 reps

Flat Dumbbell Press                  4 x 8-12 reps

Pec Deck                                  3 x 8-12 reps

Tricep Pushdowns                     4 x 8-12 reps

Lying Tricep Ext                        4 x 10-12 reps

Abs                                          6 sets of 15-25 reps

THURSDAY: LEGS (GLUTE EMPHASIS)

Romanian Dead Lift                   3 x 10-15 (superset with next exercise)

Wide Leg Press                         3 x 10-15

Leg Curl                                    3 x 6-8 (superset with next exercise)

Walking Lunge                           3 x 12-15 steps with each foot

Leg Extension                           3 x 12 (superset with next exercise)

Smith Machine Squat                 3 x 12 non-lock

Calf Raises                               6-8 sets of 15 reps on any combination of machines

FRIDAY: DELTS, BACK, BICEPS, TRICEPS

Shoulder Press                                     3 x 6-10 (superset with next exercise)

Lat Pulldowns                           3 x 8-12 reps

Upright Row                              3 x 8-10 (superset with next exercise)

Straight-Arm Pulldowns             3 x 10-12 reps

Bent Over Laterals                     3 x 10-12 (superset with next exercise)

Seated Cable Row                     3 x 8-12 reps

Barbell or EZ Curl                      3 x 6-10 reps (superset with next exercise)

Close Grip Bench Press             3 x 6-10 reps

Concentration Curl                     2 x 10-12 reps

Dips or Triceps Dips                 2 x 10-15 reps

Abs                                          8 sets of 25-50 (use any variety of machines or exercises you want)       

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