| You've been working your workout plan and are | | | | motion. If you experience jerks, move back down to |
| experiencing some frustration because you have | | | | the lighter weight. |
| noticed that you are maintaining your weight, staying at | | | | Stay in motion during each set. Rest periods are for |
| the same strength for months now and it's worrying | | | | resting not during your sets. Watch especially during |
| you! Stop the frustration - you are not doing anything | | | | your squats to not lock your knees, arms or legs and |
| wrong, you have just experienced a "plateau" you | | | | rest even for a second. Keep the smooth motion |
| need to take your workout plan to the next level; here | | | | going without a hesitation. |
| is how to do that: | | | | Do not stop when you reach bottom of any exercise. |
| Your Warm up: | | | | It's tempting at the bottom of a curl to stop - but do |
| It is important to do a warm-up before each of your | | | | not give in to this temptation. |
| exercise sets. Utilize approximately 50% of the weight | | | | Taking Your Workout Plan Up a Level |
| you are going to be using for your main workout. A | | | | 3 day a week workout plans |
| good warm-up is to do 4 to 6 reps of this 50% weight. | | | | Example: |
| You want to do enough to just warm up your | | | | Monday workout |
| muscles. | | | | Tuesday no |
| Exercise Sets: | | | | Wednesday workout |
| Work your plan of exercise sets based on your | | | | Thursday no |
| routine, which should include the following: | | | | Friday workout |
| Abs, barbell bicep curls, barbell overhead shoulder | | | | Saturday and Sunday no |
| presses, bench presses, dumbbell pullovers, leg curls, | | | | Intermediate bodybuilders will benefit from a 2.5-day |
| leg extensions, standing calf raises, squats, weighted | | | | workout plan |
| dips, and also weighted pull-ups. | | | | Example: |
| Workout Tips | | | | Monday workout |
| Never, ever workout without a workout partner | | | | Tuesday and Wednesday no |
| Time your workout to last no longer than 45 minutes. | | | | Thursday workout |
| This includes your rest periods in between sets. The | | | | Friday and Saturday no |
| caution here is that if you workout longer than 45 | | | | Sunday workout |
| minutes the hormone, cortisol will increase and this will | | | | Monday and Tuesday nocontinue with this one day |
| be counter-productive to your goal. The best results | | | | workout, 2 days no workout. |
| are seen when you make a time goal along with your | | | | Plateau Tips |
| workout goal. Stay focused on working your sets with | | | | You must increase your workout for your body to |
| rests in between sets and accomplishing your workout | | | | increase in strength. |
| plan within your 45 minute time limit; get in, work hard, | | | | Example: |
| stay focused, get out. | | | | Last workout 220 lbs for 10 reps |
| Choose your weights based on achieving the number | | | | This workout 225 lbs for 8 reps |
| of reps and not any more than that number. You will | | | | Next workout 225 lbs for 9 reps |
| know you have chosen wisely because you will | | | | Then next workout 225 lbs for 10 reps |
| physically be unable to complete another rep. | | | | Repeat the pattern with 5 lb increments on weight |
| Do not cheat on your form - concentrate on achieving | | | | In order to remember your workout plan, write it down. |
| perfect form each and every rep. Use full range of | | | | Do not rely on memory. Follow your plan, stay |
| motion and on the way down (2 seconds time span | | | | focused, and take rests in between sets and above all |
| with 2 seconds on the way up). Absolutely no weight | | | | use a workout partner! |
| jerking allowed. You want a smooth up and down | | | | |