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Home: Best Weight Lift Routines - What the Pros SayHowever with that in mind there are some general ideas that all pros agree make any weightlifting goals more achievable. It is always best to clearly define your goals and work with a professional trainer before you begin any weightlifting program. And also check with your doctor, as you should before beginning any exercise regimen. The basic formula to successfully building lean muscle mass through weightlifting is a simple one. * Work only one muscle group per day - and be aware of what exercises work multiple muscle groups - a tried and true formula is 5 days on 2 days off. * Heavy Compound exercises like Squats, Deadlifts etc, work multiple muscle groups and give yo more "Bang for your Bucks, so focus on these type of exercises, unless you goal is to build specific muscles for specific sports or daily activities * Always develop your weekly/daily routine to lift large muscle groups before small one * Do compound weightlift exercises before isolation exercises Again the magic of weightlifting as an exercise is that it can be used to improve overall health and physical fitness for your entire life - just ask Jack LaLanne, still pumping at 93! But a weightlifting program also can be targeted and tailor made to work specific muscle groups for specific sports, or even slow the progression of certain disease states like osteoporosis or arthritis. So without getting into specific exercises for your specific goals, experts also recommend the following for getting the most out of a general weightlifting program. Do more compound than isolation exercises, use proper form, and use heavy weights with minimal reps. The key to building muscle is to stimulate muscle growth by pushing muscles to the point of fatigue and stress - heavier weights do this more effectively. There is a misconception that if you can continue to do rep after rep with a light weight you will get "tone and definition". This is not true. Now that is not to say that doing reps of light weight has no benefit - you are getting a cardio workout doing that - but that is all you are doing - you are doing nothing to build muscle. That is where the familiar term "No Pain - No Gain" comes from. It doesn't mean that weightlifting is supposed to hurt, nor does it refer to the obvious pain you will be in the next day after your first weightlifting session. It means that in order to build muscle, muscle tissue must first be "hurt" it needs to be pushed beyond its limit - so it regrows bigger and stronger - it's really is that simple.
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