Home Gym Workout Basics
Not sure how to get the best out of your home gym? Here are the basics of weight training and how you can use these fundamentals to get develop a workout plan.
There are a number of important terms that you will hear with regards to training. These are repetitions, sets and rest.
Repetitions
A repetition, or rep, is one complete weight training movement. For instance if you are performing a bicep curl with a dumbbell, it is the lifting and lowering of the arm. Don't rush to finish a repetition, it should be carried out in a steady and controlled manner. Remember that even when you are lowering the weight, you are still putting a load on the muscles and therefore gaining some benefit.
Sets
A set is a series of repetitions. For instance you may start by carrying out 1 or 2 sets of 12 repetitions of an exercise. The number of repetitions and sets will depend on your training goals. If you are training for power/strength you should use fewer repetitions and more sets. If you are aiming to loose weight/build endurance you should aim to perform more repetitions with fewer sets.
Rest
It is important to have a short rest in-between sets to allow your muscles to recover, but not long enough that they art to cool down and you risk injury. If you are lifting heavy weights to develop strength and power you can rest for 2-5 minutes between sets. For lighter loads you can reduce the rest time to 15-60 secs.
Here are some sample weight training goals
Weight Loss
- Repetitions: 12-25
- Sets: 1-3
- Rest between sets: 15-60 secs
Muscle Toning
- Repetitions: 12-15
- Sets: 2-3
- Rest between sets: 30secs-2mins
Power/Strength
- Repetitions: 1-8
- Sets: 4-5
- Rest between sets: 2-5min
Amount of Weight
The amount of weight you lift is critical to your success. Not enough and you will not benefit, too much and you risk injury. You should aim to lift weight so that the last 2 or 3 repetitions of an exercise are a challenge. The amount of weight will also be determined by your goals. If you are aiming to lose weight with your home gym, you don't need to lift as heavy weights as a person aiming to develop power and strength.