How To Prepare A Training Program
- Mert Akdivar
- Dec 4, 2022
- 11 min read
Updated: Dec 8, 2022
In this article we will discuss how you should train, which rep, weight, rest ranges you should use to reach your goal. We will talk most questioned questions; when to increase weight, how many set, what is the ideal training duration, how many exercise are enough to muscle gain yet don't make overtrained, how many day a week you should train.
You will learn what are differences between compound isolated exercises, fullbody split PPL and bodyweight training vs fitness, going to failure, drop sets, pyramid sets, super sets, deload week and how to use them for your purpose. Also what causes left right, push pull unbalance and how to combine other sports with fitness.
Content
A. How To Prepare Training Program Step By Step?
A. Setting a Goal
B. 1RM
C. Reps, Weights and Rests
D. When to Increase Weight?
E. How Many Set?
F. Training Duration
G. How Many Exercise
H. How Many Day a Week?
B. Training Methods, Types and Principles
A. Compound - Isolated
B. Fullbody, Split, PPL
C. Failure, Drop sets, Pyramid sets, Super sets
D. Unbalance of Left Right
E. Unbalance of Push Pull
F. Deload Week
G. Fitness + Other Sports
H. Bodyweight vs Fitness
SETTING A GOAL
Knowing why you do workout is the initial point. The training programing builds on this purpose. Ask yourself and decide your purpose.
What can it be;
Power increase
Condition increase
Hypotrophy focus (muscle mass increase)
Performance focus (all type of movement focus training)
Don’t forget that if the muscle get enough stress, nutrient and rest, there will be muscle mass increase whatever the purpose.
1RM
One Repetition Maximum, AKA PR (personal record) maximum load that you can lift one repetition with a proper movement form. It is important to measure this value for tracking and planning your training program. The weights you are going to pick according to your purpose for your program, will be shown by percentage of 1RM. %40-60RM, represent the %40 and %60 of your maximum weight you can lift.
Before measuring 1RM (PR), warm-up properly. Definitely measure with an assister. Make sure maintain the movement form.
REPS, WEIGHTS, RESTS
Answers of these questions depend on the purpose and movement you choose.
Power increase:
1-5 reps
%80 and upper RM
3-5min rest
Optimum muscle growth (hypotrophy):
8-12 reps
%40-%60 RM
2min rest
Condition and durability increase;
15-20 reps
Lower then %40RM
45sec - 1.5min rest
Those who need to use high reps and low weights;
Hypertension patients
Those have hearth diseases
Patients who have undergone surgery and have stitches on their body
Briefly, people who should not create high pressure in their body
Those with joint and tendon pain
Want to burn fat
Rest periods can vary, the main thing is that the person feels ready both mentally and physically.
WHEN TO INCREASE WEIGHT?
The PR values measured at regular intervals will tell you your strength increase and the new weights you need to continue for improvement. The more you try to stay within the range of %RM for your purpose and the higher your 1RM, the more weight you need to use.
You can decrease the number of repetitions and increase the weight by using progressive overload without following 1RM. Over time, you can reduce the number of repetitions and try to go up to higher reps with the weight you use, and you can repeat the loop.
Example: 1st week; 12 reps 10kg, 2nd week; 10 reps 12.5kg, 3rd week; 8 reps 15kg, week 4; 10 reps 15kg, week 5; 12 reps 15kg, week 6; 10 reps 17.5kg …
Of course, these values will not progress so regularly and quickly. Doing what you can and trying to increase weight using progressive overload logic is the way you should follow over time.
HOW MANY SETS?
Researches show that to prevent atrophy and stimulate hypotrophy 3 and 12 total sets accordingly per week are must for each muscle group. This number reaches 16, 24 for biceps, triceps, forearm, calf and abs.
More sets means more stimulate but when we look at the growth vs sets graph, there is a decreasingly increase occur. Most important factors are hormones, nutrition and necessary recovery time for muscles.
It thought there will be no growth after a certain sets but under the certain conditions set increase means more muscle growth.
Performance and power focused trainers that produce impact force or don’t stay constant stress can perform more sets. The goal is in here not muscle growth but to integrate of movement to motor neurons.
TRAINING DURATION
Optimum training duration is 1-1.5 hour including warm-up and cool-down. Resistance training drive the body to catabolism. Long-term catabolism effects the hormones and muscle growth badly.
The duration can be change according to training purpose. Power and conditioning focused programs or performance trainings can take longer.
HOW MANY MOVEMENT?
If the number of muscle groups to be worked on in a workout increases, the number of movements that can be done for each group decreases. The reason for this inverse ratio is the limited training time.
In a regionally separated program, it is correct to determine the number of movements according to different muscle types and areas where the person is weak. A lot of movement does not mean a lot of progress. So it's important to choose exercises wisely.
Movements that focus on different muscle types and affect different muscle line directions can be selected for the same muscle group on different days of the week.
Not every workout has to be the same exercises, but too much variety is not good for muscle adaptation, therefor muscle growth.
HOW MANY DAYS A WEEK?
The answer to this question is shaped by your daily life. Since the most important factor is continuity, the focus should be on creating a schedule that you can adhere to and not disrupt.
Considering the optimum training time and the number of weekly sets to be completed, at least 3 days of resistance training should be done. Below this number, the number of sets per day increases. Therefore, the training period is prolonged and the efficiency obtained from the training decreases.
The factor that determines the upper limit is the body's resting and recovery process. As long as enough time is given and the body recovers, training can be done.
Let we start creating our own training program step by step.
Get rid of your prejudices and the information you think you know is right. You can keep them, but set them aside for now. Get rid of the classic programs, expand your horizons and be ready to look different. Otherwise, the steps below will not work for you.
Never restrict yourself as I can't work other muscle groups that I'm going to do chest or legs today, or I'm doing full body today and I have to work every area.
A good program is one that is flexible. It fits the purpose and the person. The person is not tried to fit the program.
Set a purpose
This will determine your training structure, what kind of movements you should do, how many reps and how much weight you should use. The beginning of everything is deciding whether what you are doing and your purpose are coming to the same point.
Determine how many days you can go and which days
This will determine the number of movements, the distribution of regions to days and the way of working. Continuity is the basis of your success, set a schedule for yourself that you will definitely do training, which you will not miss, and that fits your daily life.
Edit program structure and muscle groups
Distribute the major muscle groups over the days for the days you set. Give priority to compound movements. Decide if resting between 2 workouts will be enough.
Whether it's full body, split or ppl style... Put the big muscle groups into the days by being completely committed to your purpose and giving enough rest between workouts. Remember, you don't have to choose just one. Mix, adjust and place as you like.
Low-intensity training facilitates muscle regeneration. You can get to the next workout ahead of time. In this way, you can divide your movements into more days and spend less intense training. This will cause the number of days to increase. But on the other hand, if you are involved in other sports or if you have limited time for sports every day, it will add other advantages to you.
Choose the exercises you want to do
Identify movements that suit you and your purpose, that you enjoy working on and that you develop. Classify them according to muscle groups. Pay attention to the ratio of the number of compound and isolated movements, according to your purpose. When choosing the number of moves, remember that it will be enough to do a total of 12 sets from the same area per week. You don't have to run each region with separate movements according to the muscle line direction.
Some movements have been found with experimental results, they give the best muscle development for that area compared to other movements, don't forget to prioritize them in your program.
Distribute movements to days
Place the movements you have chosen and grouped in appropriate places according to the days when you distribute the major muscle groups.
Place compound movements first. Let isolated movements wait in a corner. Give second priority to the areas that you will apply according to the direction of the muscle lines of the muscle groups and that you see in yourself as missing. Finally, add the isolated moves you want to work on. Remember, the higher the number of moves, the longer the training time. After a certain point, this can cause more harm than good. A lot of movement does not mean a lot of progress.
Some muscle groups regenerate quickly. (calf, biceps, triceps…) you can sprinkle them in the gaps in your program.
Determine the number of sets per workout
Find how many sets of an exercise you need to do in a workout to complete the weekly set based on the number of exercise you have decided.
Track your progress according to your program
Finally, apply improvements to your program by gradually monitoring your rest and progress.
Things to check:
Are the training days suitable for your normal life?
When you divide muscle groups into days, can you get enough rest?
Does the training (resistance training) last 1-1.5 hours?
Do the exercises you choose, the weights and repetitions you work with suit you and your purpose?
Can you provide at least 12 sets per week for large muscle groups and at least 16 sets for small muscle groups?
Now lets talk about differences between compound isolated exercises, fullbody split PPL and bodyweight training vs fitness.
Compound - Isolated
Compound movements stimulates more main muscle groups and balancing muscles at the same time. They relatively target the overall body.
Isolated movements target generally one muscle group. Only small portion of the body be activated other parts stays passive.
Compound movements tire the nervous system more. Because more muscle groups are active, therefor it consumes more energy.
Isolated movements in the area that is felt incomplete are suitable for closing the gap.
In training, priority is usually given to compounds.
The same muscle group that was done before the compound movement, allows that area to be more active and develop.
High repetitions and low weights should be preferred in isolated movements for joint health.
Give priority to compounds in your training program.
Progressive overload goes slow at isolated movements.
Fullbody, Split, PPL
Fullbody is the training principle in which all major muscle groups are worked.
Split, as the name suggests, is a program that is divided into muscle groups. In general, one day is allocated for each muscle group.
Ppl is the training principle that is divided again, but this time not per muscle group, but according to the mechanics of thrust and pull of the body.
What are the differences?
Fullbody is suitable for those who want to lose weight and for beginners. Fat burning is increased with compound movements.
Since the mind-body connection of beginners is weak, it is more important to provide general strength gain and body awareness before isolated movements. The majority of body development is related to the nervous system. Therefore, developing this system first will provide a more accelerated progress.
Split and regional work gives the person the opportunity to focus on the weak area and to develop with less fatigue and less effort. You can focus on aspects of different muscle lines. By isolating the muscle, people with a specific background increase the mind-body connection of that muscle. Over time, more nerve cells become active, which means more development.
We can say that the number of training days per week is the biggest factor in determining the program structure.
Never feel obligated to choose one and throw the other away. These are ready-made programs, you shape them according to your own conditions.
Mixed Principals
Each program and its working principle has its own pros and cons. Since our body is an organism that tries to adapt to all conditions, it will be much better for development to include different principles in the training program. You can use movements, repetitions and weights for different purposes in the same week, or you can change the working principles at certain intervals as monthly cycles.
Failure, Drop sets, Pyramid sets, Super sets
Going to failure means not being able to do another repetition on top of the last repetition. This means that the muscle spends all its strength.
Drop sets are usually used in the last set. After the number of repetitions that can be done with the starting weight is done, lower weight is taken and continued without resting. The goal is to try to push the muscle to failure and beyond as much as possible.
Pyramid sets are the sets that go by increasing or decreasing between the determined %RM and the number of repetitions. For example, a person working with a focus on muscle development and strength increase increases the weight while decreasing the number of repetitions for each set.
Another example is to gradually increase the weight with each set done in strength-only exercises. The number of repetitions is kept constant. The aim is to prepare the body for high weights.
An inverted or regular pyramid can be used to master a particular move. Anyone who wants to pull up can practice an inverted pyramid by trying max repetitions each set, or they can aim to improve the number of pull-up repetitions by falling back one repetition from a certain number.
A superset is when you finish the set of one movement and then begin the set of the next exercise without resting. A superset between opposing muscles can be applied. This shortens the training time.
Isolated movements or compression movements can be done on top of the compound movement. The aim is to increase micro-tears.
Unbalance of Left Right
The biggest factor in this regard is genetics. No one's right and left sides are exactly the same.
Not all parts of the body hold the same amount of fat. Therefore, if the fat rate is high, there may be differences between the right and left sides.
In order to prevent muscle imbalance, single arm and single leg exercises should be done with dumbbells or various machines.
Unbalance of Push Pull
Genetics is again the biggest factor. Some people have better thrust, some have better traction. Although it is a completely normal situation, more sets can be made by going over the weak area to close this imbalance.
In some cases, this imbalance can lead to spine and posture disorders.
Hip imbalance and how to fix it
Deload Week
The body is regularly exposed to stress during the progressive overload process. Light-intensity training should be applied at regular intervals in order to recover and continue development. This is called the deload week. In this process, different reduction methods can be applied;
The number of sets can be halved.
The number of repetitions can be halved.
Weights used can be halved.
Two or all three of these can be applied together.
The aim is to prepare the body for the next period with low-intensity training without cooling off from the training.
This week can be done the 5th, 6th and 7th weeks of the period (program). Deload week can be done in cases where the weight gain stops and the body is felt to be exposed to high stress.
Fitness With Other Sports
You can focus on the missing areas by reducing the weekly set numbers of the muscle groups you train in other sports branches.
You can use the low weight high reps principle to maintain joint health.
Listen your body and don't forget to let your body rest.
Respect your body's limits.
Bodyweight vs Fitness
Muscles don't understand the difference.
As long as you inflict enough damage, it will grow.
Machines and weights allow for more isolated work.
In bodyweight training, you can't increase the weight gets on the muscle as easily as in fitness.
Movement variations knowledge is very important for developmental continuity.
Bodyweight workouts are great for mind-body connection
Contains more compound moves, consumes more energy.
The control of the movement form is completely in the person, it takes time to reach the right form.
The stabilizing muscles become active more often.
The good part is that these people will get stronger over time.
The downside is that you can get tired before you reach your target muscle failure.
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