Workout Routines That Work

Workout Routines That Work
Photo Credit Jupiterimages/Goodshoot/Getty Images

Just doing a bunch of exercises in a row doesn't necessarily mean that you've discovered an effective workout. Workouts that work include the right number of sets, repetitions and days per week for a certain exercise goal. Whether you want to lose weight or put on significant muscle mass, there is a workout for you.

Muscle Growth Workout Plan

There is a misunderstanding among exercisers that merely doing muscle-strengthening activities such as lifting weights will automatically cause the muscles to grow. Although lifting weights definitely causes something to happen, muscle growth is not a guarantee. Using a muscle-growth-specific workout with three sets of eight repetitions consistently does lead to muscle size increase. One way to work out all your muscles groups is to split them over different days. On day one, do only barbell curls, dumbbells and hammer curls. On day two, perform bench presses, incline dumbbell presses and machine flies or pec decks. On day three, perform only lat pulldowns, seated rows and T-bar rows. Then, on day four, do dips and incline cable tricep extensions. For day five, do hamstring curls, leg presses and seated calf raises. On the last workout day of the week, perform only Arnold presses. Rest on day seven.

15-Minute No-Fail Workout

The 15-minute no-fail workout is a home-based workout that doesn't require cardio or gym machines to lose weight and build muscle. You can do the workout in a gym if you wish. This workout includes two sets of 10 to 12 reps for each exercise. Begin with the one-arm row for the back, arms, abs, shoulders and legs. Next, perform squats with shoulder presses for the shoulders, arms and legs. The against-the-wall bicep curl is next. This exercise works the arms, legs and abs. Follow with lunges with shoulder raises to target the shoulders, arms, legs and glutes. Do pushups with gluteal squeezes next to strengthen the chest, arms, shoulders, legs, glutes and abs. Complete the workout with ab crunches with weights. Do this workout three days a week on nonconsecutive days.

Weight Loss Workout Plan Routine

When weight loss is your primary goal, a combination of cardio and weight training is ideal. For the weight loss workout plan, use an ellipitcal crosstrainer for 40 minutes followed by two sets of machine miliatary presses, pushups, dumbbell curls, lat pulldowns, pec decks, seated rows, tricep pulldowns, bench dips and cable curls on day one. Perform 25 reps of every exercise, except the pushup and bench dips. Do only 12 of those because they are bodyweight exercises, and you cannot adjust the weight.

On day two, perform an abdominal workout consisting of two sets of ball crunches, ball rollouts, twisting crunches and twisting leg raises. Perform 20 reps of all except the ball rollouts. Do 12 ball rollouts. Also, do 40 minutes of cardio. Continue with a lower body plan the same day. Do three sets of ball squats, lunges, leg presses and standing calf raises. Do 20 ball squats, 30 lunges, 20 leg presses and 15 standing calf raises.

Take a day off to rest, then repeat for a total of four workout days per week.

Even though weight loss is your goal, increasing muscle mass speeds up the metabolism and lowers your body fat reduction.

Compound Workout

Compound workouts include only exercises that utilize multiple joints and muscle groups. These types of exercises build muscle more than single-joint exercises. On day one, do the following exercises: barbell bench, dumbbell incline bench press, close grip bench press and dips. Perform four sets of 8 to 12 reps. On day two, perform the following exercises: deep squats, stiff-legged deadlifts, dumbbell lunges and lying floor leg raises with crunches. Do four sets of 6 to 12 reps of the first three exercises and five sets of 20 lying floor leg raises with crunches.

Rest one day. Then, do four sets of 10 to 12 reps of wide grip pullups, chinups, bentover barbell rows and cable rows. The next day, perform four sets of 6 to 12 military presses, alternate arm seated dumbbell presses, shrugs and upright rows. Also, perform five sets of 20 bicycle floor ab crunches.

References

Article reviewed by OmahaTyppo Last updated on: May 26, 2011

Must see: Photo Galleries

Member Comments