Weightlifters sometimes neglect certain muscle groups during workouts. For example, a body builder may focus entirely on the triceps, chest and shoulders during a workout and never flinch a muscle in any other group. If you are seeking a complete weightlifting workout for a three-day routine, group together certain exercises and plan a rest day between each. For example, hit the weights Monday, Wednesday and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
Adbominals
Abdominal muscles are the core of your body. You need to work out yours regularly, and some trainers advise that you make abdominal exercises a starting point for your workouts. Bill Pearl, author of "Getting Stronger," advises novice weightlifters to begin each workout of a three-day routine with inverted abdominal crunches on an inclined bench. Beginning each workout with a couple of sets of abdominal exercises provides an extended warmup and loosens the support and stabilizing muscles of nearly every major group in your body.
Chest, Triceps, Shoulders
After warmups and abdominal work, group two or three sets of exercises that work your chest. One set of bench presses, along with a set of incline or decline bench presses, will work the larger muscles without straining stabilizing muscles in your arms. Hitting the biceps curls or the triceps presses too early in a workout will prematurely fatigue your auxiliary musculature and prevent you from adequately working your pectorals and deltoids. Follow your chest exercises with one set of military shoulder presses, then one or two sets of triceps dips.
Back, Biceps
Following work to your chest, triceps and shoulders, perform a couple sets of lat pull downs with the assistance of a machine. Set the machine at a weight that you are comfortable with. This is considered the most efficient, and the safest, way to exercise the back during a weightlifting workout. Wear a back support if necessary. Perform one set of standing biceps curls with a barbell or dumbbells, then perform one or two sets of pullups.
Quads, Calfs
Leg exercises, especially for weightlifters, are often neglected. Squats are a good exercise for working all muscle groups of the legs, as well as the lower back. Use a machine-assisted squat rack, or seek the assistance of a spotter when performing squats. Do two sets of squats at a weight that you are comfortable with. Wear a back supporter and attach the cushion to the bar so that it does not damage your neck. Perform one set of machine-assisted legs curls, or use the free-weight leg press.
Rest
Rest between sets. According to James L. Hesson, author of "Weight Training for Life," your weightlifting goals will determine the amount of rest to take. For muscle volume increase, Hesson advises a rest period of one or two minutes between each set. For muscle endurance, take up to a minute and a half. If your goal is to increase strength without increasing muscle volume, rest up to four minutes between sets. Follow each day of your routine with a rest day that involves no lifting. You may engage in cardiovascular exercises on your rest days.
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