Weight Lifting Workout Plans: 3 days a week

When deciding on a weight lifting plan, you need to consider three main factors.

• How much free time do you have during the week?
  • Does your life schedule allow you to go to the gym 2 times a week? 3 times a week? 4 times a week? It matters. However many times you can go to the gym a week, you'll have to have the correctly adapted lifting schedule.

• When does your schedule allow you to lift? (Morning, afternoon, night)
  • The key is to be consistent. This is not absolutely required, but I recommend going to the gym at the same time when you lift. You might be questioning this. However, in order to be consistent, avoid excuses, and always make sure you get yourself to the gym, you have to build a routine.

• What exercises are for you? (There are plenty of beginner, intermediate, and advanced lifts out there)
  • You have to make sure your lifting program is within your skill level. If you are just beginning, you will want to focus some easier lifts, if you are advanced, you may choose to integrate more difficult lifts into your workouts.

• • This is important because it is so easy to hurt yourself in the gym. When I first started lifting two years ago, I was doing a lift with improper form. I suffered a horrible back injury that had me in emergency care. Another member of the gym even had to help me. I cannot stress enough, make sure you lift with proper form. So, if you are a beginner, stick to beginner exercises for the time being.

For the purposes of this article, we are going to focus on a beginner lifting schedule.

However, there are so many variations of weight lifting workout plans. You have to figure what you enjoy and what you can stay consistent with.

What is a Rep or a Set

Before we progress, we have to define some common terms that you will be exposed to.

• Rep or Repetition:

  A rep or a repetition means one time that you lift up a dumbbell for example. That is one rep.

• Set:

  A set is the amount of times you complete a certain amount of reps.

This was probably confusing. So here is an example.

If I am flat bench pressing, I will try to complete two sets of six repetition.

The first set, is just the first time that you bench press the bar six times.

You will then rest for one minute to one minute and thirty seconds.

Next, you will attempt your second set and try to lift the bar 6 more times.

Does this make sense?

Gain Muscle With Consistency

How can you gain muscle and set up and plan that will work for you? You will need to follow 3 key tips.

• Consistency:

  First things first, if you're planning on gaining muscle and putting on size, you have to be consistent. If you think going to the gym once this week, twice next week, zero times the week after, and so on. Then, you will not experience the results you are hoping for.

• Hit Your Target Macros:

• It's important to eat the correct way if you are looking to gain or even maintain your muscle mass. In a previous post I discuss the concept of macros and how to calculate yours. Basically, by hitting your macros it means that you are eating enough protein, carbs, and fats throughout the day.

• Set Your Calories Accordingly:

  • If you want to gain weight and put on muscle mass, you will have to close to or above your calorie maintenance. By in taking an excess of calories and hitting your macros, you will ensure protein synthesis within your body and allow for muscle gains.

• • If you want to lose weight and maintain or possibly put on some muscle, then you will want to set your calories number below your calorie maintenance.

• • To discover more about setting up your calories goals, refer to a previous article of mine.

Organize Your Schedule

It will be important to organize you're lifting schedule and your progress on those lifts.

• Phone Notes:

  My recommendation is to use your notes app if you have an iPhone. You can create beautiful charts to display your exercises. If other phones have the same notes capability, go ahead and use that! I just don't know about it because I have an iPhone.

• Journal/Notebook:

  If you're the type of person that prefers to physically write down your lifts and track your progress then by all means use this option. This can be beneficial and self-satisfying as you can physically track your progress.

When organizing your schedule, do what works best for you.

Find something that works, and keep doing it.

Tracking your progress is very important. By having your lifts all laid out and ready to go, you won't hold anyone up in the gym or look lost. Also, it is important to track your progress because it is an incredible feeling to know how much more you can lift now, than you could 5 weeks ago when you started.

Weight lifting Workout Plan

Let's jump right into a weight lifting workout plan that will be sure to benefit you.

This will be a 3-day schedule. Each day will simply be A, B, C, because it truly doesn't matter what days during the week you lift. All that matters is that you do your 3 lifts at some point. You will also want to have one day separation between each lifting day.

Do NOT complete these lifts back-to-back. Your body needs time to rest in order to build muscle.

**IMPORTANT**

I do not know how much weight you can lift or where you should start. You must discover this yourself. If a weight is way too easy, add 5-10 pounds until you are challenging yourself.

Also, once you are able to complete the repetition stated, increase the weight by 2.5-5 pounds.

A. Back and Shoulders

• Weighted Pull Ups
  • 2 Sets
    • 1st set: 6 repetition with 10 pounds
    • 2nd set: 8 repetition and drop 10 pounds

• Shoulder Press
  • 1st set: 10 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

• Wide Grip Pull Down
  • 1st set: 12 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 14 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 16 reps drop 5 pounds

• Seated Cable Row
  • 1st set: 12 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 14 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 16 reps drop 5 pounds

B. Legs and Triceps

• Dumbbell Bulgarian Split Squat
  • 1st set: 10 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 14 reps drop 5 pounds

• Leg Press
  • 1st set: 8 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

• Smith Machine Calf Raises
  • 1st set: 15 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 15 reps at the same weight
  • 3rd set: 15 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 4th set: 15 reps drop 5 pounds

• Triceps Machine
  • 1st set: 8 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

• Triceps Rope Pull Down
  • 1st set: 10 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

C. Chest and Biceps

• Incline Bench Press
  • 1st set: 6 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 8 reps drop 10 pounds
  • 3rd set: 10 reps drop 10 pounds

• Dumbbell Flat Bench
  • 1st set: 8 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

• Chest Fly Machine
  • 1st set: 6 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 8 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds

• Rope Hammer Curl
  • 1st set: 8 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 10 reps drop 5 pounds
  • 3rd set: 12 reps drop 5 pounds

• Barbell Curl
  • 1st set: 6 reps choose a starting weight
  • 2nd set: 8 reps drop 10 pounds

This is an example of a workout program for beginners.

Disclaimer:

I do warn you, you have to be careful and make sure you use the correct form when lifting weights as to avoid injury.

In order to find the correct form for these lifts, do a simple YouTube search and you will have many results.

I am not a personal trainer, I am simply giving you advice to follow. You may choose to alter or use variations of the lifts that you see here.

Things to Remember:

Now that you have an example of a great lifting program you can use to start your gym adventure, let me remind you that results will not occur if you don't follow a consistent lifting regiment.

Here's some key aspects from today discussion.

• You must be in the gym lifting weights consistently in order to see physique improvements.
• You must also eat the amount of calories that aligns with your goals; to lose weight or to gain muscle.
• Hit your macros. Make sure your body is receiving the nutrients it needs.

Follow a plan, and make it work for you.

You CAN do this!

Comment below if you have any questions or concerns. I would love to hear what is working for you.

Russell

Founder of myshakercup.com