Personalized Strength Training Plan

Antonio Allen

HPE 338

Mr. Raduly

April 1, 2012

Personalized Strength Training Plan

My personalized strength training plan is designed to work different body segments on consecutive days without duplicating the same body part in the same week. My personalized plan also keeps me from getting fatigued, by not doing a total body workout 2 to 3 times a week, as some workout plans suggest.

On Monday I start with chest and bicep exercises. After a 10 to 15 minute warm-up, I begin my chest workout with bench presses, then progress to the incline bench press, dumbbell flys, and finally the decline bench press. All four exercises involve 3 sets of 10 reps each. Once I have finished my chest workout, I will then start with my bicep exercises. I start with standing bicep curls and finish with preacher curls on the Smith Machine, doing 3 sets of 10 reps each. Some trainers will tell you to work corresponding body parts, such as chest and triceps and back and biceps together, but I get more out of my workouts by doing alternating body parts, such as chest and biceps and back and triceps. This helps because when I move to the next set of exercises, my muscles are not as fatigued from exercising virtually the same muscle groups.

Tuesday involves back and triceps. I do 3 sets of pull ups to get warmed up, each set to failure. Then I will do 3 sets of bent-over barbell rows, upright rows, and seated cable rows; each set involves 8 to 10 repetitions. After I finish my back routine, I immediately go to the close grip bench press and start working my triceps for 3 sets of 8 to 10 repetitions. After doing close-grip bench presses, I will do 3 sets of dips for 10 to 15 reps, 3 sets of triceps extensions, and donkey kick backs, both for 8 to 10 repetitions.

On Wednesday, I try to complete the one hour long P90X Cardio DVD to help improve my cardio respiratory endurance.

Thursday is the toughest day of the week for me, because I dislike working legs and abdominals, but they are necessary evils. I begin my leg workout with a 15 minute warm-up on the stationary bike. I will then start with 3 sets of leg curls to get my hamstrings warmed up before I move to squats. After three sets of squats, I will do 3 sets of leg extensions, then standing and seated calf raises. Moving on to abdominals, I perform 3 sets of crunches, 3 sets of hanging leg raises and 3 sets of sit-ups, which are done to failure.

Friday involves shoulders and P90X's version of yoga. I usually start with 3 sets of military presses, 3 sets of seated dumb bell presses; lateral dumbbell raises, and finally, behind the neck overhead presses. All for 8 to 10 reps. After shoulders it's on to yoga which is performed at home watching the P90X DVD.