Resistance Training Prescription Basics

• Basics of Resistance Training Prescription

Progressive Resistance Training Guidelines

• Equipment used includes: body weight, resistance bands, free weights, and machines
• Frequency should be 2-3 days per week for each major muscle group
• 48 hours should be given between exercise sessions of the same muscle group
• The type of resistance should focus on multi-joint/compound exercises using major muscle groups
• Agonist and antagonist muscles in similar ratios should be targeted
• Volume recommendations: 2-4 sets per muscle group. 8-12 repetitions per exercise. 1-3 min rest between sets.
• Intensity should be 60-80% of 1-RM performed, to fatigue but not failure
• Progression: Variables can change according to the needs and goals of the client

Choosing Resistance Training (RT) exercises

• Body-weight exercises include: Squats, Push-ups, Pull-ups, Abdominal crunches, and Bench dips
• Machines include new machines designed frequently which include cable machines
• Free weights: Barbells (BB), dumbbells (DB)
• Other assorted equipment: resistance bands/tubing, Swiss balls, Bosu balls, Suspension straps

Exercise Selection: Single vs. Multi Joint

• ACSM Evidence Statement (A): Single-joint and multi-joint exercises for novice, intermediate, and advanced individuals
• Single-joint exercises include knee extension or bicep curls that target muscle groups and have a low skill/technical involvement
• Low level of skill/technical involvement = less neural adaptation
• Multi-joint exercises include bench press, leg press and squats
• Multi-joint exercises are effective at increasing overall muscular strength, efficient for muscles to work at the same time with greater magnitude of weight requiring more complex neural adaptation

Exercise Order

• ACSM Evidence Statement (A): Upper/lower body split and muscle group split
• Exercise large muscle groups before small muscle groups
• Multi-joint (compound) exercises before exercises that focus on a single joint (isolation)
• High-intensity exercise before low-intensity exercises
• Rotate upper vs. lower body exercises

Putting it all together for a beginner

• To create a general basic program, consider training goals, the environment, as well as the individual's experience, and time available
• The mode: Bodyweight/machines/free weights
• Select exercises to cover all planes of the body
• Choose a training split type

Movement and Associated Lifts

• Upper body push horizontal includes: Bench press, with Incline press/wide-narrow grip associated lift, DB bench press accessory lifts, and DB flies isolation lifts
• Upper body push vertical overhead includes: Military press with Wide/narrow grip press associated lift, DB OH press accessory lifts, and DB raises isolation lifts
• Upper back push vertical down includes: Decline Press with Bar dips associated lift, Bench dips accessory lifts, and Tricep pushdowns isolation lifts
• Upper back pull horizontal includes: Bent-over row to Seated rows with Incline DB rows, and 1-arm rows as isolation lift
• Upper back pull vertical overhead includes: Chin/pull up to Lat pull down with Pullovers, and Bicep Curls as isolation lift
• Upper back pull vertical down includes: High pull with Upright row with DB upright row, and 1-arm upright rows as isolation lift
• Lower body push knee dominant, squat includes: Back Squat to Front/goblet squat with DB squats, and Pistol Squat as isolation lift
• Lower body push split leg includes: Lunge to Step up with Bulgarian split squats, and Split Squat as isolation lift
• Lower body pull hip hinge includes: Deadlift to Romanian deadlift with Kettlebell swings, and Back extensions glute bridge as isolation lifts
• Torso Flexion includes: Hanging reverse crunch to Floor reverse crunch with Partial sit up, and Crunches as isolation lifts
• Torso Rotation includes: Hanging with wipers Landmines to Cable wood chop with Russian twists, and Diagonal Sit Ups bicycle crunches as isolation lifts
• Torso stabilisation & anti-rotation includes: Paloff press (cable) rollouts, toes in rings to Paloff press (band) rollouts on toes with Planks on rings rollouts band assisted, and Planks on floor rollouts on knees as isolation lifts

Progressive overload

• Adjust exercise variables such as load or intensity by 2-10% increase at a time to increase physical stress
• Increase reps or the number of sets
• Decrease rest time between sets

Progressive Overload: sample Bench Press program

• Gradually increase the weight while keeping sets and reps constant
• Week 1-2: 3 x 12 reps at 50 kg
• Week 3-4: 3 x 12 reps at 52.5 kg
• Week 5-6: 3 x 12 reps at 55 kg
• Week 7-8: 3 x 12 reps at 57.5 kg
• Week 9-10: 3 x 12 reps at 60 kg

Progressive Overload: sample Bench Press program

• Gradually increase the reps while keeping sets and weight constant
• Week 1-2: 3 sets of 8 reps at 55 kg
• Week 3-4: 3 Sets of 9 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 5-6: 3 Sets of 10 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 7-8: 3 Sets of 11 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 9-10: 3 Sets of 12 reps at 55 Kg

Progressive Overload: sample Bench Press program

• Combination of increasing weight and reps while keeping sets constant
• Week 1-2: 3 Sets of 8 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 3-4: 3 Sets of 9 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 5-6: 3 Sets of 10 reps at 55 Kg
• Week 7-8: 3 Sets of 8 reps at 60 Kg
• Week 9-10: 3 Sets of 9 reps at 60 Kg

Rest between sets

• Power should have a recovery of 2-3 minutes between sets
• Strength should have a recovery of 2-3 minutes for core exercises, 1-2 minutes for assistance exercises between sets
• Hypertrophy should have a recovery of 1-2 minutes for novice, and 2-3 minutes for core exercises
• Endurance should have a recovery of 1-2 minutes for high reps (15+) or less than 1 minute for mod reps (10-15)
• As quality increases, quantity decreases

Resistance training program design variables

• Intensity: Resistance (load) lifted
  • Basic rep ranges (for beginners)
  • % RM (commonly % 1RM or 10RM)
  • Rate of Perceived Exertion (RPE) (1-10 scale for resistance training)
• Volume: sets × reps
• Tempo: speed of the lift (eccentric, concentric)
• Rest: between sets
• Frequency: number of training days
• Amount of resistance is the most important variable in strength training

How to choose load or intensity

• Weeks 1-2 start with 12 reps, increase load when 15 reps are possible
• Weeks 3-4 start with 10 reps, increase load when 12 reps are possible
• Weeks 5-6 start with 8 reps, increase load when 10 reps is possible

Maximum Resistance Load or Intensity

• RM is the maximum resistance that can be performed for a designated number of repetitions (without sacrificing form/technique/ROM)
• Calculate intensity as a % of RM
• E.g. “80% 10RM" indicates 80% of the maximum resistance that can be performed for 10 repetitions
  • 10RM = 50 kg
  • 80% 10RM = 40 kg

Rating of Perceived Exertion (RPE) Chart

• Rating 10 correlates to Maximum effort
• Rating 9.5 correlates to maximum effort with no further repetitions possible but could increase load
• Rating 9 correlates to 1 repetition remaining
• Rating 8.5 correlates to 1-2 repetitions remaining
• Rating 8 correlates to 2 repetitions remaining
• Rating 7.5 correlates to 2-3 repetitions remaining
• Rating 7 correlates to 3 repetitions remaining
• Ratings 5-6 correlates to 4-6 repetitions remaining
• Ratings 3-4 correlates to Light effort
• Ratings of 1-2 correlate to Little to no effort

Intensity vs %1RM

• Very Light intensity scores <30% 1RM
• Light intensity scores 30-49% 1RM
• Moderate intensity scores 50-69% 1RM
• Vigorous intensity scores 70-84% 1RM
• Near Maximal - Maximal intensity scores >85% 1RM

Programming Recommendations

• Strength training programs requires:
  • High load
  • Low reps
  • 80-100% 1RM loading
  • 1-6 sets volume
  • 1-6 reps volume
• Hypertrophy training programs requires:
  • High volume
  • Moderate load
  • Moderate sets
  • High sets
  • 70-85% 1RM Loading
  • 3-6 sets volume
  • 6-12 reps volume
• Power Training programs requires:
  • Explosive velocity
  • Low volume
  • Low load
  • Low reps
  • High rest to guarantee high quality reps
  • Upper body: 30-60% 1RM loading. Lower body: 0-60% 1RM
  • 1-3 sets volume
  • 3-6 reps volume
• Endurance Training program requires:
  • High reps
  • Low load
  • Low rest
  • 30-60% 1RM loading
  • 15+ reps volume
  • Multiple sets volume

Appropriate Rep Ranges

• Strength training correlates with reps of 2-8
• Power training correlates with reps of 1-5
• Hypertrophy correlates with 6-12 reps
• Muscular Endurance associates with 13-20+ reps

Recommendations Strength (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced)

• Novice: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 60-70% 1 RM volume; 1-3 × 8-12 reps; 1-2 min rest intervals; Slow to moderate velocity; 2-3 d-wk-1 frequency
• Intermediate: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 70-80% 1 RM volume; Multi sets × 6-12 reps; 2-3 min rest intervals for core, 1-2 min rest intervals for others; Moderate velocity; 2-4 d-wk-1 frequency Advanced: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint with multi-emphasis exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 70-100% 1 RM volume; Multi sets × 1-12 reps; ~3 min rest intervals for core, 1-2 min rest intervals for others; Unint slow to fast velocity; 4-6 d-wk-1 frequency

Recommendations Hypertrophy (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced)

• Novice: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 60-70% 1 RM volume; 1-3 × 8-12 reps; 1-2 min rest intervals; Slow to moderate velocity; 2-3 d-wk-1 frequency
• Intermediate: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 70-80% 1 RM volume; Multi sets × 6–12 reps; 1-2 min rest intervals; Slow to moderate velocity; 2-4 d-wk-1 frequency
• Advanced: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Multi < single exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 70–100% 1 RM with emphasis 70–85% loading; Multi sets × 1–12 reps with emphasis 6–12; 2-3 min rest intervals heavy, 1-2 min or less for others; Slow, moderate, and fast velocity; 4-6 d-wk-1 frequency
• Goal - increased muscle cross-sectional area through adaptation to high volume, and moderate-high reps x moderate-high loads

Recommendations Power (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced)

• Novice: ECC and CON muscle action; Multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Most complex < least exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 60–70%—strength 30–60%—velocity/tech.; Similar to strength volume; 2-3 min-core rest intervals, 1-2 min for others; Moderate velocity; 2-3 d-wk-1 frequency
• Intermediate: ECC and CON muscle action; Multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Most complex < least exercise order; High < low intensity loading; 70–80%—strength 30–60%—velocity/tech.; 1-3 × 3-6 reps volume; 2-3 min-core rest intervals, 1-2 min for others; Fast velocity; 2-4 d.wk-1 frequency
• Advanced: ECC and CON muscle action; Multiple-joint exercise selection; Large < small muscles exercise order, Most complex < least exercise order; High < low intensity loading; >80% for strength 30–60% for velocity; 3-6 × 1-6 reps volume; >3 min rest intervals heavy, 1-2 min for others; Fast velocity; 4-6 d-wk-1 frequency
• Power: strength x speed
• Force has a relationship to velocity

Recommendations Muscular Endurance (Novice, Intermediate, Advanced)

• Novice: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Variety exercise order; 50-70% 1 RM loading; 1-3 × 10-15 reps volume; 1-2 min rest intervals high reps, <1 min rest interval-mod. reps; Slow-moderate reps velocity; 2-3 d.wk-1 frequency
• Intermediate: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Variety exercise order; : 50-70% 1 RM loading; Multi sets × 10–15 reps or more volume; 1-2 min rest intervals high reps, <1 min rest interval-mod. reps; Slow-moderate reps velocity; 2-4 d.wk-1 frequency
• Advanced: ECC and CON muscle action; Single and multiple-joint exercise selection; Variety exercise order; -70% 1 RM loading; Multi sets × 10–25 reps or more volume; 1-2 min rest intervals high reps, <1 min rest interval-mod. reps; Slow-moderate reps velocity; 4-6 d.wk-1 frequency
• This type enhances the Ability to exert sub-max forces repeatedly over time through circuit sessions