Everyone is looking for the secret sauce when it comes to seeing results in the gym.
What workouts are going to help me gain muscle? What workouts are going to help me lose weight? What workouts are the best overall?
The good, and bad news depending on how you look at it, is there's no one-size-fits-all answer. The only real universal answer would be to follow a nutrition and training plan that fits your goals.
Now, if you ask me, I believe that a good weight-lifting routine is your best option. But, what is a weight-lifting routine? How do you create a weight-lifting routine? What makes a weight-lifting routine good and what else do I need to know to maximize it?
All of this and more, I'll cover with you today. After all, knowing what to do as well as why you're doing it is important! Is it not?
Let's dive in...
What Is A Weight Lifting Routine?
Let's start from the top. A weight lifting routine is a structured approach to weight training in an effective and safe way. Typically, this routine is designed to last over the course of 4-12 weeks.
So, instead of walking into the gym and doing a bunch of random exercises, you have a solid plan.
Weight lifting routines can help you build muscle, get stronger, and even lose body fat. There are also a number of benefits that can come with a good weight-lifting routine.
Let's start with what those benefits are.
Benefits Of A Weight Lifting Routine
The benefits that can come with a weight lifting routine are nearly endless. In fact, when done effectively, I can’t think of one negative thing. Well, other than you'll be investing more of your time in the gym ... But, is that really a bad thing? I don't think so!
Since there are so many benefits, it can be hard to narrow it down to just a handful. However, there are three benefits that I believe stand out amongst the rest:
1. Simplify Your Workouts ... And Your Goals
2. Help You Look Your Best
3. Improve Everyday Functional Movements
With that being said, let’s take a deeper look at why these three things can be so beneficial...
1. Weight Lifting Routines Simplify Your Workouts ... And Your Goals
A common excuse for not working out is that people don’t know what to do. I get it, walking into a gym with all the different equipment can be overwhelming. But, by having a weight lifting routine picked out ahead of time, you'll know exactly what to do!
A lot of workout programs will also include instructional videos for each exercise too. At least, the good ones do! That can help take the guess work out of how to do a specific exercise if you're unsure.
Not only that, but consider why you're working out in the first place. It's to reach a goal, is it not? Weight lifting routines give you a very clear path to achieving your goals.
Weight lifting routines can also help you progress over time by increasing your volume. This is putting your muscles and nervous system under more stress over time to adapt and get stronger. This is an important element to seeing results.
You just need to worry about showing up and putting in the work. That's it!
2. Weight Lifting Routines Can Help You Look Your Best
We all want to look our best. When it comes to weight lifting, that means we have to train all the muscles in our body in a proportional way.
If we don't, we could end up with muscle imbalances that are the breeding ground for postural issues. Not only that, but part of looking your best means having muscular balance. We all know the guy who skips leg day and just looks off.
With the right weight lifting routine, you'll have a plan that promotes balance and symmetry. This is a great thing, and is a very desirable look!
Weight lifting routines can also be catered to you and your goals. If you're looking for something specific, you can certainly get it with the right program.
3. Weight Lifting Routines Can Improve & Maintain Functional Movement
In my opinion, this is one of the best benefits of a structured weight lifting routine. Functional movements are ones we perform in our lives every day. I'll give you a few examples...
A. Bending over to pick something off of the ground is a deadlift.
B. Sitting down and getting up from your chair is a squat.
C. Pulling a door handle to open the door is a row.
So, why is it important to train these movements? Well, because over time, especially as we age, our bodies can get weak. If we aren't training our muscles to stay strong, we'll lose our ability to do these basic, but very important movements.
Could you imagine not being able to open a cabinet overhead, walk up the stairs, or even get yourself up off the ground? These are all important functional movements! Having a weight lifting routine in place can help support your ability to do these things efficiently.
Not only that, but some things require more strength that most people can handle. Moving furniture, carrying a heavy basket of laundry, or even cutting the lawn can all take a lot of strength.
Weight Lifting Exercises
There are a ton of different weight lifting exercises that you can do. When you're building out a weight lifting routine, these will be staples. However, that doesn't mean you have to do a specific exercise. We're all different, and what our body responds to best can vary.
In my experience, here's a list of the most popular exercises you'll find in a weight lifting routine:
• Bench Press
• Squats
• Deadlifts
• Rows
• Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs)
• Leg Press
• Pull-Ups
• Pec Fly
• Lunges
• Hip Thrust
• Calf Raises
• Lat Pulldown
• Overhead Press
• Arnold Press
• Face Pulls
• Leg Extensions
• Leg Curls
• Rear Delt Fly
• Lateral Delt Raises
• Upright Rows
• Curls
• Dips
• Tricep Extensions
• Sit-Ups
• Planks
...and really, quite a few variations of all these different movements! There are just so many different exercises, that it can be overwhelming. So, how can you go about piecing these exercises into a workout? Let me show you how…
Weight Lifting Workouts
There are a number of different ways that you can program weight lifting routines. Heck, there are so many that I probably can’t even count that high!
Regardless of what you may see anywhere else, there isn't one way that's superior to any other either. What works best for you may not work best for me. What's best for me might not work for the next guy or girl.
The cool thing about weight lifting workouts is that you can cater it to what you enjoy. If you ask me, the only "best" weight lifting routine is the one you can stick with. I say that because consistency is important for earning the best results!
Just to re-emphasize, there is no one size fits all answer to your weight lifting routine. There are many different ways you can go about it.
However today, we’re going to touch on what’s called a push/pull/legs weight lifting routine. This is the style of workout where you move the weight in specific motions each day.
A push workout is one where you are pressing the weight away from you. To give you a way to picture this in your mind, a common push exercise that most people know is the bench press.
A pull workout is one where you are pulling the weight closer to you. For instance, a common pull exercise that most people know is a barbell row.
A leg workout is a little bit more self explanatory. It’s a workout that is meant to work your leg muscles, hence the name leg workout! An example of this that most people would know is a squat.
With each of the workouts below, take 1 minute rest between each set. This will keep the intensity level high!
Push Day Weight Lifting Routine
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Barbell Bench Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Dumbbell Military Press | 3 | 10 |
| Push-Ups | 3 | To Failure |
| Dumbbell Lateral Raises | 3 | 10-12 |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Tricep Kickback | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
Pull Day Weight Lifting Routine
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Cable Row | 4 | 8-10 |
| Straight Arm Lat Pulldown | 3 | 10 |
| Single-Arm Dumbbell Row | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
| Dumbbell Shrugs | 3 | 10-12 |
| Dumbbell Hammer Curl | 3 | 10 Each Arm |
Leg Day Weight Lifting Routine
| Exercise | Sets | Reps |
| Leg Press | 4 | 8-10 |
| Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) | 3 | 10 |
| Glute Bridges | 3 | 10 |
| Leg Extensions | 3 | 12 |
| Calf Raises | 3 | 10-12 |
This push/pull/legs style of training is one that a lot of people enjoy. This is because you can do it for 3 days in a week and be good to go… Or you can double that and do each workout two times in a week for a 6-day program.
But regardless, this is just one way that you can go about it.
Now I’m sure you’re thinking, “Having a weight lifting routine sounds awesome! But where do I start?”
Getting Started With a Weight Lifting Routine
The unfortunate news is, creating a full program for yourself is no easy task. There are so many variables in play. These are variables like:
• Training experience
• Existing injuries or conditions
• Your current body composition
• Your goals
It doesn't even stop there. Unless you have a lot of experience under your belt and are equipped with the extensive knowledge required ... Getting your weight lifting routine dialed in can be a nightmare.
The good news is, that's where we're here to help. You see, our mission at 1st Phorm is to help real people earn real and long-term results. That's exactly why we developed the 1st Phorm App!
The 1st Phorm App simplifies the process of earning results so you can focus on what matters most: putting in the work to reach your goals! Inside the app, you'll get access to every tool and resource you need to be successful...
• Nutrition tracking - Log your food & water to stay on track. The 1st Phorm App is connected to a massive food database to make it easy.
• A full library of workout programs, with videos, catered to help you reach your goals. Choose between at-home programs, weightlifting, crosstraining, and so much more!
• Daily activity and step tracking to set goals and encourage a healthier lifestyle.
• Educational live streams 5x a week that cover a wide variety of topics from nutrition to training and supplementation. Equip yourself with the knowledge to earn and maintain your results long-term!
• Progress & body metric tools to help you measure your progress over time.
...and so much more!
With the premium version of the 1st Phorm App, you'll even get your own advisor! This is a Certified Personal Trainer & Nutrition Coach you can message 24/7. They'll help you make adjustments, answer your questions, and even hold you accountable when you need it most!
Hundreds of thousands of people have already transformed their lives with the 1st Phorm App. You can too! No matter where you're starting from or how crazy your schedule and lifestyle are ... the 1st Phorm App can help you achieve the results you've always wanted.
If there's anything we can do to help out in the meantime, don't hesitate to reach out!
We have a full team of NASM Certified Personal Trainers and Nutrition Coaches right here in St. Louis, Missouri. Just give us a call at 1-800-409-9732 or send us an email at CustomerService@1stPhorm.com any day from 6 AM to 10 PM Central. We'll be more than happy to help in any way we can!
