Muscle Group Strength Training Exercise For Beginners

Beginners may have problem planning their workouts initially but imagine the weekly routine is split into muscle group strength training on alternate day that will clear the confusion from the beginning.

The experts recommend a weekly routine on 3-day per week workouts with 2 to 3 exercises per muscle group. For beginners, it is recommended to train 1 to 2 sets of exercise. Each set is about 12 to 15 repetitions strength training workouts. For each set, train no more than 15 repetitions. If you feel it is too easy then it does not really serve the purpose of weight training for strength and muscles.

As you progress, you can add weight slowly to it. For example, if you can do more than 15 reps without much difficulty after some training you can add 5% to 10% extra weight to it. That will make you stress out at maximum of 15 reps or lower. You should not add weight until you are able to do 15 reps. This applies to dumbbells, barbells, or machines.

Once you progress to the intermediate and more advance stages, you can add more sets and weights per muscle group and then reduce the repetitions to about 8 to 12 reps. This method of training will ensure building strength and muscles progressively.

Let’s take an example of a 3-day per week muscle group strength training exercises routine. Each training day will involve a portion of upper and lower body muscle groups with push and pull exercises to prevent muscle imbalance. Remember for beginners do not train more than 2 sets per muscle group with total combination from different weight machines. However, for abdominal exercises you can add more sets. Resting between sets is about 30 seconds to 1 minute. Also remember to warm up your body before any workouts.

Day 1

Chest
Bench press, peck deck machine, chest press machine, or push up.
(Example: 1 set of bench press and peck deck machine – maximum 15 reps)

Triceps
Tricep extensions, dips, or kickback.
(Example: 1 set of tricep extensions and dips – maximum 15 reps)

Abdominal
Bicycle crunch, reverse crunches, leg raise, or left and right side crunches.
(Example: 30 reps of bicycle crunch, reverse crunch, and leg raise)

Day 2

Back
Lat pulldowns, back extensions, or row machine.
(Example: 1 set of lat pulldowns and back extensions – maximum 15 reps)

Biceps
Bicep curls, or hammer curls.
(Example: 1 set of bicep curls and hammer curls – maximum 15 reps)

Quadriceps
Squat, leg press machine, lunges, or leg curl machine.
(Example: 1 set of squat and leg press machine – maximum 15 reps)

Day 3

Hamstrings
Leg curl machine, lunges, squats, leg press machine.
(Example: 1 set of leg curl machine and lunges – maximum 15 reps)

Calves
Standing calf raise.
(Example: 2 sets of standing calf raise – maximum 15 reps)

Shoulders
Overhead press, lateral raise, or front raise.
(Example: 1 set of overhead press and lateral raise – maximum 15 reps)

The above is just one example of muscle group strength training exercises. For a complete training manual, you may consider hire a trainer for guidance.

Muscle groups workouts do require focus and concentration because you train less on each training day as opposed to total body training. The benefit goes to your muscle gain because you are less stress during the workouts and therefore have more energy to work on each muscle group.

Training on muscles alone does not make a perfect body. You have to include cardio exercises to burn more fats and stay fit as a long term plan.

Beginners have to pay more attention to the movements to avoiding injuries. Firstly, learn how to do the exercises correctly rather than building muscles. Avoid jerky and swinging movements so as not to cause injuries to the connective tissues and muscles. It also helps to strengthen tendons and ligament. The safest way is to perform all repetitions in a slow and controlled manner. Do not use more than 80% of your maximum strength when doing any set of exercises.

Secondly, exercise the larger muscle groups first when you are fresh and less fatigue because larger muscle groups require more blood flow and oxygen when it is stressed. Normally the smaller muscle groups require less energy and stamina. There is a reason why you need to train the bigger muscle groups first.

Last but not least, train only on alternate days to make sure you have at least one full day of rest for muscle recovery. The muscles only grow on rest day and not during training.