How many reps/sets?

[SawaPawa]

I've never really gotten into weight training, here and there I'd start, going absolutely mental on it, and then stop again after a week or so. I want to ease myself into it again now but I'm not to sure how many reps/sets to do, or how to warm up for weights. (My apologies to Willy conquerer (if u still post) who very kindly wrote me a great entire schedule a couple of years ago just before my comp got a virus!

Obviously strength is my priority but I'm not entirely sure what weight I'll fight at (never been that lean) so don't wanna get too big but wouldn't have thought I'd possibly put on more than a couple of kilos over the first 6 months or so anyway so shouldn't think that will be a problem, correct me if I'm wrong though.

My plan is to do two sessions a week, I'm thinking of doing bench press, shoulder press, squats on day 1 and then seated row, chins and dead lift on day 2 to begin with, then add more when i'm not feeling sore all the time.

Ta in advance!!

[Leigh]

Yeah, some people think that just looking at weights will make them huge. Comments like, "I just want to tone up, not get too big," as if muscle growth is something that happens by accident. So you are right to not be too concerned about hypertrophy

My strength coach always had all of us on the 4 x 4 reps and sets scheme for strength. The exercises you have listed look good for the goal you have stated

[SawaPawa]

ta leigh, and how should I warm up?

[Jamie Taylor]

Just do an excercise specific pyramid warm up.

ie. if youre doing deadlifts start light do a few reps, add a bit more weight do a few reps etc etc. Same for bench, squat etc...

[Smiler]

Hi!

It depends on what you want to achieve.

Seriously not being funny, you are looking at 'Strength' but for what purpose? Just stronger overall? More strength for MMA? Strength for strength events?

This will affect the sets you train, the exercises, speed of exercise...

Can you be a bit more specific, and I'll then be able to give you a bit more help?

Smiler

[HarryHill]

Have a look on www.muscletalk.co.uk they have some good answers. Obviously you get good at MMA by practising MMA... But Deadlifts, Bench, Squats are the main staple for absolute strength, then you have the more explosive PowerClean&Press, High Pulls, Pop Press for power and endurance.

[SawaPawa]

Hi!

It depends on what you want to achieve.

Seriously not being funny, you are looking at 'Strength' but for what purpose? Just stronger overall? More strength for MMA? Strength for strength events?

This will affect the sets you train, the exercises, speed of exercise...

Can you be a bit more specific, and I'll then be able to give you a bit more help?

Smiler

Erm.... no....... lol, this shows how little I know. Basically I mean strength for MMA but I guess this is incredibly vague and I don't really know what it is lol.

[Rob T]

I always used to do the same warm-up everytime I lifted and never had any injuries from lifting;

10mins on cross-trainer (5mins easy pace, then a decent pace for 3mins, average for 1min and cool-down for 1min). That gets most of your muscles warmed up.

Then before doing any specific lift I would just do a set of 20 reps with very low weight. Sometimes this would be just the bar itself, or just 20kg... depends on the exercise.