In this article I will present basic information on strength, cardiovascular and flexibility training that I have found to be foundational in my experiences with physique transformation contests as well as fitness training in general.

If you are new to a fitness lifestyle that includes a focus on exercise and nutrition, keep in mind that most beginners, or people just returning from an extended layoff, can expect to make better progress than most “seasoned” exercisers. Be advised that exercise programs can be very demanding activities. I recommend that you have a physical exam by a physician before you begin any programming recommended in this special report.

Everyone working to change their physique, whether trying to gain or lose weight, should be measuring body fat (and lean mass) as they go along. For those desiring to lose weight, I believe it is crucial to strictly focus on fat loss and not just weight loss. Too many people get hooked on what the scale says, not caring if weight loss is coming from fat, water, or lean mass. If people are losing over 2 pounds of scale weight per week, research tells us that there is a high likelihood that some of that is lean mass. If you want to lose significant amounts of body fat as rapidly as possible, you need to be sure where the weight loss is coming from – fat? or muscle? (we don’t want to lose muscle!)

Most people come to me with very little experience on how to effectively balance weight training, eating correctly, and cardio / aerobic workouts. My job is to help them establish a foundation to build upon and hopefully stay committed to for the rest of their lives. I always start beginners on a full body strength training program involving higher repetitions and low weights. This strategy is designed to strengthen and condition joints, ligaments and tendons and to prepare the client for more aggressive, higher intensity workouts. These beginner full body workouts, performed every other day, three days each week are also designed to teach clients proper repetition speed, exercise form and breathing. With intermediate clients, I usually start with a slightly more advanced full body workout, still focusing on correct form and rep speed as well as proper breathing.

After four to six weeks on a full body routine, I will usually transition people into a two or three day split (workout) where they train different muscle groups each workout. This workout uses lower volume (sets and / or reps) and higher intensity (heavier weight and / or slower lifting speed) compared to the beginner workout. Based on the individual, they will complete 2 to 4 strength training workouts each week as beginner / early intermediate trainee. I carefully gauge progress based on body composition readings, strength gains / losses, energy levels, illnesses, motivation level, as well as other factors.

If a person is competing in a physique transformation contest, I try to help him / her to focus on the contest as an entry step to a fitness lifestyle, not as the only way to train, now and forever. As a beginner sees progress with a particular exercise program, I am a firm believer in not messing with success. If a program is working, monitor progress and stick with it. Once it stops producing results, try different strategies to see if you can get progress moving again. Remember, this is mainly for beginners. For those closer to their genetic potential, progress inevitably slows down, requiring more patience with how fast they improve.

Warming up prior to a strength training workout is an area that is too often neglected. Warming up prepares your cardio-respiratory system, muscles and joints for activity. Some people choose to use stretching as their warm-up activity, but I prefer to keep stretching routines separate from warm-up activities. I do encourage people to stretch their hamstrings (back of thigh) and lower back prior to strength training, and I include warm- up sets into most all of the strength training programs as the first set or lifting movement for a specific body part. Research demonstrates that if you stretch excessively before strength training, your muscles will be weaker. The key word here is excessively. If you have body parts that are sore or tight, you will want to be very certain that they are warmed up sufficiently which may require some stretching prior to strength training.

As a matter of routine, develop the habit of spending about 3 – 5 minutes doing light cardio / aerobic work, then move into a couple of minutes of stretching the lower back and hamstrings prior to beginning a strength training session. If you have tight body parts or sore spots, gently stretch those areas until they feel like they are loosening up and / or signaling less pain. Don’t turn your warm-up into a full fledged cardio / aerobic workout unless you want to do your cardio prior to your strength training workout. Once you begin your workout, be sure to complete warm-up sets prior to the specific muscle (or muscle group) about to be worked.

No matter what your age or what you do physically, from the time you get up to the time you go to bed, you should try to periodically get in some form of stretching / flexibility movements. It doesn’t have to be laborious or extremely time consuming. I suggest that people complete the equivalent of 2 to 4 whole body stretching sessions per week. I say equivalent because you can take spare moments during your day (waiting to cross the street, talking on the phone, waiting in line, getting up briefly from your desk, etc.) to stretch rather than have a designated stretching routine done all at once.

When you stretch, the movements should lengthen muscles towards a point of extension that is functional and safe. Stretching helps to maintain maximum range of motion in all the joints of the body. Bending down to pick objects from the floor, putting on socks, tying shoelaces, itching our backs – all of these movements require some level of ability to move through a range of motion for the joints and limbs effected.

If your goal is to work on building muscle mass, toning or defining, it is best to keep your cardio / aerobic training separate from, or after your strength training workouts. If you complete your cardio / aerobic training immediately before you strength train, you will be weaker going into your strength training session due to having depleted muscle glycogen. If your goal is to improve in endurance activities such as running or cycling, it may be best to do cardio before strength training. Prioritize your workouts around your primary goal/s.

As far as cardio / aerobic programming goes, many people still fall for the “more is better” strategy, putting in long, low intensity sessions in hopes of burning body fat and losing weight. If this has been your training strategy, the results you experience should speak for themselves. It is my guess that your results following the “more is better” routine have been minimal or short lived. Don’t blindly stick with a program out of loyalty if it isn’t getting you the results you want. If a particular training strategy is effective, the results should prove it. If not, change it (training strategy) into a better way.

For optimum fat loss, cardio / aerobic workouts should occur within 30 minutes after wake-up, on an empty stomach. You may also want to wait up to 1 hour after your morning (cardio) workout before eating to maximize fat loss / burn. If you have any blood-sugar issues like diabetes, or any other pre-existing medical conditions, do not apply these strategies without first consulting a doctor. Also, don’t forget that IF YOU EXPERIENCE ANY DIZZINESS, CHEST PAIN, NAUSEA OR SHORTNESS OF BREATH, DISCONTINUE EXERCISE IMMEDIATELY.

Learn the formulas for establishing your heart rate training zone based on your goals and current fitness level. I define a beginner as one who hasn’t been participating in a cardio / aerobic program at all, or has been averaging less than 3 cardio / aerobic workouts per week. I define intermediate as one who has been participating in a cardio / aerobic program for an average of at least 3 times per week, for at least 30 minutes per session for…