4 QUESTIONS TO DETERMINE YOUR (TRAINING STATUS)
Creating appropriate resistance training routine depends on a lot of factors; in this article we will discuss one of these factors
which is “training status”. You need to know how to evaluate your current “training status”, how it affects the formation of
the training plan and how important is the classification. The guidelines will be provide to deal with every level of “training
status”
Training status 🙁 i.e., your current condition to begin a new or revised program)
Most of people get confused about what is the appropriate routine, and the percentage of the intensity they should use when
they are performing it. So from time to time you have to ask yourself what is the goal in this period for example; (need to
increase muscle mass, enhance cardiovascular capacity….). The most important question is, (what is your current class of
“training status”? after that you will be able to create the appropriate routine, know the goal from the current phase and
avoid the risk of injury that may happen with inappropriate program. Asking yourself these four questions that will help you
to classify your current” training status
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Do you have a current training program?
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How long you been in this training program” training age”?
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What is the level of “Training intensity” you have in your current program?
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What is the level of your “exercise technique experience”(i.e., the Knowledge and skill to perform resistance training
exercises properly)?
This Table provides an example of how such information might be used to classify your training status as beginner,
intermediate, or advanced.
Now we will go through the guidelines that will help you to deal with your class.
Beginner:-
Exercise type: Machines and body weight
(Because you don’t have enough experience with exercise technique you should start with machine not “free weight exercise”.
The reason behind this that “ free weight exercises” need more control and a lot of small muscles working together to control
the movement through the ‘range of motion’, which will make the free weight exercise harder, so the “free weight exercise” will
not be the right choice).
Frequency per week: 2-3 days (not consecutive).
The goal: Muscular endurance.
Sets / reps / rest: 2-3 / 12-20 / less than 30 sec.
Routine sample: Full body workout (2 exercises per major muscle group ‘legs’ ’back’ ‘chest’’ shoulder’ every session, you
can change the exercise every week but still targeting the major muscles group).
Intermediate:-
Exercise type: machines, free weight and body weight
Frequency per week: 3-4 days.
The goal: muscle hypertrophy.
Sets / reps / rest: 3-6 /8-12 / 30-90 sec
Routine sample: split the routine to two days (upper and lower or front and back or three of major muscles group every day)
Advance:-
Exercise type: machines, free weight and body weight
Frequency per week: 4-6 days.
The goal: strength or continuing with the hypertrophy goal depending on your need
Sets / reps / rest: 5-6 / 4-6 / 2-3 min
Routine sample: spilt the routine to four or three days (chest and tri, back and bi shoulder, and legs and core)
Finally to tailor the program, getting your specific needs and to avoid the risk of injury depends on a lot of factors. So you have
to be careful and aware of all factors of the “training process”. The consistency is clue to getting the results you desire from the
training, just keep it going and enjoy of the benefits of exercise.
