Chloe Madeley - Transform Your Body With Weights

First and foremost, let me start by assuring you that you are not required to throw yourself in at the deep end of the weight-lifting pool. In fact, what I want from you beginners is the complete opposite I want you to use this guide to get your feet wet and focus on form.

One of my favourite expressions in the weight-lifting world is: Start as you mean to continue. In other words: Get your form right now and worry about the weights later.

I want you to learn how to execute a movement properly first, without worrying about the weight you are lifting.

Form is the most important factor when it comes to weight lifting. Without good, safe form, you are more than likely going to:

Hurt yourself

Expend a lot of energy doing ineffective training

End up having to unlearn and then relearn appropriate form later

Obviously, something as visual as form is very tricky to teach in a book. Youll find exercise imagery and explanations throughout the plan but other visual aids will go a long way towards helping you understand what these exercises should look like. For example:

YouTube

Gym Instructors

Personal Trainers

Friends or family who lift

Even just watching other people in the gym

If you can watch somebody lift properly, it will be a lot easier for you to recreate it later.

Only your body can tell you how heavy a weight you should be lifting. Obviously, as a beginner, I urge you to start small. The goal here is to get you used to an exercise with a little additional weight, not get you used to a weight alone. What I mean by this is that:

The exercise is your primary concern and the weight is your secondary concern.

Once you feel that you have form down, be brave and increase your weight.

Choosing Your Weight-training Goal

Endurance Training(the muscles ability to generate force repeatedly) is perfect for those wanting to increase their functional training abilities, such as triathletes, distance runners and rowers. If you are a cardio bunny looking to implement some weight lifting to assist your sport, then endurance is perfect for you.

Hypertrophy Training(the growth of a muscle) is perfect for those wanting to increase visible muscle mass, and is my favourite form of weight lifting. If you are looking for aesthetic muscular results, hypertrophy is for you.

Strength Training(the muscles ability to generate force against resistance) or powerlifting is perfect for those wanting to increase their physical strength and really enjoy their weight lifting. It traditionally only calls for 3 exercises squat, deadlift and bench press, as these are the competition lifts. However, in recent years 2 common exercises have been included in the training military press and barbell row.

I have written the exercise plans to cover all the bases so there are 2 days for each different area of the body (upper, lower and back / core). As a result, each plan has 6 days a week of training BUT you do not need to train for the full 6 days. As long as you train your body evenly (dont just focus on legs, for example), feel free to weight-train anywhere between 4 and 6 times a week, taking rest days as and when you need them. This advice is especially important with strength training recovery is key for this goal, so training 4 days a week is enough.

Try not to train the same body part 2 days in a row, as you want to make sure each muscle group has at least 24 hours to recover after training.

You will notice that some of the exercises in the Beginner Plan start off unweighted this is to ensure you have time to practise your form before you move on to lifting weights.

Youll also notice that you start on small weights, e.g. dumbbells and kettlebells, and graduate on to bigger machines, like the Smith Machine, the Squat Rack and Cables, as the weeks pass. This is deliberate and means you arent tackling complicated equipment before you are comfortable with your weight training.

Lastly, there are many exercise repetitions in the Beginner Plan While big compound exercises, such as squats and deadlifts, should be a weekly staple of any weight-lifting plan (in my opinion), the repetition of other exercises will give you time to practise and improve your lifting technique. Dont worry, every area of your body will be trained well and trained evenly, but I want you to practise training properly first and foremost.

When I instruct a Comfortable Weight, I mean a weight that challenges you but that you can lift with ease.

When I instruct a Heavy Weight, I mean a weight that challenges you to really push HARD by your last few reps.

You can repeat this plan for as many weeks / months as you wish. However, at some point, it would be good to progress to the Intermediate Plan

Week 1 Form Focused

(bodyweight or comfortable weights only)

Monday + Thursday = Lower Body

Tuesday + Friday = Upper Body

Wednesday + Saturday = Back/Core

Sunday = Rest day

Youll see this is a 6-day weight-lifting plan. However, you only need to train for 4 or 5 days a week, if youd prefer.

As long as you make sure you train your body evenly at least 1 day on your Lower Body, 1 day on your Upper Body and 1 day on your Back/Core feel free to weight-train anywhere between 4 and 6 days a week, taking rest days as and when you need them.

Key to symbols

Endurance

Hypertrophy

Strength. If Strength is your goal but the symbol is missing from an exercise, leave the exercise out.

Stand up straight with your feet hip-width apart. Extend your arms directly out in front of you and place one hand on top of the other or place your hands on your hips. Keeping your back straight, lower yourself down into a deep squat by bending your hips, then knees. Pushing your weight down against your heels, stand back up straight again. Make sure your knees stay directly above your toes they shouldnt be collapsing inward. Repeat this movement for the full amount of sets and reps.

3 sets 15 reps 1 minute rest between sets

4 sets 12 reps 1 minute rest between sets

5 sets 5 reps 1 minute rest between sets

Place a bench about 0.5m behind you. Carefully place one of your feet up on the bench behind you, resting top down. Make sure the toes of your standing foot are pointing forwards. Standing up straight and bending only at the hip and knee, come down into a low squat before pushing back up through your heel to a standing position. Repeat this movement for the full amount of sets and reps on each leg.