Sensible Resistance Workouts -
Easy-to-use high-intensity routines for maximum gains

This page deals specifically with the Resistance Workouts used with the Sensible Physical Fitness Program. It is but one of several other resistance routines which will become available in this Site.

What is the thinking behind this Resistance Routine?

The main intention in designing this resistance workout routine was to allow me to get maximum overload to stimulate my muscles, yet avoid overtraining. It is based on high-intensity training techniques which means short, infrequent but hard training sessions of between 25 to 35 minutes each.

During high-intensity routines, exercises are typically performed with an all-out effort until it is no longer possible to perform another repetition in good form, hence the term "momentary muscular-failure." Further repetitions beyond this point may be possible with certain assisted techniques like forced reps, negative reps and/or cheating (however, these methods should only be used by more advanced exercisers).

For an increase to occur in strength and size, it is important to gradually ‘overload’ the muscles through progressive resistance-training. This means taxing the muscles and slowly-but-steadily exceeding their capacity threshold with time, so that an adaptive response occurs (a positive training-effect).

Since I ususally have many other things happening in my life, I like this approach for its sheer time-efficiency over high-volume training, even though I do occasionally cycle my programs and intensity from time-to-time. (You will see other workout routines in this Site which employ various different training principles and disciplines.)

Structure of the workouts

The Sensible Resistance Workouts adopt a weekly 3-way split routine to train the entire body. In simple terms, this means that I trained each part of my body once per week. To do this, I performed two sets of exercises per body part selected from the exercise types (as shown below).

These are exercises which I have found both challenging and effective over the years and suit my personal needs and tendencies. You may find that you would rather omit and substitute one or other exercise and that is perfectly okay, as long as the goals of the program can be achieved.

The images under each of the resistance workout days of the week illustrate the excercises and show their respective start and end points.

To consistently keep my body challenged, I usually varied the exercise types and occasionally swapped Monday’s and Friday’s resistance workouts, but kept Wednesday’s unchanged. I wanted a full 3 days between the 2 upper-body workouts, since both these routines to an extent, affect common muscle groups.


Proper execution of the resistance exercises

The main elements in performing the various exercises of this resistance workout are:

• Smooth, even form,

• Full range-of-motion,

• Heaviest set first, and,

• Proper repetition range.

These are important considerations for producing optimal results, while minimizing the chance of injury. I always make sure, whatever my condition, that I choose a weight which is challenging to train with, yet allows for smooth performance of the exercise. Smooth form also means breathing out during the concentric (effort) part of the repetition, which should take a full two seconds to complete.

After a pause of another one second (while holding my breath and keeping my body still and under control), I lower or return the weight to its starting point over a three-second period while inhaling (the eccentric part of the exercise). I repeat the process again after a further one-second rest. It is also of utmost importance for maximum gains and balanced development, to train the muscles through their full range-of-motion. In other words, from fully flexed to fully extended.

As mentioned, I usually perform two sets of exercises per body part. I always precede these two heavy sets by a light warm up set (do not omit warm up reps). Only then, with properly warmed and limbered muscles, do I proceed to the heavy stuff. I do the heaviest set first, applying maximum resistance load, and where I believe the most benefit is derived.

Alternate maximum and moderate effort

On "all-out" weeks I perform both heavy sets with proper form until failure, which means until I cannot do another rep in good form, even with the most focused effort. I then try to squeeze out another one or two reps, but no more. Muscle growth-response depends on urging the muscles to continually do more than they did previously, hence the term "progressive resistance-training."

Through tracking my progress, I normally progressively select heavier weights that cause me to "fail" between six and twelve reps. I feel that this is the ideal rep range to maximize muscle-fiber growth-response. I rest for a minute between sets of the same muscle group and then for two minutes before commencing with the next body part. (I indicate failure in my workout log as a "10.")

To keep my body challenged, while ensuring growth and full recovery, I alternate between high and moderate-intensity levels in my successive resistance workout sessions. In other words, I train to failure on all three workouts during week 1 and then go to a slightly less intense level during week 2, where I concentrate on executing all exercises with proper form, stopping a rep short of momentary muscle failure. (I indicate this level in my log as a "9.") Week 3 would again be to failure and so forth.

More information coming soon.

Return from Resistance Workouts to the Sensible HRF Home Page