If you want to become a bodybuilder and do heavy workouts, have at least six months of consistent training under your belt. The American College of Sports Medicine recommends that healthy adults do two weekly sessions of weightlifting that consists of 8 to 12 different exercises. To do hardcore workouts safely, be able to do at least 12 reps for three sets of 12 exercises, three times weekly on nonconsecutive days. [1] Work Upper and Lower Body Different Days - Divide your workouts into upper and lower body for hard-core resistance training. All weightlifting creates micro-tears in the muscle tissue that requires at least 24 hours to mend. For example, work the chest and back on Mondays and Thursdays and legs and abs on Tuesdays and Fridays. You could do sports or cardio on other days.
[2] Vary Training to Vary Physical Challenge - The Mayo Clinic says using free weights or weight machines are comparable in building muscular strength. With that in mind, vary your workouts so that you use dumbbells, weighted plates, weight machines and body weight to train. For example, for a chest and back workout, a sample hardcore workout might include three sets of 8 to 12 reps each of seated rows, lat pull downs, standing tricep extensions, standing dumbbell bicep curls, front raises, standing single tricep kickbacks, lying dumbbell chest presses, lying dumbbell flies and pushups.
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[3] Super-Sets - Do super-sets, which involve doing two or more exercises, one after the other, with little or no rest. You must work the same group of muscles. A hardcore super set for legs might include 8 to 12 reps for one to three sets each of seated leg extensions, lying hamstring curls, standing leg presses and walking dumbbell lunges. This super-set will work the quadriceps, hamstrings of the legs and gluteus maximus of the hips.
[4] Circuit Training - Do one circuit workout per week that includes at least eight different exercises with no rest in between sets. Do 8 to 12 reps for one to three sets. Circuit training will keep your heart rate elevated so that it becomes a cardio workout. A sample leg circuit workout might include walking stairs for two minutes, seated double hip adductors, seated double hip abductors, seated leg extensions, lying hamstring curls, standing leg presses, calf raises and walking dumbbell lunges.
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