©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft LIFT WEIGHTS NOW By Michelle Rycroft All rights reserved. No part of this ebook may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without the expressed written permission from Michelle Rycroft. Piracy Notice Piracy is illegal. You know that. Don’t do it. ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft Disclaimer Lift Weights Now is not medical advice and is not intended to replace the advice or attention of health-­‐care professionals. Always consult your physician before beginning or making any changes in your diet and/or exercise program, for diagnosis and treatment of illness and injuries, and for advice regarding medications. You must get your physician’s approval before making any changes to your diet and/or exercise program including every step discussed in this program. These recommendations are not medical guidelines but are for educational purposes only. You must consult your physician prior to taking any advice from this program/manual or if you have any medical condition or injury that contraindicates physical activity or supplementation. This advice is intended for healthy individuals 18 years and older only. The information in this program is meant to supplement, not replace, proper exercise training and nutrition along with the approval of your physician. All forms of exercise and nutrition pose some inherent risks. The author advises all readers to take full responsibility for their safety and know their limits and seek expert guidance for performing all of the exercises contained within this program. The exercises and dietary recommendations in this book are not intended as a substitute for any exercise routine or treatment or dietary regimen that may have been prescribed by your physician. See your physician before starting any exercise or nutrition program or making any changes. If you are taking any medication, you must talk to your physician before starting any exercise program, including any recommendations in this program. If you experience lightheadedness, dizziness, or shortness of breath while exercising, stop the movement and consult a physician immediately. Do not perform any exercise unless you have been shown the proper technique by a certified personal trainer or certified strength and conditioning specialist. Always ask for instruction and assistance when lifting. Don’t perform any exercise without proper instruction. Always do a warm-­‐up prior to strength training and interval training. You must have a complete physical examination if you are sedentary, if you have high cholesterol, high blood pressure, or diabetes, if you are overweight, if you have had any injuries, may have an injury, or if you are over 30 years old. Please discuss all nutritional changes with your physician or a registered dietician. If your physician recommends that you don’t use any information in this program, please follow your doctor’s orders. This information is intended for informational use only. Michelle Rycroft or Ripped by Rycroft will not assume any liability or be held responsible for any form of injury, personal loss or illness caused by the utilization of this information. In addition, make sure you use equipment that is properly maintained and safe. You must also have the exercises taught to you by a certified personal trainer of strength coach and have a spotter with you during exercises.
©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft Introduction Lift Weights Now is your first step into the world of lifting or as some would call it, strength training. I’m passionate about teaching women how to lift. When I started my fitness journey, I was extremely intimidated by the weight area of the gym. I didn’t want to look like an idiot that didn’t know what I was doing. So I know exactly how you feel and that is why I wrote this book. I want you to have a basic beginning guide you can follow that focuses mainly on a few basic moves that get you familiar with the concept of lifting. First and foremost, read through the book in its entirety. Don’t just skip to the workouts and go gung ho out at the gym. I don’t want you to get hurt! So read through this a couple times and if there is something you have a question on, then ask me via email at info@rippedbyrycroft or on my page. No question is too silly or dumb! It’s how we learn! Watch all of the videos with the workouts nearby. Form should NEVER be compromised. Practice the movement in the comfort of your home, so that when you do get to the gym you can walk into the weight area LIKE A LADYBOSS! That’s right…own it! Don’t let anyone in the gym take away your confidence. Put your headphones on and get it done ladies! Keep track of your workouts! I have included tracking logs for you to make this easier. There is nothing worse than going to the gym and not knowing what weight you did last time. When lifting, we want to practice progressive overload meaning that we are progressing our weight when we are able to do so. You can’t do this unless you keep track of your reps and weight. Move at your own pace. No need to rush or work so hard that you’re completely fatigued at the end of your workout. Soreness and fatigue are not telltale signs of how good your workout was, it’s about progressing forward and being proud of what your body can do. You may or may not be sore. You may or may not be tired. The one question you need to ask yourself, is did you do your best? Finally, have fun! Lifting truly is a lot of fun! I enjoy the hell out of it and I know you will too once you get started. Some of the benefits of lifting include increased confidence, strength, self-­‐esteem and some great curves. NOW LET’S GO THROW SOME WEIGHT AROUND!!
©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft Lift Weights Now Q & A Please read the following notes carefully. You may want to look these over before each workout for the first week or two to make sure you stay on track and do everything correctly. Who are these workouts for? • These workouts are designed for the beginning lifter. A beginner is someone who has not previously lifted weights or who has not consistently worked out with weights. Should I warm up before these workouts? • YES! Take 5-­‐10 minutes to complete a dynamic warm up such as jogging in place, jump rope, elliptical machine, treadmill, etc. Any movement that will get the blood flowing throughout your body is good. You can also do some bodyweight movements such as squats, lunges, arm circles, etc. A warm should not be hard-­‐
core. Should I eat before lifting? • That depends on you. For me personally, I need to have a little something in my belly before I workout, but I know a few people who don’t like to eat at all. There is much debate on whether you should or shouldn’t eat before working out, but do some trial and error and see how you feel. Do what works for you! What are reps & sets? • Reps are short for repetitions. A repetition defines the number of times to perform an exercise. For example, you do 12 squats, and then stop. The 12 squats you perform are considered 12 repetitions. • A set refers to how many times you will repeat that exercise for the set number of repetitions. For example, you do 12 squats and rest. Then you do another 12 squats, rest and then another 12. You have now completed 3 sets of 12 reps. • Each workout is written with a certain number of sets and reps. The workouts are to be performed as modified straight sets meaning you will have a rep range to meet instead of an exact number of reps. For example, it will say do 3 sets of 8-­‐10 reps. This means that at minimum you are trying to hit 8 reps but no more than 10 for each set. How much weight should I use? • This is a tough question to answer because everyone is so different. You want to choose a weight that makes the last 1-­‐2 reps of a move challenging. If you can complete all reps for a given set without having to “push out” the last few (with good form of course), then increase your weight by 5-­‐10lbs depending on the availability at your gym. ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft Lift Weights Now Q & A (continued) How long should I rest between sets? • The rest time will be indicated next to each move in the workout. If you need a little more time, take it but try to stick to the time indicated for the most benefit. How often should I workout? • The schedule is written as such that you will workout 3 times per week or every other day. Do not complete these workouts back to back, as you need a day in between to allow for proper muscle recovery. What about cardio? • Ewww…bite your tongue! ☺ However, if you would like to add additional movement into your week, my recommendation is to add some HIIT (high intensity interval training) or some other physical activity that you enjoy doing. Furthermore, plain old leisure walking is perfectly fine too. What is progressive overload? • The key with lifting is that you need to constantly progress your weights up. In order for a muscle to grow or performance to increase, the body must be forced to adapt to a stimulus that is more than what it has previously experienced. • For example, if it says do bicep curls for 3 sets of 8-­‐10 reps & the following is what you do using 10lbs: o Set 1 – 9 reps o Set 2 – 9 reps o Set 3 – 8 reps • In the example above, you hit the rep range for each set. This means that the next time you do bicep curls, you will increase your weight by the smallest increment possible (usually 5-­‐10lbs) and your reps may look like this: o Set 1 – 9 reps o Set 2 – 8 reps o Set 3 – 7 reps • Do you see that you did not hit the rep range of 8-­‐10 for set 3? This means that the next time you do bicep curls, you will not progress the weight. Now if on the third time you hit the rep range for each set, you would progress again. • You will not progress every single workout. You may get stuck at a certain weight for a while and that is perfectly OK. Just keep going! Should I cool down or stretch after my workout? • YES! Once you are done with your lifting workout, take 5-­‐10 minutes to stretch your muscles from head to toe. Hold each stretch for at least 30 seconds because it takes that long for your brain to tell your muscle to relax. Don’t force the stretch. Go far enough to feel it but it shouldn’t be painful. ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft WORKOUT SCHEDULE DAY WEEK 1 WEEK 2 WEEK 3 WEEK 4 SUNDAY REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY MONDAY Workout 1 Workout 2 Workout 1 Workout 2 TUESDAY Optional HIIT Optional HIIT Optional HIIT Optional HIIT WEDNESDAY Workout 2 Workout 1 Workout 2 Workout 1 THURSDAY Optional HIIT Optional HIIT Optional HIIT Optional HIIT FRIDAY Workout 1 Workout 2 Workout 1 Workout 2 SATURDAY REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY REST DAY WORKOUT #1 Exercise Goblet Squat DB Shoulder Press Seated Cable Row DB Bicep Curls Plank Hold Sets 3 3 3 2 2 Reps 6-­‐8 8-­‐10 8-­‐10 10-­‐12 Hold as long as possible Rest Time 1-­‐2 minutes 1-­‐2 minutes 1 minute 1 minute 30 seconds WORKOUT #2 Exercise Leg Curl DB Bench Press Lat Pulldown Tricep Pushdowns Calf Raises Sets 3 3 3 2 2 Reps 6-­‐8 6-­‐8 8-­‐10 10-­‐12 10-­‐12 Rest Time 1-­‐2 minutes 1-­‐2 minutes 1 minute 1 minute 1 minute DB = Dumbbell
©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft WORKOUT VIDEOS Be sure to click on the FEMALE tab for each video. Workout #1 Goblet Squat -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/goblet-­‐squat DB Shoulder Press -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-­‐shoulder-­‐press Note: Angle your arms in to 45 degrees instead of in line with your body. Seated Cable Row -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/seated-­‐cable-­‐rows DB Bicep Curls -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-­‐bicep-­‐curl Plank -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/plank Workout #2 Leg Curl – Your gym may have a lying or seated leg curl machine, so I’m including both videos. • Lying Leg Curl -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/lying-­‐leg-­‐curls • Seated Leg Curl -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/seated-­‐leg-­‐curl DB Bench Press -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/dumbbell-­‐bench-­‐press Lat Pulldown -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/close-­‐grip-­‐front-­‐lat-­‐pulldown Note: Place hands just slightly outside of shoulder width. Triceps Pushdown -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/triceps-­‐pushdown Calf Raises – • Standing Calf Raise -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/standing-­‐calf-­‐raises • DB Standing Calf Raise -­‐ http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/standing-­‐
dumbbell-­‐calf-­‐raise o Depending on what your gym has, you can use weight plates, an aerobic step or just stay on the floor. ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft TRACKING LOG WORKOUT #1 EXERCISE # of Reps Completed Goblet Squat Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 N/A Week 2 N/A Week 3 N/A Week 4 N/A Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 N/A Week 2 N/A Week 3 N/A Week 4 N/A DB Shoulder Press Cable Row DB Bicep Curls Plank Hold Record time held for planks. ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft TRACKING LOG WORKOUT #2 EXERCISE # of Reps Completed Leg Curl Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 N/A Week 2 N/A Week 3 N/A Week 4 N/A Set 1 Set 2 Set 3 Week 1 N/A Week 2 N/A Week 3 N/A Week 4 N/A DB Bench Press Lat Pulldown Triceps Pushdown Calf Raises ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft WHAT’S NEXT? CONGRATULATIONS! You just finished your first month of lifting!! I’m so proud of you! So the answer is what’s next? That’s simple…KEEP GOING! I’m working on writing intermediate and advanced workout plans, but in the meantime get stronger at these workouts. There is nothing wrong with sticking with these workouts for another month. Follow me on Instagram and Facebook for more workout ideas. I post a new one every week! ©Ripped by Rycroft www.rippedbyrycroft.com By: Michelle Rycroft