Bob Whelan, a longtime trainer, has always been an advocate of what is known as balanced training and for that we will design a program in this article.
This type of workout trains the entire body in a balanced manner, consisting of an equal amount of pushing and pulling movements, along with lower body compound movements, with an emphasis on total body development.
For a balanced workout, you want to incorporate horizontal and vertical pushing movements, as well as horizontal and vertical pulling movements. Examples of vertical push would be barbell presses or dumbbells. Vertical pull exercises would consist of chin-ups, pull-ups, or pulldowns. The horizontal pushes would be the barbell or dumbbell bench press and the horizontal pull movements would be the dumbbell or barbell rows.
Below is an example of a balanced training program:
Balanced Training Program
Day one:
Bench Press 2×6-12
Rows 2×6-12
Squats 1×12-20
Crunches 2 x 12-25
Day two:
Overhead Press 2×6-12
Dominated or Pulldowns 2 x 6-12
Deadlift 1x 12-20
Crunches 2 x 12-25
Notes: Train twice a week with horizontal movements on the first day and vertical movements on the second day. Leg and abs work will be in both workouts. You can tailor this to any set and rep range you like. You can also add a finisher like Farmer’s Walks or carry sandbags to complete the routine. You can also do one set to failure for each exercise if you wish. Feel free to make adjustments to suit your needs.
Understand that to be successful in any weight training program, hard work is a must! Half-hearted effort does nothing for you. If you are new to weight training or severely out of shape, consult a doctor first. End of disclaimer.
