Developing a weight lifting or weight training exercise program will depend on your specific goals. If your goal is to develop strength and or to tone your body and muscles, you will adjust your reps, sets, and weight amount. The reps, sets, and weight amount will differ if your goal is to gain muscle mass and/or size. The rest and recovery period will differ depending on your personal fitness goals, too.
Increasing muscle strength can be accomplished, according to research, with just one set of each exercise. Studies have not shown that multiple sets will increase strength. Performing more than one set is acceptable and can increase endurance and help with caloric burn. When devising your weight lifting exercise plan to increase strength, a 1RM to 6RM should be used. Optimally try to aim for a 4 to 6RM. The exercises should be performed 3 to 4 days per week. Strength training requires a minimal amount of recovery time between sets and exercises. A maximum of 3 to 5 minutes should be sufficient. The amount of weight should be determined individually based on your own capabilities and expertise.
Increasing muscle mass or size requires adhering to an 8RM to 20RM. If you remain between 8-12RM, you will increase muscle size and experience some gains in strength. Between 12RM and 20RM, endurance and muscle size will increase. Rest and recovery will require at least a five minute period of rest between sets and exercises. You should also allow at least 48 hours between each weight lifting session to allow sufficient recovery time and to allow time for your muscles to grow.
Toning will only restore the muscle and decrease the amount of fat. To accomplish this, you will need to combine the recommendations for the strength training exercise program and include aerobic exercise and a good diet. Increasing muscle mass will require higher weight amounts and continuous increases in the amount of weight. It also requires a higher number of reps. Remember to increase your reps and weight amounts at regular intervals to avoid plateaus.