By Jennifer Nicole Lee,
Fitness Expert & Author
Miss Bikini America 2005, Miss Muscle and Fitness

Welcome to my 8 F’s that equal an A in weight training! Here are the tips and the tools to build sleek and sexy mind blowing muscle! Let’s first start off with the type of program that I follow, and that I highly suggest you to follow too. I prefer the “2 days on, 1 day off, 2 days on, 2 days off” weekly split.

Let’s look at a weekly calendar. I usually start my weight training split program on Monday, since I have already designated Sunday off as a rest day for me. Monday is most likely my “Lower Body/Leg Day” (Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Inner and Outer thigh, and Calves). I have coined this day as “Puke Day” as it’s usually a pretty intense day, as I go in to my workout with tons of dedication, passion, and a lot of energy. My Monday Lower Body Workout is very challenging, yet I am able to complete it since I have made the wise strategic choice of relaxing on Sunday giving my body and mind a recharging rest. Plus I love challenging workouts. I perform my weight routine for about 45 minutes, and then I tag on about 20 minutes of cardio after my workout. Its been scientifically proven that if you perform your cardio after your weight routine, rather than before, you will be working out smarter not harder. If your motivation is to gain strength and size, you will perform 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. but if you have mature muscle mass, and have the goals of building endurance, then aim at higher reps, such as 3 sets of 17 to 21 reps. now let’s looks at Tuesday is another weight training day. Tuesday will be your upper body day (Shoulders and biceps), again a 45 minute circuit, with 20 minutes of cardio afterwards. Wednesday will be your Abs and then“Fun Cardio Day, where you choose your cardio of choice (ideas can be Stair Master, any cardio of your preference, elliptical machine, spinning class, cardio kickboxing class). Make sure you perform abs first and then cardio, as this will help trigger your core even while you do cardio. The objective with your “Fun Cardio Day” is to get your heart in its target heart rate zone. Moving onto Thursday, you will be working your Chest and Tris. Friday is a very tasking workout, since it is back. Saturday is another Abs and “Fun Cardio Day”, and Sunday is my weekly rest day.

(You can graphically Insert weight training calendar here, as shown below)

Monday-Quads, Glutes, Hamstrings, Inner and Outer thigh, and Calves
Tuesday-Shoulders and biceps
Wednesday-Abs & then “Fun Cardio Day”
Thursday-Chest and Tris
Friday-Back
Saturday-Abs and “Fun Cardio Day”
Sunday-Active Rest Day (Fun active day such as swimming, or going to the mall to walk around or take my sons to the park or beach).

JNL’S 8 F’S THAT EQUAL AN A+ IN WEIGHT TRAINING

Now lets take a closer look at my 8 F’s that equal an A in weight training below, and will also give you that Fitness Model body that you have always wanted!

1.FAITH- Faith is a powerful word! Remember the saying that “Faith without works is Dead”? It’s so true! Before you even start working, you MUST have faith! It’s the seed that is planted in your brain, telling that you can do it, even if you have never weight trained before. I urge everyone who has a transformation before them, to take their BEFORE photo, to use this as fuel to their faith! This before photo will be used as a catalyst to move you forward, as this is your soon to be past! Then take a photo of someone that you want to look like, and then use this as a “faith” tool to show you that they did it, and you can too! You must have this unwavering faith in yourself to create the mind blowing muscle that you deserve! And I have always said that “success leaves clues”, so if you see someone who has the body that you want, reach out to them and get their success clues!

2.FOCUS-You must use your power of focus when you are training, and always focusing on your goals and objectives! This mental tool must be used when you start your program. Focuses means so many things, but most importantly focus on the movement. Understand that nothing else exists at this moment when you are training, except for the movement itself. Put all issues and ideas on hold while you are training, and focus on your muscle being uses, your on your deep breathing, and focus on you! Forget about your bills; forget about the mellow drama that comes into your life every day! The power of razor sharp focus will give you results! Visually focus while you train also. Find a visual spot to “mark” your eyes with it. Find a visual, core spot to lock your eyes onto. If you doing lunges and you got a lot of weight on your body, you must keep your eyes up on one spot to keep you in balance and strong in your move. When the weight is challenging, use your power of focus to “pull it out of a hat” just like a magician pulls a rabbit out of thin air! When you focus, you are able to conjure up strength that is inside of you!

There is nothing but dirt on the floor, so never look on the ground! Rather keep your focus on a spot to “draw” you to your end goal. Ballerinas call it “spotting”. Her body spins first and then she whips her head around lastly, allowing her to perform 20 plus spins in a row, without getting dizzy. This is just not coincidence, but a science! There is a science to weight training, and one must respect weight training to get you the results that you want and deserve. And remember, when you train at home, or at the gym, it’s not “Happy Hour”, gossip time with your friend, but rather an allotted time to give yourself the best gift ever, the gift of exercise.

3.FORM-Proper form is essential when training. It will deter and prevent any injury, and you can use your “Super Woman” or “Super Man” walk. This is the proper form of standing-Keep your chest up, abs in tight, slight curve in your lower back, chin up and head held high. Then picture an imaginary cape off of your back flying in the wind! This proper form is critical in making sure you don’t injure yourself. It’s also vital in making sure you execute the exercise correctly. Form is also so important because it won’t allow you to cheat! Don’t use your momentum, but rather your muscles. There should never be yanking of the weights, moving fast and jerky movements. Make sure you use this success principle of form.

4.FULL RANGE OF MOTION-This means that you will go from Point A to Point B all the way through the motion of the move without cheating yourself. When you use your full range of motion, your muscles will positively respond and grow, and get rock hard and strong! To get a fitness model body, you must execute full range of motion in all workouts. All fitnes s models know how to work out the right way, and now, so do you!

5. FIGHT-I like to say “If it isn’t worth fighting for, then it isn’t worth it at all!” You may be tired, intimidated, or suffering from some personal strife; however, you must fight for your workouts and never give up! Fight for your right to be fit! You will have to even at times fight for that last rep! You all are weight training warriors and that you must fight for what you want in life, and fight for that last rep in! Fight for those last couple of reps, this is actually when you are doing your muscles the greatest good! Don’t give in, but rather fight for them, and bring them home! And all of you are fighters, or you would not be reading this! So fight and earn your muscle by never giving up in your workouts. Some of the most invaluable, priceless things in life you have to fight for them, including the priceless gift of building mind blowing muscle! I believe us warriors in life, resonate on the same “membrane” in this life, so if you are reading this, you are a fighter!

6. FORCEFUL-In order to hold your own in the weight room and in a challenging weight training workout, you MUST be forceful! You have to have a bold attitude when you workout, or you wont be able to take your physique to the next level. Be forceful in your energy, focus, and personality, and demand the respect that you need and deserve! When you walk into that weight room, you must walk in with vengeance! Name it and claim it! Have “balls”, as some will call it, yet be cordial. If someone is hogging the equipment, be forceful and ask to “work in” with them. Be almost a maniac on a mission and don’t be afraid to be aggressive and forceful, making sure you get what YOU need to be accomplished in your workout. You have to also be ambitious with integrity. Especially if you are a woman, and you are most likely one of a few in the weight room, while all the other women are hooked on the “mind-less, non-thinking” workout of cardio. “Cardio Queens” who do an hour on the bike and then an hour on the stair master are skinny fat people. You don’t have to have a big personality or a big “I can do it” attitude to do cardio, because they don’t know what to do in the weight room, as they are intimidated and play it safe on the cardio machines. Lose and burn off the muscle tone, kill your metabolism, and over train only to get upset not to see results. Be forceful and tell yourselves that you deserve that sleek and sexy feminine muscle tone. And if you need help, ask for it! I can tell you that the men in the weight room will be more than happy to help you rerack your weights and spot you.

And we all have seen “Star Wars”. Remember when Yoda was training Luke to “have the force” and to learn how to use it? Well, he said “Luke, you are TRYING! There is NO TRYING! Trying doesn’t exist! Either you do or you don’t!” So I urge you to DO it, and don’t try to do it! And being forceful is one way to make sure that YOU DO IT! And just like Yoda said “May the force be with you!” Be forceful and you will make your muscle happen.

7. FREEDOM-A lot of you might say that weight training is so difficult and I don’t know where to start or what to do? However once you get the information that you need, and you unlock the mysterious world of weight training, either by a coach, trainer or a consult with me at www.clubjnl.com, you will enjoy working with a top success turn around coach and also a life coach, giving you MORE freedom! It’s actually about working out smarter, not harder, and doing less to achieve more! My 45 minute weight training workouts are FAR better than 2 hours of cardio. Don’t confuse a lot of activity to equal results! When you train with weights, you will actually have more free time to spend with your friends and family, because you will be working out less and getting more results! Freedom comes from utilizing efficient and effective workouts to build muscle! I burn more fat and build more sleek and sexy feminine muscle tone in 45 minutes with weights than even doing any type of cardio. Plus you will not only be LOSING weight, but will be GAINING energy, stamina and endurance! I can even move my own furniture without calling my husband to help me. And guess what! Weight training is FREE! You don’t need an expensive gym membership, or a “glorified counter” who calls himself a trainier! All you need to do is lean on your own understanding, as I am sure you know a lot more than you think you do!

And now last and the most important F of all time that equals in an in weight training…

8.FINISH!-You must make sure that you never give up, and finish your program! Finishing is the most important F of the entire program is so vital because you must finish and “cross over that finish line!” I love the old saying that “Rome wasn’t built in a day”, because it tells me that this masterpiece didn’t happen over night, but it was built! It’s not about being perfect, but more about being persistent! Don’t give up or give in too early. Fitness and weight training is not a one time event. You don’t go to the gym once and then are fit for the rest of your life. Rather, weight training is a journey, a journey to be enjoyed! Weight training has so many benefits! You will be building mind blowing muscle, increasing your bone density, look great, feel terrific, and it’s excellent for boosting your metabolism and increasing your confidence! So remember, FINISH AND FINISH STRONG! And aim to follow the BSN motto of “FINISH FIRST”!

I know that all of you enjoyed my article on my “JNL’s 8 F’s that Equal an A in Weight Training!” I appreciate all of you! And remember we all have one life to live. But if we live it right, one time is enough! So go and amaze yourself!

One Love-World Wide,

Jennifer Nicole Lee
International Fitness Celebrity
www.JenniferNicoleLee.com

Additional JNL Fitness Tips:

• Don’t equal with more activity for more results! There is such a thing as “overtraining”.
• Focus on working out smarter, not harder!
• You don’t build or grow muscle while you are working out. When you are resting and getting proper nutrition, this is when the magic of muscle growth happens.
• Proper Supplementation is essential! You need adequate protein, and Protein Shakes are a great way to consume the right amount of protein.
• If you don’t get proper protein intake, all of your weight training will go down the drain.