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"Why can't I get my physique to look the way that I want...?"

Everyone has an image of how they want their physique to look. Some envision themselves huge and powerful while others prefer to be lean and cut. Fortunately, within your own genetic capabilities, you can sculpt your body virtually any way that you desire. However, regardless of your aspirations, you cannot maximize your body's potential unless you train in a manner consistent with your objectives.

If you want to realize your fitness goals, you need to have a proper game plan in place. Training hard is not enough to elicit results-you also have to train smart! This involves integrating the variables of training performance into a cohesive fashion. Ultimately, by tailoring these variables to correspond with your own specific needs, you will be able to take your physique to new heights.

Goal: Strength and Power
To some women, a strong, powerful physique is desirable. These attributes give you a commanding physical presence and are of particular importance to those who train for sports such as field hockey or the martial arts. Powerlifters, who are often revered for their awe-inspiring feats of strength, embody this archetype.

If strength and power are your goals, it is best to train in a low rep range. This requires performing all-out sets of four to six reps, using weights that are as heavy as possible. You must strive to push your body to the limit, continually attempting to increase your workload from one session to the next.

Long rest periods are necessary in this type of routine. This ensures that your muscles are fully recuperated, facilitating the use of maximum poundage in your lifts. Since it takes approximately three minutes to fully regain all of your energy reserves, rest intervals should be at least this long. In many cases, rest periods of up to five minutes may be needed to guarantee complete recovery of your neuromuscular system.

In order to boost power, you should utilize "speed reps", where training is performed at a rapid pace. Power is a combination of speed and strength, and is directly influenced by the force that you generate in your repetitions. Consequently, by executing each lift in an explosive, rapid fashion, power output is maximized. Be careful, though. When performing "speed reps", you must be sure to maintain control of the weight throughout the move. Momentum shouldn't dictate your pace and you should never "bounce" the weight at the bottom of a movement in order to gain additional leverage. Sloppy, unbridled technique will only serve to decrease results and make you susceptible to a training-related injury.

Goal: Size and Shape
Some women yearn to look like a bodybuilder, with billowing muscles that turn people's heads. As exemplified by Cory Everson, this is the prototype of a buffed female physique.

For those who wish to increase their mass, a medium rep range should be employed. By targeting your growth-oriented muscle fibers (called fast twitch fibers), this type of scheme induces significant increases in muscular bulk. Moderately heavy weights are required to stimulate these fibers, using between eight to twelve reps per set.

Rest intervals of 60 to 90 seconds are ideal in this training environment. This heightens the secretion of growth hormone in your body, which is an essential component in increasing muscular hypertrophy. Moreover, since up to 90% of your strength levels will be regenerated within this period of time, you will not compromise your ability to sustain adequate training intensity.

Repetitions should be performed at a moderate speed, making sure to train through a complete range of motion. Lifting in this fashion allows you to enhance your mind-to-muscle connection, thereby improving the amount of tension that you can apply to your muscles. Additionally, you are better able to achieve a peak contraction at the top of the movement, further enhancing muscular development.

Goal: Definition and Separation
The great majority of women aspire to achieve a sleeker appearance, one that looks great in (or out of) a clothing. These individuals care little about size and strength, preferring to develop a lean, toned physique. Fitness models possess this type of body, with low bodyfat and a well-defined abdominal six-pack.

If you want to heighten muscular definition and separation, a high rep scheme is your best approach (fifteen to twenty reps per set). By targeting your endurance oriented muscle fibers (called slow twitch fibers), high rep training promotes gains in lean muscle tone. Although these fibers do not have the capacity to grow very large, targeted training will improve their density, giving a hard appearance to your body. Furthermore, since they derive much of their energy by burning fat for fuel, muscular separation will be accentuated.

Rest intervals should be kept to a minimum, taking no more than 30 seconds between sets. A fast-paced workout creates a distinct aerobic effect to your routine, keeping your heart rate elevated throughout the session. This results in a substantial increase in caloric expenditure, ultimately helping to improve your metabolism and reduce bodyfat.

Reps should be executed deliberately, maintaining a smooth, rhythmic flow during performance. A count of two on the positive portion of the rep and four on the negative is advised. Since the weights utilized in this routine are relatively light, a slower pace will ensure that you maintain muscular tension throughout the movement. Also, it will help to prolong the length of your sets, which intensifies your aerobic response.

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