Below I describe a sample workout. Because you only want to use weights once a week, you have to do bodyweight work to make up for it. I include links which describe the exercise fairly well.
Your aim is strength, which generally means lower reps. However, for anyone other than quite strong people (deadlift more than twice bodyweight, etc) it doesn't make much difference - the important thing is to be lifting at all. In your case, because you can only work out once a week, we must compromise; sets of 5 reps wouldn't be enough just once a week. So we have low-medium reps (8) combined with high reps of bodyweight work the rest of the week.
In your one
weights workout, which should take about
one hour, do,
- Squats, 1x 20 bar only, 3 sets of 8 work
- Military press, 1x 20 bar only, 3x 8 work
- Bent over barbell row, 1x 20 bar only, 3x 8 work [but bend at 45 degrees, rather than parallel to the ground like in the description]
- Deadlift, 1x 20 bar only, 3x 8 work
in that order. With each exercise, begin with a set of 15-20 reps with just the bar. Then add 2.5kg and do 3 sets of 8 reps. Next workout, same warmup again, but add another 2.5kg.
At some point you'll get stuck and not be able to complete 8 reps on all 3 sets. Add another set to make up the reps, for example if you manage 8, 7, 5 then you are short 4 reps, so do 4. If you get stuck again next workout, add a
fourth set of 8, again getting the total however you can, even if it's 1 rep 8 times.
When you can make all 3 sets of 8, add weight again.
Aim for correct form in each exercise, working at a comfortable speed so you don't get sloppy or too tired. Between each set rest for 1-3 minutes. Get up and walk around a bit, it helps you recover.
Since you're doing this only once a week, you'll need some
bodyweight work at home. Test yourself now. See how many you can do of,
- Pushups [ignore the exercise description's mention of adding weight to yourself]
- Situps
- Squats [same as a barbell squat, but with just your bodyweight]
- Supine row [again, just your bodyweight, no extra weights]
Write down that number for each. Now halve it. You'll do 3 sets of that.
For example, suppose you manage,
Pushups 22, situps 30, squats 25, supine row 8.
You'll be doing,
Pushups, 3x 11
Situps, 3x 15
Squats, 3x 12
Supine row, 3x 8
Do these
three times a week, and add 1 rep each week. Your short-term aim is
3x 25 of each. You should be able to manage this in three months.
In the same session as your bodyweight work, do
burpees. Begin with 10. Then in the second week, 15. Then in the third, 20 - and so on until after eight weeks you're doing 50. Once you can do 50, try to do them quicker each time.
After this,
flexibility work.
Flexibility
After each workout, strength or fitness, work on some stretches. Hold each stretch for a count of 30 breaths.
Back/hamstring - touch your toes. Every five breaths or so, as you breathe out you may be able to get further down.
Inner legs, sides - put your feet shoulder-width apart, your arms up in the air, and tilt to one side for 15 breaths, then to the other for 15 breaths. Next time, put your feet slightly further apart.
Calves - put your hands against a wall, and one foot back with the toes on the ground, now push your heel down, feel the stretch in your calf. Then the other leg.
Chest - stand in a doorway with your hands at shoulder height against the frame, lean forwards. Feel the stretch across your chest.
Arms - stretch your arms out to your sides, pushing your elbows straight as they'll go. Inner elbows to the sky, palms to the ground, turn your hand downwards, you'll feel a stretch in your forearm and bicep.
Upper back - touch your right shoulder with your left hand, put your right hand on your left elbow, and pull the elbow toward the body. Then the other one.
Neck - just tilt it to the right for 10 breaths, left for 10, forward for 10, and up and back for 10.
The
stretches should take about 10-15 minutes in all.
Your bodyweight work should not require as much rest as the barbell work, you should be able to do all 12 sets in 25 minutes or less. How long the burpees take will depend on your fitness, call it 10 minutes to allow time to sweat. Then the 10-15 minutes of stretches, in all about 45 minutes.
Thus, you are doing
barbells 1hr 1/week, and
bodywork, burpees & stretches for 45 minutes 3/week. Make time.
For your
diet, no more smoking, drinking alcohol, or drugs. Eat LOTS of fresh fruit and vegies, nuts and beans, and SOME meat, fish and dairy every day. If you want to get overall bigger, eat more starchy food (spuds, rice, pasta, bread), if you want to get overall smaller, eat less starchy food. If you want to get overall bigger and
ever feel hungry, you are not eating enough; if you want to get overall smaller and don't feel hungry at least twice a day, you are eating too much. In each case, adjust the amount of starchy foods, not the other stuff.
You can only lose fat and gain muscle and strength if you are
overfat to begin with - say, your waist measurement over 90cm if you're under 183cm tall. Otherwise, you must choose -
either gain both muscle and fat
or lose fat while maintaining muscle.
Working out in this way, you can improve your strength and muscle mass. However, with only one heavy workout a week, you'll reach a limit; and if you don't do the bodyweight work, your gains will be even more limited. They won't be zero, but they won't be as much as they could be with a regular workout.
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