The reason to lift weights in a gym is to make your muscles stronger and attain the associated health benefits. But a best-selling fitness author says most people waste their time and effort by either lifting weights that are too light for them or by exercising when their muscles have not recovered from their previous workout.

“Most people have no idea they are wasting their time because they’ve never been told the underlying principles of strength training,” says Sisco. “They expend energy and tire themselves out so they think their efforts are working. So people perform hundreds of unnecessary workouts that have zero chance of transforming their bodies.”

Health expert fitness trainer Craig Ballantyne believes that men and women can benefit from modified 300-style workouts. While he has demonstrated the entire 300 workout routine on MensHealth.com, he knows that not every man and woman will be able to complete such a rigorous workout.

Watch Craig Ballantyne perform the exercises from the full 300 workout:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggiYjRelWgc

“By simply modifying the exercises, such as using bodyweight and dumbbell substitutes, men and women can challenge themselves in their home gyms, while at the same time burning fat and building muscle. This type of workout will boost their metabolism and sculpt their body much better than slow, boring cardio workouts,” Ballantyne says.