Q: I'm strictly concerned with the cosmetic benefits of weight training. How long do you think it will take before my body looks better if I work out with weights three times a week for a half hour per session? - M.W.C., Brewster, MA

A: It seems to me that you're looking for a lot of benefit for just a small investment of time. Ninety minutes a week lifting weights is not as much as you might think it is. How much work do you get done in an office in that time? Virtually nothing. How can you expect that you're going to make great strides in the gym with such little work put in? If you are serious about making strength gains and cosmetic improvements, you have to spend much more time. Three times a week is fine, but you should consider increasing your workouts to 90 minutes for each session.

Okay, if you really don't have the time but want to make cosmetic gains, then focus on your lower body, which means doing exercises for your legs and back, where most of the muscle fibers in the body are located. Good back exercises to consider include lat pull downs, high pulls and upright rowing. For your legs, perform squats, lunges and leg extensions.

Source: fitlinxx.com