Bodybuilding for the Beginner!

Nice one, but
Bit concerned about this bit:

"...As a good rule aim for 10-12 sets for Large Muscle groups (Chest/Back/Legs) followed by a smaller muscle group for 7-9 sets (Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders/Abs/Calves)..."

10-12 sets? Isnt that too much? You mean 10-12 SETS or reps?

ie 4 exercises per bodypart x your 10 sets = 40 sets for one bodypart of workout!

I mean what I say there...

12 Total sets (each set has 6 reps i.e each time you lift the weight)
Per bodypart - e.g chest. NOT per exercise. You might do 3x chest exercises so you'll do, for instance, 4x sets of Bench press, 4 sets of flyes and 4 sets of dips for chest = 12x sets for your chest in total. Hope that makes sense LOL :-)

great post Cashman, really informative...!

Just a couple of Qs: what do recommend for rest between sets ? Also would you complete each muscle group exercise e.g. dumbell flat bench 4sets 6-8 reps before moving on to Dips 4sets 6-8reps or split it up and do one set on dips and then one on flat bench and so on ?

i have been following the Body for Life program and not really seeing the results, whats your opinion on it ?

23yrs
6ft 2
170lbs

Rest between sets I'd say the time it takes to have a quick swig of water and catch your breath. About a minute or so basically.

I'd say when starting out then go for 4x sets of one exercise before moving on. The second way you have described is super-setting. This is a great way to break any ruts or plateu you hit but it does work you hard! I wouldn't recommend too many super-sets per muscle group or you could move into overtraining territory.

Body for Life - I've heard good and bad. TBH it's good for losing fat and putting on a little muscle mass but I prefer a solid Bodybuilding routine and have had much greater gains following a basic bodybuilding routine with all the right things in the right places.

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Originally posted by Cashman

Rest between sets I'd say the time it takes to have a quick swig of water and catch your breath. About a minute or so basically.

I'd say when starting out then go for 4x sets of one exercise before moving on. The second way you have described is super-setting. This is a great way to break any ruts or plateu you hit but it does work you hard! I wouldn't recommend too many super-sets per muscle group or you could move into overtraining territory.

Body for Life - I've heard good and bad. TBH it's good for losing fat and putting on a little muscle mass but I prefer a solid Bodybuilding routine and have had much greater gains following a basic bodybuilding routine with all the right things in the right places.

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Thanks for your help...

ive jus started working out and i want to obviously carry on untill i get big im 16 and ive literally just started this, week im 6 foot and jus 11 stone summit, so can anyone give me a routine thats in my capabilty i read the routine but i think that would be for slightly more experienced body builders, i just need a basic starter guide like what diet i need amount of exercise etc, please reply im realy confused as to were to start thanks.

The routine I've listed is a very easy way to get started. Spend a bit of time learning the correct form (get an experienced gym member or instructor to show you each exercise) and get into the good habits immediately. Trust me they will pay you back huge results if done right. Diet wise just eat regularly (every 3 hrs) and eat lots of protein as outlined in my guide. At 16 your metabolism is likely to be fast so I can't imagine you'll gain in fat if you are training regularly. The guide is for beginners. Don't be intimidated by the exercises. Just start light until you get a feel for the correct technique as form is the most important aspect in any exercise. Good luck bro.

btw this site has excellent diagrams of all the exercises I have listed in the routine I've mentioned. http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/

And here is an excellent sample diet:

http://www.muscletalk.co.uk/hard-gainers.asp

thanks for the advice ive been doing it for about a week of lifting weights for about an hour and ive noticed some changes allready, as far as eating goes i need to eat more so ill follow your guide, im 155 pounds how long do think ill c changes if i follow ur guide. thanks man

thanks for the advice ive been doing it for about a week of lifting weights for about an hour and ive noticed some changes allready, as far as eating goes i need to eat more so ill follow your guide, im 155 pounds how long do think ill c changes if i follow ur guide. thanks man

Dan, It's impossible to say how much you'll add as there are so many variables. If you are eating, training and resting properly then you'll feel changes in your muscles in about 4 weeks and probably noticable visual changes in about 8 weeks. Good luck fella.

thanks yall this is very good work

I gotta say thanks cashman, I am new to BB and was a little confused about what I should be doing and in which order etc. From now on I will be following your routine! I definetley have the determination to do it but my main problem is my diet as I am a fussy eater and don't plan much. I think I will have to write myself out a plan and stick to it to make sure I have enough nutrients etc floating around my bloodstream at any one time.

I do have a question though (don't we all..) can you mix strength training with endurance training? not in the same session, but maybe strength in the morning and endurance in the evening?

The reason I ask is that I practice a style of kung fu in the evenings which has a lot of muscular endurance training in it (some stances are very hard) but I have started going to the gym to weight train before work.

Thanks for any input.

I'd personally organise your weight training around kung fu with the Kung fu being on your rest days. It's not ideal but if you take whey in water before and immediately after your martial arts then the risk of any catabolysis would be very low. I'd avoid doing both on the same day though.

hello my names tim im 35 so im an old geeza lol. i want to start body building but have no motivation, im a member of LA fitness have been for 6 months started weight training eating loads of calories protein powder the lot all i have to show for it is a spare tyre around my waste hhhhhhhhhhhhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeellllllllllllllllllpppppppppppppppp please is it that im just too old to start this malarki? if someone could give me a good routine to follow and tell me if the holland barret protein powder is any good or is it crap cause its cheap ha ha yes im tight [:o)]

Hello Tim. Why do you want to body build? It is useful to have some concrete atainable guys to aim for.
You are not too old!

What exercises do you do on what days? How often do you train? Do you train hard?

How often and what do you eat? Do you get much rest and sleep? Is your life/job stressful?

There's a start!

Timmy, read the guide I've written at the start of this topic that puts you on the right path. The real secret is in the mindset. You have to view it as a lifestyle change and the changes will happen if you train, eat and rest right. You'll also feel a lot better in general once your training is more structured.

I'm a begginer thanks for the advice, its very helpful.

Cheers mate.

Hey Cashman, but I've read somewhere more then once that to get big if you're spending more then 40 minutes in the gym you're doing something wrong. Mistake me if I'm wrong, but the examples you have given (especially sunday) would seem like you'd be in the gym for 1 hour or more!

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Mistake me if I'm wrong, but the examples you have given (especially sunday) would seem like you'd be in the gym for 1 hour or more!

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I basically run the same kind of workout as cashmans one, based on a 4 day split.
As long as you dont need to hang around for benches, or weights too long, limit your breaks between sets to max 1 min, 2 mins between exercises, you should easily do it in 40 mins.
Dont forget, if you have to wait 5 minutes to get your right weights
or machine after every exercise you could easily loose 30 mins, and that dont count.

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Mistake me if I'm wrong, but the examples you have given (especially sunday) would seem like you'd be in the gym for 1 hour or more!

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I basically run the same kind of workout as cashmans one, based on a 4 day split.
As long as you dont need to hang around for benches, or weights too long, limit your breaks between sets to max 1 min, 2 mins between exercises, you should easily do it in 40 mins.
Dont forget, if you have to wait 5 minutes to get your right weights
or machine after every exercise you could easily loose 30 mins, and that dont count.

Stickman, Pete's right. These days you can be milling around weighting for benches and plates, etc that eat up time. The general rule is to try and not lift for more than 1 hour as your body tends to produce cortisol if put under too much stress for too long (this is highly catabolic which means it will eat muscle). TBH at the level you are lifting the current duration of this routine is just fine.

Just added a couple of tweaks to my beginners guide for anyone interested.

i am returning to bodybuilding after a 2 year lay off, but was only training for 4 years previously to that, i just wondered if to start me off and get me back into the swing of things, should i avoid a split routine and just go for an all over body workout for the first month?

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Originally posted by luvvbuzz

i am returning to bodybuilding after a 2 year lay off, but was only training for 4 years previously to that, i just wondered if to start me off and get me back into the swing of things, should i avoid a split routine and just go for an all over body workout for the first month?

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Nah, Just start off light IMO. Get a feel for the weight again and where your strength boundaries are over the first few weeks and get the feel of correct form all over again. Good luck bro.

I'm starting this routine soon and can't wait but I've Just got a quick noob question thats been bugging me..

When people talk about "Last set to failure" and "3 sets 6-8 reps", what exactly does it mean? It sounds simple enough but what i'm finding confusing is this -

When you start a set you'd use a weight that you can perform 6-8 reps with good form but find it a struggle toward the end of the rep range, yes?
But if its a struggle toward the end of the set wouldn't you have to lower the weight for the next set in order to keep within your rep range of 6-8 if your muscles were weaker? Soooo, if your last set was performed with a weight you can only do 6-8 reps of then where does the "Last set to failure come in to it?

This is a long question for a simple answer I bet but its one I need to know anyhow.

Cheers.

Glebitz, no problem.

Basically you'll find when I say 6-8 reps that means that in the first set you will be training with a weight you can get to 8 reps with perfect form. Set 2x you might get 7 reps, set 3 6 reps, etc, etc. Yes.... it would be a weight you struggle with at the end of the rep range. What you'll find is on certain lifts where I have said run to failure then failure could be 3-4 reps (deadlift for example is likely to do this to you) or 12-15 reps (calf raise especially known for this). What this does is really get you push where your limits are and give you a greater knowledge of your body under pressure as well as giving the muscles a shock. Failure training shouldn't be done too much otherwise your cortisol levels will rocket and that's not good for muscle mass development as it's highly catabolic.

I'd say using the 6-8 rep as a guideline is probably the best bet but if you find you are only able to do 5 reps on your last set then better that than lowering the weight IMO at that point. If you are struggling to get 2x reps out on your last set then you might want to drop the weight a little. It's very much a judgement call. :-)

Great! Exactly what I wanted to know.

Thanks for clearing that up.

Glebitz

cashman, great guide, its really helped me understand a few things that i was unsure about. Just a few questions tho if you dont mind. Could i change dumbell flat bench to barbell flat bench on the monday and wot other exercise could i do to replace the cable presses with?

Thanks alot for any extra help.

Martin

If you are working chest then you can comfortably replace dumbell bench with Barbell bench. Personally I prefer dumbell bench as it hits my chest harder than Barbell. Forget cable presses. The best chest routine I can advise is

Flat Bench (barbell or dumbell)
Weighted Dips for chest (using parallel dip bars)
Heavy incline dumbell flyes

you can replace cable presses with - skullcrushers (French Press), close grip bench press. These two are probably the best mass building exercises for triceps you can do if you are combining them with Dips on Chest day IMO.

aright cool thanks alot

Martin

Thanks for the article Cashman, just one question. What do you reckon about using creatine early doors?

First, I want to thank everyone for the great advice on this board. It is really invaluable to a beginner in this sport/hobby.

I have one question. I've been doing Cashman's routine for about 2 weeks now. But instead of a rest day in between each workout I've been doing all 4 days in a row than taking a day off and starting again. Since you are working seperate parts of the body each day, is this okay? Or am I going to eventually get into overtraining problems?

New to the site but fantastic. I have looked over a few sites and this is the best by far. I am returning to training after a few years, fortunately I have plenty of bulk to play with.

I have taken to using Cashmans Beg routine, very good, find it is just perfect at the moment and I have seen some pretty good results.

Along with my supplements I have gone from 16st 8lbs to 15st 12lbs in 6 weeks. Atop of this, pleanty of definition is starting to appear. I will post some before and afters shortly. Thanks guys.

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Originally posted by Rags

Thanks for the article Cashman, just one question. What do you reckon about using creatine early doors?

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Personally I'd say there is little point as your body will grow nicely when you start out with the right routine & diet. Save Creatine for when your natural potential draws nearer. The only supp you really need is protein and food.

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Originally posted by jnapier

First, I want to thank everyone for the great advice on this board. It is really invaluable to a beginner in this sport/hobby.

I have one question. I've been doing Cashman's routine for about 2 weeks now. But instead of a rest day in between each workout I've been doing all 4 days in a row than taking a day off and starting again. Since you are working seperate parts of the body each day, is this okay? Or am I going to eventually get into overtraining problems?

You should really put a rest day in the middle IMO. The reason being is that weight training is very hard on the CNS (Central Nervous System) which is responsible for releasing growth hormone for muscle development and increasing muscle efficiency making you stronger. If you overdo it and put too much stress on the CNS for too long then you risk burnout and your gains will come to a stop. Try working two then resting one. Your body will thank you for it in the long run.

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Great Work Neowarrior!!!!! Keep it up.

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Originally posted by Cashman

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Originally posted by Rags

Thanks for the article Cashman, just one question. What do you reckon about using creatine early doors?

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Personally I'd say there is little point as your body will grow nicely when you start out with the right routine & diet. Save Creatine for when your natural potential draws nearer. The only supp you really need is protein and food.

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Oops, didn't mean to do the last one. Wouldn't creatine be beneficial for growth and recovery. I would think it is an ideal supplement being an amino acid compound? After all, aminos do make up proteins. Also I wondered about glutamine too for recovery and muscle growth. Sorry if I sound like I'm trying to be a smart arse, I assure you I'm not but creatine and glutamine have seem to be ideal for my needs (hardgainer), with the right food intake. I think its healthy to question things to help me understand and achieve the body I dream of. Your advice is appreciated. Rag monster.

Nice 1 Cashman, great programme. Have found it very helpful. unfourtunatley though, the gym that i will be training at (the only one near by) doesnt have any free weights apart from dumbells, it only has Cable machines though they are very good. Given this i have had to modify your programme a little to meet my needs. I have included it in this message for you to check out and i would really value your opinion. Also, I plan on increasing the reps to 10-12 and using lower weights for the 4-5 weeks of training then lowering the reps and increasing weight later on, do you think thats a good idea or bad idea?

heres the modified version:-

SATURDAY - Chest/Tri
5 Min warm-up
Dumbell Flat Bench - 3 sets 10-12 reps
Weighted Dips For Chest - 3 sets 10-12 reps (last set to failure)
Incline Dumbell Fly- 3 sets 10-12 reps (last set to failure)
EZ Bar Pull Downs - 3 sets 8-10 reps (or close grip bench press)
Overhead cable presses 3 sets 8-10 reps (last set to fail)


SUNDAY - Back/Bi
5 min warm-up
Close-Grip Lat Pull Downs 3 sets 10-12 reps (last set to failure)
Bent Over One Arm Dumbell Rows 3 sets 10-12 reps
Lat pulldowns 3 sets 10-12 reps (last set to fail)
Cable Bicep curl 3 sets 10-12 reps
One arm Dumbell Hammer curls 3 sets 10-12 reps

MONDAY
REST & Cardio 30 mins swimming

TUESDAY - Delts/traps
5 min warm-up
Seated Dumbell military press 3 sets 10-12 reps
Lateral dumbell raises (side) 3 sets 10-12 reps (last to fail)
Trap Raises 4 sets 10-12 reps

WEDNESDAY
REST & Cardio Cross-country run

THURSDAY - Legs & Abs
5 min warm-up
Machine Leg Press 3 sets 10-12 reps
Lying Ham String Curl Lifts 3 sets 10-12 reps
Calf Raises 4 sets 8-10 reps (last set to fail)
Weighted Swiss Ball crunches 4x sets 6-8 reps
hanging leg raises 4x sets 6-8 reps
Dumbell side bends 3x sets 6-8 reps

FRIDAY
REST & Cardio 20-30min 30mins swimming