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.

quote:

---

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.

---

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!

quote:

---

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!

---

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.