Bodybuilding for the Beginner!

Great read gave me some good tips on where to start looks like im getting some whey tonight

Mint post, answered pretty much every question I had.
 
J

Soooooo sorry for not replying sooner to everyone that asked me a question. The last 18 months has been murder with so much happening that has kept me off the boards and out the gym :-(
 
After such a long layoff I Will be coming right back to my original routine and making my comeback letting diet and muscle memory do the rest. I'll let you know how I get on. :-)

I found great animated exercise base for all muscle groups. Maybe this will help you.
http://www.muska-posla.com/animiraniprikazvjezbi.htm
http://www.muska-posla.com/velikabazavjezbi.htm

this may be a really dumb question.. but what do you consider a good warm up.. i mean i always do a 5 min row before i workout but i get told i gotta stretch ect. which i never do. should i do 5 mins row followed by stretches?

great article, covers everything well. cheers

how do u start threads ?

Cashman


Reddi, the guys have it spot on. The routine should not neccessarily become easire as you get stronger as you just keep increasing the weight so that it's a struggle to reach 6 perfect reps. When you can do 8 perfect reps add more weight. That keeps your training intensity high. I'd leave the second routine for at least 3 months until you are comfortable with your strength boundaries, know how your body reacts, and you start to plateau (i.e don't get any stronger or bigger).

Good luck mate.

 
Cashman (I know this is an old post mate but I have taken to reading the whole thread properly) the highlighted bit above you are referring to, I assume, the last set is that correct?  So theoritically speaking if one is doing 3 sets they should lift a weight that they can do 8 sets with perfect form followed by 7 then 6 and when you can do 8 reps of the thrid set you up the weight, am I reading that right?

Hi Budest,
 
Start by using this principle on the first set IMHO. More importantly listen to your body. Some days you'll feel a little bit sharper and stronger than others. Use it as your first set target after you've done your warmup as the first working full set is where you are going to be strongest IMHO. I use the 2 rep spread to give a little margin for good and not so good days. When it feels like you can get to 8 reps on sets 1 & 2 then I tend to think that's the time to up the ante a little.
 
Hope that helps

Cashman


Hi Budest,

Start by using this principle on the first set IMHO. More importantly listen to your body. Some days you'll feel a little bit sharper and stronger than others. Use it as your first set target after you've done your warmup as the first working full set is where you are going to be strongest IMHO. I use the 2 rep spread to give a little margin for good and not so good days. When it feels like you can get to 8 reps on sets 1 & 2 then I tend to think that's the time to up the ante a little.

Hope that helps

Absolutely mate.

In all honesty Cash I have followed your routine (1st one) for around 18 months now on and off and have seen great results. Now before you panic it is been over a year and very inconsistant until recently not 12 months of the same routine lol.

I could never put on weight mate, I smoked, ate crap and was always sick. At 34 I weighed 9-8 and am 5' 10". Long story short and following your routine, having never lfited weights before, I started on the daunting task of hitting the gym and being new to everything I relied heavily on the information you supplied early on the thread including your routine, tips and links to videos. It took a while to learn the excercises, learn correct form (something I constantly revisit to see if I am staying true to form or if corrections are required) , change my diet etc etc. I would stick at it for a month or so then break for a month then go back but regardless of the inconsistances my body reacted nicely to the routine and the diet changes & rest changes.

Having got to grips with the routine and what was required of me I started out fresh last month, revisited the videos of the exercises, checked my diet again and most of all got my head straight about my goals and dedication and have never felt better.

At the end of last year I weighed 11-10 from 9-8 with the goal being 12 stone. I stopped around October and let myself go a bit over the hols and when normal people gain weight I actually lost it as I don't eat that much when not training. When I started back to gym at the start of the year I weighed 11-2 so I dropped 8lbs. I started out again with Routine 1 and stuck with BSN's Truemass as my supplement as I swear by the thing. I have noticed consistant gains in the weight I'm lifting week on week and as of today I have hit the 12 stone mark! So all good in the hood thus far but......I have put on a bit of weight on the belly. I blame my diet as opposed to the supplement as I have been concentrating on getting the protein into me whilst weening myself off things like white pasta and moving to organic wholewheat pasta, eating lean sources of protein such as chicken breast, tuna and stopping white bread for wholewheat bread - in all I'm doing good especially since the turn of the year but I still still like the chocolate though I am strictly watching it now.
Also with me never being able to put weight on I never thought I'd ever see myself looking for ways to lose a belly lol.

Your advice has been priceless Cash and I sincerely mean that. I had listened to "fitness instructors", scoured the net reading and comparing routines and trying to learn and asked advice of others and I wasted about 8 months of my life going to the gym. I came across this site and your post quite by accident and I instantly believed in what you were advising because it was all the things I didn't want to hear at that time. From diet, to state of mind, rest, proper form etc it all made sense. The proof is in the pudding so to speak lol from 9-8 to 12 stone in less than 18 months even with long periods of a break. I hit the gym armed with your advice and just stuck at it. I can't thank you enough mate. It's rare to find real, genuine sound advice from someone who donated their time freely to help others. Thanks mate!

So to end this essay here's were I am....

I have reached my goal of 12 stone but with the weight increase has come some fat that I'd like to strip off. I am happy enough to keep rolling away until I stop seeing any gains but would really like to trim my gut down a bit and I need your advice mate.
I have already taken the initiative and added weighted crunches to my routines over the other 3 days as well as the day I am supposed to do them in the hope they help.

1. How can I best burn off the fat on my belly and chest?

2. There is no where in the gym that I can do Hanging Leg Raises so I have been using the Dip Assist machine to do knee-ups by dropping the kneel pad down and standing with my back to the weights and grabbing the pull-up bars and lifting my knees to my chin and doing 3 sets of 8 of this on stomach days. I was doing this to stengthen my core but I am wondering if I am wasting my time doing this?

3.If I am can you suggest a good alternative or do I just continue on?

4.Do I change my routine now or wait to I hit a plateau?

I would really appreciate your help and advice if you don't mind mate as I swear by you and your advice as both are seriously sound.

Thanks again Cash. Life changing information from you in this thread - literally.



 

i like to train each muscle on its own chest.back traps. legs. shoulders. arms.