Bodybuilding for the Beginner!

Ezekiel...

1. Dip assist machines are fine and are great on working on the technique of dipping for chest but try and do 1 dip sets for your bodyweight as soon as possible, then 2 dips, then 3 and so on.. As for techinques for dips for chest you really need to try and lean forward in the dip as far as possible and flare your elbows wide (like you would in a press-up). Squeeze your chest to push your body back up to the start position then dip again. If you dip with your head up then it hits your triceps more than anything else.

2. I have no link to this exercise sorry. Basically it's like a standing cable pushdown (but you turn with your back to the weight pile, lean forward and push the cable from above your head. Personally If you feel this is too awkward then do close grip becnh and skullcrushers (which are both better tricep exercises IMO)

3. run a search on swiss ball ab crunches on googler and you'll find plenty of pics. Basically you sit on one of those large swiss bouncy balls, get yourself well balanced and do an ab crunch.

4. stiff legged deads do put some load on your lower back but because your hamstrings tend to be weaker than your lower back you work with lighter weights than you would with a conventional dead. Persoanlly with SLDL I don't let the weight go fully dead (just touch to floor and lift again) but with straight legs the initial force to lift from the floor to past your knees should go through your hamstrings if you keep the legs straight (though with a very slight bend at the knee just to take pressure away from the knee joint).

Hope that helps.

Cashman,
Your advice as usual is awesome.
Cheers,
The Weakling...

Cheers dude.

can i do your routine with a power rack, a smith bench, barbell and dumbell?
power rack with dip bars on the side and a chin-up bar.
i am to a gym but it is too far away and because of the time to go there i skip from times to times because of heavy studying so i might buy this in a month, when my gym suscription finishes... i just need a routine to do at home...

so should i do it?

Hey guys, I have been away in India with work for a while. Nice to see Cashmans plan is helping the masses.

Cashman, i just read you thread with regards to your size and thought I would add my inspirational part.

I started at 10.5 st (147 lbs) and went up to 14 st dead (196 lbs), however due to an accident with a smith machine I couldn't train and bloated up to 17 st (238 lbs), now after a hard 11 months I am down to 15 st dead (210 lbs) and 13% bodyfat. So I say to all you beginners, go for it and work hard, use Cashmans plan to start and you won't go far wrong, cheers

Musclebob, I would say that with a barbell, dumbell, chin & dip bars you can pretty musch do the full routine. I'm not a fan of the smith machine for benching or squats but if that's the only option then it is certainly better than not doing them at all. Good luck.

Great progress BTW neowarrior.

i was going to use a smith bench incline/decline/flat and put it inside the power rack and remove it while doing squats...
but also i havent bought my equipment yet, and that is what i understood as the best solution from the home gym guide. if you think i should get a separate bench i just might, it is just that i dont have a spotter if i work-out at home and benching inside the squat rack would have given me the option to do it until im really burned... or is that not the best solution?
anyways, im looking for infos before i buy anything to make sure i dont do the wrong choice before buying so all input would be greatly appreciated.
oh and i love ur guide!

also one more question, i weight 180 pounds, do i eat 270grams of proteins? or should i do 1.5 of my weight in kilos?

Ah, misunderstood you there. Benching inside squat rack is fine. One bench that you can move in and out is more than enough. Go with the home gym guide as it's very good.

280 g protein is spot on. You go by 1.5g per 1Ib of bodyweight NOT kilo.

Hi there nice thread, i'm a newbie to all this and i am going to start my new diet and use your workout routine for the first few months. I was wondering when should u inhale and exhale during lifting weights?. Also how can i find out my my percentage of body fat?

Tnx again, Gav.

can i replace the 3 off days 30 min cardio with 2 HIIT sessions?

In your 1st beginners routine on the saturday there is a 'Dumbell Flat Bench' what is this please i cant find it anwhere on this froum.
Thanx gav.

Gav, it's a flat bench press using dumbells instead of barbells.

Musclebob. Yes, though I'd add in medium intensity long-duration cardio to assist with fat burning if that's the aim.

gav, for fat measurement invest in a set of calipers (they come with instructions). As for breathing you should exhale as you exert during the lift.

tyvm 4 your reply(s).

Gav.

Thanks very much for that incredibly informative post. One question: When you say aim to give your muscles a weeks rest, I don't quite follow. If I'm training 3 times a week and resting weekends, at what point do I rest for a week? Thanks.

Cash means that muscle group should only be trained once a week so it gets a weeks rest till you blast em again.
You will be training 3 times a week but each time it would be a differant muscle group, so each gets 1 weeks rest.

That makes sense. Cheers.

Absolutely John. Thanks for picking that up for me mate.

Hi folks,

Firstly; a massive thanks to all the experienced bods (particularly Cashman on this topic) for giving invaluable advice to all us beginners, without which we would be seriously wasting our workout time.

I'm 23, weigh about 70kg and I'm just shy of 6"2"". My main aims are to put on some bulk, build strength and to get fit for football. I've been back at the gym (after time out working over long hours and then travelling) for about a month. It was demoralising initially to have lost so much ground but I'm starting to enjoy it fully again now my strength's increasing.

I'm following a modified version of Cashman's beginner's routine (based on equipment available at my gym and 3 days for weights). I work:

Chest/Tris on Monday
Back/Bis/Forearms on Wednesday
Legs/Shoulders/Calves on Friday

I do an hour of cardio on any three of the remaining days. I need endurance as I'm going to be playing lots of amateur football again next season. I take whey twice a day and before cardio to minimise losses.

I was just wondering if anybody had any general advice for me regarding the above. Also, I'm particularly worried about overworking muscles by hitting them on cardio days as well as weight days (x trainer, rower etc).

Thanks again :) .

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I'm following a modified version of Cashman's beginner's routine (based on equipment available at my gym and 3 days for weights)

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Hope you are using free weights mate.

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Also, I'm particularly worried about overworking muscles by hitting them on cardio days as well as weight days (x trainer, rower etc).

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IMHO, the cardio on non-weights days might actually help it is called active recovery.
If you ever feel "overtrained" have a week off or have a de-load week with lighter weights.
(Some people have a week off every few months anyway).