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 :) .

quote:

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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.

quote:

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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).

I agree. The split looks good and as long as you are able to use free-weights you'll get a better workout. If your aims are not to gain too much size then cardio will be fine and as John said it helps recovery. The most important thing is to listen to your body though. If you find you are too tired then you may need to ease up. My guess is that with the sport you play then too much mass will be counterproductive to what you are doing. Just make sure you get plenty of good food and complex carb in to help maintain energy levels.

Cashman m8, im having trouble with finding some multidextrose powder man for this part of the diet you advised:

8:00 breakfast large bowl wholewheat breakfast cereal with 1/3 pint skimmed milk + sugar 15g
2 slices wholemeal bread toasted + olive oil spread 22g
½ portion weight gain drink with water and --->multidextrose powder<---
100ml orange juice + 1 tblsp olive oil

Is it also known as maltodextrin? cuz i have found that lol


thnx Gav.

i hav bin goin gym 4 1 month now and gettin into shape. But i seem 2 work my left side twice as hard as my right. like 2day i woke up wit a terrible pain in my left side but couldnt feel anythin in my right. whats goin on.

Also when i work my shoulders i feel pain in my lower back.

also can u giv me a shoulder trainin schedule 4 a day and also a seperate 1 4 bak.

Thaxs.

T.... have you followed my beginners routine on page 1 of this thread for the last month? Are you lifting the same weights with the same form on both sides of your body?

Gav, try The Ministry Of Fitness and email The Guvnor (MT member that owns The Ministry). He'll help you out with an order. Yes also known as Maltodextrin.

Cash: this is awesome. I am 6ft 2 and 240lbs with a 42" waist. I will try to do what you say in the hope I get down to a 34" waist some time by Christmas...

Anyone who helps is in line for some cash as a thank you by the way!

what is multidextrose and micellular? should i get any? where can i get it?

Britfun... good luck mate. Just remember to stay motivated as it all takes time. Make sure you have a good diet and cardio plan on top of the weights programme.

Musclebob... maltodextrose is a form of carbohydrate that gives a sustained release of energy and is perfect for post workout protein shakes. It's a supplement so if eating is difficult then it might be worth getting some. They'll sell it via the muscletalk shop or links to TMOF (The Ministry Of Fitness).

woah, great, maybe once i get my rack :)

Can you suggest an alternative to "overhead cable presses" as my gym doesen't have a cable machine . Couldn't find the exercise explained anywhere on the net also - what does it look like?.
thanks for the all the advice so far - am getting stronger by reading!

can i replace some exercises of routine 1 with routine 2? i only have power rack and bench...

Switching exercises around to suit the equipment is fine. Jot down what your final routine will be and I'll cast my eye over it for you.

woah, cool thanks, its great to have you as a ressource, already learnt so much :)

Just started following routine 1 - enjoyed the first few days! Question though about lateral dumbbell raises. Is this where you stand with arms down by your sides and you raise them up (keeping your arms straight) to your sides - as opposed to in front of you? Also, I assume the grip is 'regular' and not supinated (sp?).
Thanks
Adam

stupid Q's:
is my aromated basmati brown rice the right kind of rice?

my nat peanut butter has 2g of sat fat per 32g serving and 14g of other fats, is it good?

well i checked out the routine it seems all good except for an exercise and i need specifications on 2...
the ones i need specifications on are:

-hanging leg raises 4x sets 6-8 reps
it is to the front or the sides?
-Stiff Legged Dead Lifts 3 sets 6-8 reps
what is it?

i read in a book and try to find the same name and it does makes sense, only the 2 previous ones i could not find....

i also need to find a replacement for Incline Dumbell Fly... what is the best thing to switch it with?



i did replace the overhead cable presses with close grip bench presses and the Lat pulldowns for the chin-ups if they are the one that is hands facing you and shoulder width..

does it sound good?

also for CV it would be 2 HIIT per week and a 30 minute low intensity (all on non workout days) but if i HAVE to drop out it is the low-intensity i guess....

my food been drastically changing in the past 3 weeks which is good, been working real long hours to buy my home gym, could not be more enthusiastic about it, as soon as i start i will post a journal... which is in a month at max...

thanks great lot for your help so far cashman!!

musclebob... routine sounds good and the rice & peanut butter are fine. Leg raises are to the front and stiff leg deads are a standard deadlift but with lighter weight and an ALMOST straight leg position. You hold the same leg position throughout being bent over at the start then driving your hips forward to lift the weight which puts the strain of the lift through your hamstrings. Try it with very light weight until you can feel the hamstrings performing the lift more than your lower back. You can find pictures of this via the "need an exercise" link on my very first post on this topic.

Asiling, yep those are the ones.

Thanks

Next Q - the beginner programme has a 5 min warm up before training. What should this include? I do 5 mins on the bike is that sufficient or should it include more intensive some resistance based activity?

i might also switch Incline Dumbell Fly for a regular incline bench with a barbell

the warm-up should be muscle specific if possible so of chest or shoulders then a few press-ups then start with a couple of light sets before working up to your training weight to get the blood flowing though the muscles you are about to work. This prepares the muscle for work and helps minimise potential for injury.

woah great, what are DOMS also?
some of the stuff i hear on the board is not covered in any FAQ's
oh and what are hamstrings, i speak french as first language :S