I have never lifted weights in my whole life. Well, may be acted as if I was doing so some 3 years ago and stopped in a month.
I discovered TRP around a year ago. But due to injury of shoulder tendonitis, could not lift weights. (Got injured while Kayaking, this is how weak my muscles are.)
Now that I recovered, last thing I want is to get injured again. Hence this question and all the precaution. I know the suffering of knowing what is right, but not being able to do it.
I am interested in size, if strength gets bigger, good, but size is must for me. I am 5.5", 140 pounds skinny fat with love handles atm.
I reviewed the answers from the previous posts that 5x5 is where beginners gotta start. Is it true for someone with really weak muscles?
I came across [this] (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JABysaGd09A) video while researching for the best program for me. He states compound movements are to be avoided, to which my gut agrees, but comments on the video do not.
Could you point me to the resources? Do not wish to pay the personal trainer, do not have a lot of money and would not like to spend on something like 'where to start'.
[deleted] 6y ago
Starting strength. Spend a year getting a solid base before body building. Eat big. Sleep lots. This is a lifestyle not a fucking hobby.
nothestrawberrypatch 6y ago
In my opinion man. Just get to the gym. Find something on the internet for beginners so you don’t fatigue and injure your muscles that have no muscle memory from never working out. Going straight into a strong lift program will likely injure you and cause you to stop going to the gym again. Get to the gym, get on a beginner program, see results, get addicted.
Edit: I have had very positive results with HIIT work out regime. You burn fat like another fucker all while building muscle.
meaningintragedy 6y ago
Do SL or a variant with hypertrophy arms exercises (but keep it simple).
Most importantly, don't squat/bench/dead once a week only because you wouldn't be making the most out of your novice period and the fast recovery it offers.
Also, don't be afraid to eat in surplus, you'll get huge fast. Don't make my mistake of training with 1700 calories a day.
BraindeadIQ 6y ago
Depends how often you will go.
If you go 5 days a week: you could do something like. This is an idea
Day 1: Chest Day 2: Legs Day 3: Arms Day 4: Back Day 5: Shoulders
Do bench. Do deadlift and defiantly squat.
Always warm up with light weights, I for example warm up with 2-3 sets of very light then i take 4th set little heavier but not 50% of my max. Only focusing on strict form and squeezing the muscle.
For some high reps works better for arms, for some heavier works better. Just start of with 12-15 reps. 4-5 sets. On all workouts. By that i mean not only on arms but also on chest, back etc.
Then after 4-5 weeks switch things up and do different routine, less reps more sets or vice versa.
Sources: Knowledge and decent strong.
StellarMemez 6y ago
I think you should do the stronglifts exercises, but 8 to 10 reps for 4 sets to get your muscles used to working hard, and replace the bent over row with pulldowns and seated rows to avoid injury. The Deadlift and squat are essential for getting muscle along your spine and pelvis.
You can go really light with the weight. Like, benching and squatting and DLing the bar alone if you must. It's important to get your entire body used to actually bearing weight, which isolation won't do as well.
Also throw in rear delt exercises! Very important.
[deleted] 6y ago
StrongLifts 5x5 for your program. You only have to learn 5 exercises total. Read starting strength 3rd ed. For form. It’s fantastically detailed and important to get your head wrapped around it. Watch mark rippetoe form videos on YouTube for more form work. Form is critical. I practiced the motions at home and when I could to help follow up on my reading and watching.
You’re stronger than you think you are. You can handle the bar at a minimum. Then you keep adapting and putting on more weight to the bar.
Eat like a horse, track your calories. You’re standing in front of the gains opportunity you’ll ever have. Eat big to get big.
StrongLifts has an app. Worth the $10 to me. MyFitnessPal for your calories tracking. Now it’s up to you to execute.
I’m graduating from StrongLifts tomorrow after ~8 months. My squat is 300, my DL is 295, my bench is 140. Bench is low, had some issues getting form correct and hurt my shoulder once. I’ve deloaded it a few times getting it dialed in.
I’ve been teaching sl to a buddy for 3 weeks now. He started at 65 on the squat and passed 100 last week. It’s enjoyable to watch him put on more weight and see him getting form dialed in.
I added dumbbell bicep curls to bench day. I recommend adding pull-ups to deadlift day before you deadlift.
Shorter guys have a benefit here. 5lbs on your frame is more noticeable than 5lbs on my 5-10 frame
lauris652 6y ago
Definitely check Alan Thrall on Youtube
Work_In_Progress92 6y ago
I started SL November 1st it truly works honestly. I’ve noticed my quads and shoulders getting a lot bigger. I only started with the bar and bare minimum weights the app suggests.
Watch videos on form and take your time cause it will get heavy.
WISE_TURD 6y ago
Youtube: athleanx, alan thrall, fitnessfaqs, calisthenicsmovement
Focus on compound lifts (google compound vs isolation lifts) and learn as much as possible from the sources listed above.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
It's better that you're very strong with no size than to have size but no real strength. Focus on building strength first. Take the next 2 years to do that.
[deleted] 6y ago
That doesn't make sense you don't know enough about the situation to know if I make gains or not.
know_your_path 6y ago
Join me at r/nSuns
Pm me for questions and programming suggestions/ help
Starting Strength will teach you basic movements and nothing more for what an untrained body can actually handle and benefit from, SL5x5 will make you look like a trex.
Feel free to ask about diet advice as well.
For reference I play college lacrosse and do powerlifting
XYPatriarch 6y ago
Try this for a month or two, injury-free, home-friendly.
LiftOrGTF0 6y ago
Rofl @ everyone who's suggesting a split for a complete beginner. Why should he hit a muscle (group) just once a week when he can't even hit/feel his muscle(s) yet? Also, don't focus too much on the 3 basic exercises in the beginning (deadlift, bench press, squads), as your results will most likely be slower/unsatisfying than with a machine workout.
Machines are your friend, right now and even later when you're more experienced because they literally give the correct movement. Train your entire body 3x a week (Monday, Wednesday, Friday). Exercises you want to do:
Chest Press, Lat Pulldowns, Machine/Cable Rows, Leg Press (90° in the beginning), Back Extensions, Crunches, Triceps Pushdowns and Biceps Curls. All of them for 3 sets and 8-12 reps.
Don't forget to eat enough of course.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
Do u even fucking lift?
LiftOrGTF0 6y ago
I do but please enlighten me, why a complete beginner should do the basic exercises when he 1) doesn't have the right technique and risks an injury or other serious problems and 2) can't feel a single muscle group yet??
If you can't/don't want to get my point, I'll have to assume you have no fucking clue about lifting and/or are just too ignorant. Guided Exercises > Free Weight Exercises, especially for beginners.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
You practice with very lightweights in the beginning so that you don't get injured. You watch YouTube tutorials and practice the form often so that you can nail it down perfectly.
Safe Practice X Time = Results
Machines are to free weights what a train is to a bugatti. Your movement is limited to the rails, you develop no actual muscle balancing skills, and you miss out on all the strength gains. You will be able to easily bench 3 plates for reps on a Smith machine while unable to properly bench 225lbs using free weights. Using free weights ensures that not only do you personally control the weights, but it also makes you more aware of every little spot in your muscles to help balance the weight.
Beginners should take their time and practice safely with free weights, until they understand how muscle movements works.
LiftOrGTF0 6y ago
Duh, I see, the classic machine vs free weight supporter argument.
100% agree. You can also just use a machine which teaches you to the correct form/position as well (elbow position (45°) when bp'ing i.e.).
Depends on the machine but in most cases wrong. Machines give you the exact same ROM most of the time WHILE you're in fixed position (sitting etc.).
Do I want to 100% hit and build my chest or look like an epileptic trying to balance the dumbells?
You also grow strength through machines? Strength alone doesn't make your muscles grow though. I understand that you're probably a Powerlifter from what I've seen in your post history but there's a reason why powerlifters look like powerlifters and bodybuilders look like bodybuilders. Bodybuilders have to increase weight/strength over time to get bigger of course but that's not the most important factor.
I could say the same about machines because I don't have to concentrate on balancing some weight while I can fully focus and hit on the muscle.
I had plenty of these discussions already and I think this is leading nowhere like most of the time. You speak from what worked best for you, I speak from what worked best for me. "Offending" me however is not the way to go as you did earlier. OP needs to try it all out and see what works best for him, I just gave him my advice. If you want to discuss this further, drop me a PM. Don't feel like spamming this here into oblivion. Cheers.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
It's universally agreed that free weights are vastly superior to machines. But you you're different and unique in this galaxy, therefore things work differently for you.
You're scared of free weights, you prefer the confort of machines. You sound just like my cousin who almost choked to death on the bench press thinking he was actually strong enough to bench 3 plates using free weights like he was doing it on machines.
LiftOrGTF0 6y ago
Even more delusional than I thought. Pathetic. lmao
[deleted] 6y ago
It costs 8$ a month but I think it's worth it. Bodybuilding.com subscription service with 45 tailored workout programs. There's a 12 week one for beginners. That I would recommend.
People will hate on this saying you don't need to pay for lifting advice. I'd say to each their own. I've been lifting on and off for 8 years but I've seen much faster results from the few months I've been using the service. I'm about 6'2" 190 and have no affiliation with that website other than being a subscriber. You can make your own decisions from there.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
If you're paying for a program, you deserve to get scammed.
[deleted] 6y ago
Some of us have reached the point financially and time wise where it's worth it to have all workout info coordinated for us with no thought to it.
LordThunderbolt 6y ago
That's the exact reason why you make no real gains