When was the last time you lifted with a complete novice?

[Northeasterner]

First time was this past Saturday. My buddy, who got into lifting partly due to my constant prodding, and I went to his gym. He did a great job of reducing his gut (10 pounds or so) recently and now he wants to lift.

he had been lifting for about 1 month, so I expected to see a little bit of tone (noob gains).

We get to the locker room, change, and he shows me his upper body. "My shoulders are bigger, right?"

I said, "sorry - but I don't see any change whatsoever." his shoulders are very narrow, barely wider than his hips. I couldn't help but think "Gumbi" when I saw him shirtless, and told him to work on lats because the "wide shoulder" look is primarily a result of a lifter having a narrow waist, wide lats, and good mass on the delts as well.

I explained to him the difference between compound and isolation exercises, and said that the bedrock of his routine (given his level) should be compounds, because they hit more muscles at once. Bench. Military. Deadlifts. Barbell Rows. And of course, squats.

Much to my unpleasant surprise, he told me he had, for 1 month, been using only machines. No barbells, no dumbbells. I asked him why, and he said that he didn't feel comfortable (no spotter). I told him that free weights are better for size because unlike machines, they force the lifter to stabilize the weight and because machines don't offer as much resistance. I explained to him what a Smith press was and that he could use that for some compounds if he was worried about not having a spotter.

So we did shoulders and triceps. he'd never done a seated military press. I coached him on form and grip width, and he did a good job... he wasn't used to the motion. Then I showed him how to do dumbbell laterals and seated dumbbell laterals for the real delts. Finished off w/ some front dumbbell raises for the front deltoids.

For triceps, he knew how to do the rope triceps extension. So we did that, and then we did close-grip bench press. His first time. Started him with 10 on each side. I was doing 45s on each side so he got ambitious and insisted on doing 25s. I said OK and he couldn't get more than 3 reps out, and we reduced it to 15 on each side. He did OK but needed a spotter.

We finished our triceps with more pulldowns; I did the overhead ropes, he did the V-bar. At the end, I took him to the bodyweight/gravity wide-grip chin-up/dip station and explained to him how it worked. I told him to do a lot of this with the widest possible grip so he could widen his lats. Even with a relatively light weight, he only did a few reps because he was completely unaccustomed to the motion, and was a bit clumsy getting on and getting off the machine.

So as we left, I emphasized to him:
- free weights
- compounds first... you can't refine mass you don't have
- form is important
- never be shy to ask for a spotter if in doubt
- eat like a monster

I told him that if he lifts w/ dedication for the next 12 months, he should look much better by late April 2010. I'll still be lifting by then. I hope he is too.

[ironwill2008]

The last time I trained with a noob will be 16 years ago next month, when I was the noob.

[prrc]

Everyone starts some where. I'm sure he appreciated the help. Remember we must all crawl before we can walk.

[Northeasterner]

Originally Posted by prrc

Everyone starts some where. I'm sure he appreciated the help. Remember we must all crawl before we can walk.

Yep. It's different, after lifting with guys who are bigger and stronger and to whom I ask for help or advice.

He is a bit over 6' tall and has potential to look great. I only hope he keeps it up - he's not the most motivated individual.

[BJC22]

Originally Posted by Northeasterner

I only hope he keeps it up - he's not the most motivated individual.

I hear you. I think everyone here agrees, motivation is the key factor to this stuff. You can know how to do everything, but the knowledge is useless if you don't stick to a regimen.

I have one rule when I work out with a noob. You do everything I say w/o question or I am not going to waste my time on you.

The only noob I work out with now is my daughter and I am more than happy to help her.

[Arlecchino]

A few weeks ago. One of the joys of coaching is that I get to go over the basics again and again, and am continually presented with new challenges and questions, so am constantly learning.

[theKurp]

I don't know, I think machines are fine for a beginner. I think the emphasis should be on proper form while gaining comfort and confidence with a weight-lifting program.

Machines have their place - somewhat like training wheels on a bicycle. He'll definitely see progress and once he does, hopefully he'll be inspired to go even further - at which point a migration to barbells and dumbells will be the next natural progression.

[socket]

i worked out with a few noobs in college, they were always my friends, they would see me with my shirt off at a pool or something, and want to get ripped. i would start them out with basics, and after a few weeks they usually lost the desire to get ripped/muscles. most of them are not my friends any more, not cause they didn't want to train, i don't judge people by that, but because their lack of motivation in the gym carried over to life, or vice versa. its one thing to want to look or be like something, its a whole other thing to carry it through. good luck with your friend, i hope he sticks with it.

[Apollo.1]

Originally Posted by aneas

I have one rule when I work out with a noob. You do everything I say w/o question or I am not going to waste my time on you.

The only noob I work out with now is my daughter and I am more than happy to help her.

LOL.

Yes, master.

[QUOTE=Apollo.1;322884221]LOL.

Yes, master.

[\\QUOTE]

lol what I like to hear.

[4MEandThem]

Originally Posted by Arlecchino

A few weeks ago. One of the joys of coaching is that I get to go over the basics again and again, and am continually presented with new challenges and questions, so am constantly learning.

"When you teach two people learn."
I believe that is a Rippitoe quote.

[Northeasterner]

Originally Posted by aneas

I have one rule when I work out with a noob. You do everything I say w/o question or I am not going to waste my time on you.

The only noob I work out with now is my daughter and I am more than happy to help her.

Well, not that I have a Master's in Bodybuilding (not that there is such a thing, but you catch my drift), but I do know more than he does and he knows it. He's humble enough to listen to me.

[Pretty Hardcore]

Originally Posted by Northeasterner

Well, not that I have a Master's in Bodybuilding (not that there is such a thing, but you catch my drift), but I do know more than he does and he knows it. He's humble enough to listen to me.

This is what I'm doing too, I don't promise to know everything, but I can at least show her what I've learned.

I've been helping a friend from work for a couple of weeks, she had been working out on her own for around three months, but wasnt' happy with her progress and started asking me for advice. I gave her a basic meal plan and an upper/lower split routine using compound exercises. (The same routine I started with).

I've met with her twice at her gym, and it went great, she is very eager to learn. She wants to build muscle and keeps asking me how will it take. LOL Her main problem is that she can't squat ATG unless she has a plate under her heels. I think this a flexiblity problem so I have her doing on some hip, glute and calf stretches. I'm going to start her on dumbbell squats and then work her up to the barbell as her flexibility improves.

I'm really enjoying this as much as she is.

[JOHN GARGANI]

NORTH: I am betting that your friend is going to be sore as a MoFugger for a couple of days! LOL....


good job....

[ctgblue]

I have trained noobs, but will not train with them
There are times I have grabbed the smaller lady with good lifting form in the gym for a spot on 100lb db shoulder presses over the two teenage boys, at least she knows HOW to spot
i cannot workout with a noob anyway, our weights are too different
they would be squatting 135 and I would have 505, it just creates too much work

Originally Posted by Northeasterner

Well, not that I have a Master's in Bodybuilding (not that there is such a thing, but you catch my drift), but I do know more than he does and he knows it. He's humble enough to listen to me.

I dont think I am a master either. It irks me becuase a high % of the noobs who ask me for help seem to want validation on their routine more than help.
I have no interest in spending my time on that. The usual when I was in high school I weighed 180 and benched 300lbs and was ripped comments are just too much for me.

[farsscf]

everytime I lift

[Northeasterner]

Originally Posted by JOHN GARGANI

NORTH: I am betting that your friend is going to be sore as a MoFugger for a couple of days! LOL....


good job....

The dude told me yesterday around 6PM that he was NOT sore and that he wanted to do shoulders and back (he texted me).

I had to call him and ask him why he was doing delts twice in three days. He said, "oh you know, you know dude I'm gonna do other exercises."

This is what irks me about him sometimes.... he's too laid back and doesn't think sometimes about what he's doing. I noticed on the phone that he wasn't paying attention. I had to raise my voice a bit as I explained that he already had had a killer delt workout 2 days before and that he was best off doing something else. Back, yes, but definitely not delts.

He said he wouldn't do delts. I told him not to let his ego ge the best of him.