A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[steyrsp]

sounds like your endurance isn't going up as quick as you would like. but honestly it does sound like you dont care about endurance and what you want is absolute brute strength gains... maybe you want a power lifters routine rather than one like this? if i can be any help to you i am more than happy to offer you what i can. but a power lifter i am not
good luck in your journey.... i think were just taking diferent journeys with iron being the onely common ground.... i do hope you find what works best for you and your gaols..

Thanks for trying to help. Honestly I don't care about endurance, I am on this program for Hypertrophy - and Hypertrophy is not mutually exclusive from strength or else Ronnie Coleman couldn't squat 800 lbs. What I am saying is that 12 reps on squat seems to go into cardio territory - rather than muscle building/weightlifting. I personally think 8 reps is the magic number for a split between Hypertrophy and strength.

[PapaPumpkin]

2 Cycles down for me as well! Loving it!

steyrsp's posts should be taken as proof to all prospective beginners that this program is much more aggressive than it seems at first glance .

2 cycles is enough to give the program a fair shot. If it isn't working for you, try a program that gives you more rest. Though it seems you have that figured out already.

You have to squat 2x your body weight. Let's say I'm 150 pounds. Does that mean I'm holding two 150 pound dumbbells in each hand? Or 75 in each hand? (My gym doesn't have the weight-stacking barbells)

As in, do you count your own body weight when it comes to figuring out how much weight your squatting?

Don't count your body-weight. The litmus test is based on your estimated one rep max. It is gonna be really tough to progress on your squat using dumbbells as grip becomes a limiting factor before the muscles you are intending to work.

[PapaPumpkin]

I'm making a separate post for this because something really SHOCKING happened today during my light workout.

I mistakenly used my heavy weight on my OHP. And I got all 12 reps both sets!! I was shocked when I realized my mistake.

This is definitive proof that bench really does affect your OHP pretty substantially! I'm not going to count it as passing though, and will still repeat the weight. I only managed to complete all 12 reps due to the fact my shoulders weren't pre-stressed from the heavy benching.

I for one am no longer gonna pout about my OHP not progressing because I know they are getting sufficiently worked already through my bench!

[Skullster]

Question about the Beginner Squat litmus test...

You have to squat 2x your body weight. Let's say I'm 150 pounds. Does that mean I'm holding two 150 pound dumbbells in each hand? Or 75 in each hand? (My gym doesn't have the weight-stacking barbells)

As in, do you count your own body weight when it comes to figuring out how much weight your squatting?

Sorry for the newb question...


EDIT: nvm, did some research and you do NOT count your own weight. Carry on...

Whoa nellie!!! If you are a beginner at lifting do not attempt to lift 2x your body weight. 2x your body weight is is a 1 rep max goal and guideline to determine if you have reached intermediate lifter status. My guess is you cannot lift 300lbs off the ground much less squat it out of a rack (can you say folded like a cheap lawn chair) and you might strain something if you tried. Then again maybe not because you probably cannot get it off the ground or pegs as a noobie anyway.

Use an online rep calculator to determine your 1 rep max or your 10 rep max. say you lift 150 lbs for 8 reps and that is all you can lift. Using the following calculator...
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/18....

your 1 rep max is 187 and your ten rep max is 140. Hope that clears it up.

[64509chvl]

But if you don't care about fat then there is really no such thing as too many calories in weightlifting; thats my point, the strength should be there either way. Like I said I lifted for years and found bulking at very high calories to be the way to go - and made great gains - but I also only did one muscle group per week... I just don't think the recovery is there with this program for me in particular.

Well...I agree! I didn't realize u didn't care about gettin fat ! Obviously too many cals isn't the culprit for your endurance not going up...this is very odd to me & I just don't get it, lol! U mentioned u just knew your 10 rep max weights...perhaps they were a bit off/slightly on the heavy side causing endurance taking longer than normal to catch up! Your hittin 12 reps for strength...3rd cycle is when endurance kicks in at a noticeable rate! If give it a fair chance!
2 cycles isn't long enough to rule this program out...I would say 3/4 is giving it a chance!
Either way sounds like if this one doesn't work out for ya...u used to work out for years with luck eating big cals...u could always go back to that with a split! At least u gave this one a shot!

[scubahsteve]

Hey steyrsp...try rippetoe's plan. I hear it's somewhat designed for strength gains. I would be very curious to see how it differed from this one.

[Skullster]

Hey steyrsp...try rippetoe's plan. I hear it's somewhat designed for strength gains. I would be very curious to see how it differed from this one.

Good recommendation! Starting Strength is designed to gain strength quickly and it is preferred you do it while eating at a surplus. I started with it but stalled early because I am losing weight and not bulking. Ripptoe's program is also 3 days a week but works on an ABA rotation.
Day 1 is A and you do Squat/Military Press/Dead Lift.
Day 2 is Squat/Bench Press/Power Clean
You increase the weight every work out. Either buy his book or learn the rep scheme in other threads. If you don't get stronger on that program you won't get stronger at all.