A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[billb7581]

Nice work Bill! I wish I would have taken more before pics aswell...just not to big on that Sh**, lol! Nice job on the tile work

That's not even my before pic. I started at 3 bills. I was probably about 285 in the first pic and ~270 in the 2nd, and my diet kinda sucked. I'm really motivated to get my diet in order now.

[davenjdgt]

So i'm actually beginning my journey through fat loss and reeadjusting my way of life. Im reading tons and learning new things everyday on this website.

My question is, since i've never lifted weights or anything, im not very strong. Then what would be a good weight for me to begin with this program? Im going to do it, but i dont know what would be ok for me to start with, what would you recommend?

[billb7581]

So i'm actually beginning my journey through fat loss and reeadjusting my way of life. Im reading tons and learning new things everyday on this website.

My question is, since i've never lifted weights or anything, im not very strong. Then what would be a good weight for me to begin with this program? Im going to do it, but i dont know what would be ok for me to start with, what would you recommend?

You have to figure out your 10 rep max for all the exercises. Then you start with that (8 reps of your 10 rm)

[64509chvl]

That's not even my before pic. I started at 3 bills. I was probably about 285 in the first pic and ~270 in the 2nd, and my diet kinda sucked. I'm really motivated to get my diet in order now.

Yeah I got those were only a month apart, I meant the lack of before pics, lol! Great job on the weight loss!

[davenjdgt]

You have to figure out your 10 rep max for all the exercises. Then you start with that (8 reps of your 10 rm)

What do you mean? Im new to the nomenclature going around sorry, haha. I should figure the weight for each exercise, going for maximum 10 repetitions per set?

[Kenneth196]

Kenneth...u started too heavy

Haha you're right. Maybe I put in the wrong number on the 1 RM calculator. I would redo it now but the website is down or something, currently waiting for it to come back up. I'll lower my bench work weight.

Another quick question: I did my medium day yesterday (thursday) around uhh.. 11:00 pm. Since this program requires working out 3 times a week (which most people do Mon, wed, Fri.... or Tues, thurs, sat...), my saturday is going to be a little busy but I know I have to wait 24 hours to allow my muscles to rest and heal. Would it be okay if I was to workout Saturday around 1:00 am (I workout at anytime fitness)?

[billb7581]

Find a weight you can complete 10 reps with and you start with that. If you are in any doubt, error on the side of being lighter and get your form right. If you can complete 10 reps at 100 lbs for bench, for example heavy day would be

25x8
50x8
100x8
100x8

Medium day would be
25x8
50x8
90x8
90x8

Light day would be

25x8
50x8
80x8
80x8

Following week follow the same scheme with 9 reps.

[davenjdgt]

...

Ok ok, i see, thanks a lot. So i begin with 8 reps and go up to 10 reps max, after that i should add more weight then and start all over again?

Thanks for your help really

[billb7581]

Not exactly. You run the cycle 5 weeks. Week 5 heavy day, if you get all your reps (12) you bump the weight up 10 percent the following week.. you still do the medium and light days with the same weight. .

Week 6 you would take the 10 percent bump in weight and repeat the cycle starting with 8 reps again. It sounds easy, and is kinda easy at first but it catches up to you

week 1 8 reps
week 2 9
week 3 10
week 4 11
week 5 12

[davenjdgt]

Not exactly. You run the cycle 5 weeks. Week 5 heavy day, if you get all your reps (12) you bump the weight up 10 percent the following week.. you still do the medium and light days with the same weight. .

Week 6 you would take the 10 percent bump in weight and repeat the cycle starting with 8 reps again. It sounds easy, and is kinda easy at first but it catches up to you

week 1 8 reps
week 2 9
week 3 10
week 4 11
week 5 12

ohh ok, i got it now, thanks for all of your help!!! I'll begin as soon as possible.

[billb7581]

I am in the same boat as you. As beginners we still have the ability to cut fat and gain muscle if your diet is dialed in properly. Dont get too hung up on scale weight if you see other good things happening.

I'm trying to avoid becoming a skinny weak guy, if the fat loss goes a little slower so be it I know I am doing the right things long term.

Hell I already did a bit of a recomp and my diet wasnt exactly dialed in... way to many carbs and fat. You get out of it wha tyou put in.

I broke it up into stages... getting my ass into the gym was the first hurdle, now it is 2nd nature. Now that I have that sorted out, I really want to do the same iwth my cooking and nutrition. Trying to change too much all at once would have been a disaster for me. Your mileage may vary.

[TheBirchman]

One cycle done. Feel pretty good. I can definitely see doing this the rest of the year. Long way to go.

[whitebelt0]

Seated or standing calf raises?

If standing can a smith machine be used?

[shawn122]

Seated or standing calf raises?

If standing can a smith machine be used?

standing...and yes for smith machine (ONLY for calf raises)

[Josh6889]

Being someone who is finally making the change from calisthenics (push/pull/set-up) and heavy cardio to lifting this is exactly what I needed and thank you for the post. Did some miner lifting in high school when I played football but then kinda fell off. Got to the point where I did little to no exorcise and started getting tired and lethargic at all times of the day. Began a plan about a year ago that involved heavy body weight and cardio exorcise, and tried my best to eat clean. Saw my body change, but stayed almost the exact same weight, something I have no problem with. Made the realization that I want to get bigger, and creating a lifting plan is difficult for me because I'm in the US Navy and underway much of the year. This program is simple enough I can complete it with dumbbells, but detailed enough for me to get a true love for lifting that I already have for physical activity in general. Anyways I'll be sure to keep the community informed of my results as I learn to navigate and utilize BB.com Thank you for the post and the information.

[enclave2k7]

I just started using this routine and like it quite a bit, though I have a quick question.

I travel frequently for work, and will miss weeks here and there. In the past, I had been using resistance bands to exercise when on the road. I have a full body workout with the bands I made up, track progress and attempt to increase reps and 'weights'.

Should I continue to do this with the bands, or perhaps skip the light workout (Friday) for the week preceding my trip and fit in the heavy routine (Monday) on Sunday... then just miss the medium and light for my travel week.

Thanks.

[SexyBack1]

the squat this program refers too, low bar or high bar ??

[all pro]

the squat this program refers too, low bar or high bar ??

Your choice.

[SexyBack1]

Your choice.

I'm new to squatting so any advice ?

[all pro]

I'm new to squatting so any advice ?

Start light. Work on flexibility. Hips below knees at the bottom. Dead stop for a 1 count at the top and at the bottom. Back locked, no flexing. Feet flat on the floor, toes pointed slightly out. Try to drive your feet through the floor at the start of each rep.

[64509chvl]

I'm new to squatting so any advice ?

Watch some vids on YouTube & start a little light! Keep your feet flat, don't lean forward & don't bounce up. I just stare straight ahead (lots of different opinions on that).

[jbird41]

Hey so I have a question. If the goal is to get to 1,5x my bodyweight for benching, is that my 1 RM or is that 8 reps or what?

[Kenneth196]

Hey so I have a question. If the goal is to get to 1,5x my bodyweight for benching, is that my 1 RM or is that 8 reps or what?

That would be for your 1RM

[jbird41]

That would be for your 1RM

Oh cool, thanks man.

[heaa21]

I know it is risky to dare speak of the smith machine in these parts, but my question is why? In my college gym, the only cage we have (I refuse to squat without one, that seems even more dangerous than a smith machine) is a smith machine. For my first 3 cycles I really had no choice but to use one since there is only one gym in the area (college town surrounded by hundreds of miles of corn fields).

Am I really being set back that far by using it? I get out from college right as my third cycle ends, and will make sure I get a gym membership somewhere that has a free-barbell cage, but until then, am I really hurting myself that bad by using it?

The lifts I use it for right now are squats, bent rows, overhead press, and deadlifts. Reading about you guys bash it is honestly scaring me to the point where I might just stop lifting altogether until I get home for summer break.

[Morti]

I did 9 reps and then had a week of beacuse of injury, should i continue 10 reps or restart?

[adambannon]

I know it is risky to dare speak of the smith machine in these parts, but my question is why? In my college gym, the only cage we have (I refuse to squat without one, that seems even more dangerous than a smith machine) is a smith machine. For my first 3 cycles I really had no choice but to use one since there is only one gym in the area (college town surrounded by hundreds of miles of corn fields).

Am I really being set back that far by using it? I get out from college right as my third cycle ends, and will make sure I get a gym membership somewhere that has a free-barbell cage, but until then, am I really hurting myself that bad by using it?

The lifts I use it for right now are squats, bent rows, overhead press, and deadlifts. Reading about you guys bash it is honestly scaring me to the point where I might just stop lifting altogether until I get home for summer break.

The smith machine balances the weight for you and forces you into a fixed unnatural movement. Since you are not balancing the weight, you are not engaging your core, and therefore it is less effective. The bar will never go straight up and down on any exercise if you us free weight barbells. Being in a fixed position on the smith machine can lead to injury especially if you add substantial weight to it.

[64509chvl]

I did 9 reps and then had a week of beacuse of injury, should i continue 10 reps or restart?

Do the 9 rep week over...not sure of your injury, but if I was comming back from injury I think I might just start the cycle over to take it easy! Guess it just depends in what happened

[adambannon]

Curious...does anyone have an excel spreadsheet for this routine?

[all pro]

Curious...does anyone have an excel spreadsheet for this routine?

There are several posted in this thread and in the original sticky.