A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[reapercrew]

Just started cycle 2. I bumped all my weights up except my shoulder press which I missed 2 reps of my 2nd working set on my last heavy day of cycle 1. I am glad I kept it the same because it wasn't super easy yesterday. It felt great to lower the reps and bump up the weight on my other exercises. It just felt like I was actually working my muscles harder.

So with 1 cycle in the books, I can say that I look a little more fit/in shape but not enough that anyone including the old lady would notice. My muscles feel firmer also. I just got back into the gym about 8 weeks ago so this improvement in muscle tone could be just from getting back into the gym.

I am hoping that cycle 2 will bring greater improvements in muscle size. I just started increasing my protein intake by about 32 grams more a day so hopefully that may help.

[sixpoint]

What is the proper form for the military press? I think I am doing it wrong!

There's a good video by ripptoe. I can't post links but you can find it on YouTube pretty easily.

The short of it is this:
• grab the bar at shoulder width
• unrack the weight at upper chest level
• elbows should be pointing out (in front of you)
• push it straight above you, just dodging your nose
• as th weight passes your head, poke your head through your arms so the weight is centered above you.

Watch the video it'll make more sense.

[john777777]

What is worth doing is worth doing well.

[Jabbar]

Well I tried to find my rep maxes yesterday, went to failure on everything. I wasn't at my best though more like my worst lol. Should I continue to try to find my rep maxes for the rest of the 2 workout days this week, going to failure on all the workouts? Or how should I handle the rest of the workouts this week?

[adambannon]

Well I tried to find my rep maxes yesterday, went to failure on everything. I wasn't at my best though more like my worst lol. Should I continue to try to find my rep maxes for the rest of the 2 workout days this week, going to failure on all the workouts? Or how should I handle the rest of the workouts this week?

Give your self 3 days to find your 10rm. That way you can find a good average. That's what I did and it worked pretty good.

Use this calculator to help you out:
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/18/o...max-calculator

[64509chvl]

What is worth doing is worth doing well.

U just ate a fortune cookie didn't u

[hesn92]

Glad I found this. I just joined this site yesterday and am very lost. I went to the tab that said "find a plan" but this one looks a lot less intimidating. (I've never really lifted before)

[Skullster]

Glad I found this. I just joined this site yesterday and am very lost. I went to the tab that said "find a plan" but this one looks a lot less intimidating. (I've never really lifted before)

This program is an awesome beginning program. Well rounded full body workout. It's also forgiving if you are eating at a deficit to lose weight. There are several other ladies that have used this program with success and pop in here often. Me thinks you will enjoy it too.

[Deviant Motive]

*waves*


Just give it time and stick to the program as written. Nothing will happen over night but it shouldn't take long to notice your strength increasing and an overall feeling of being stronger.

Good luck !

[Mikelh]

Anyone actually do abs on off days? I'm looking to add one day a week of abs and maybe light cardio, and would love to know what other people do for that

[Deviant Motive]

You can if you want to.

I use to do them after the workout.

[Mikelh]

You can if you want to.

I use to do them after the workout.

What specifically did you do? I'm curious because the few times I have done abs on off days, I've been pretty sore/wiped from the previous day, and crunches/leglifts/etc were a pain in the ass.. or back, really.

[SamPNE]

What specifically did you do? I'm curious because the few times I have done abs on off days, I've been pretty sore/wiped from the previous day, and crunches/leglifts/etc were a pain in the ass.. or back, really.

For abs I do decline weighted situps on heavy day, weighted hanging knee raises on medium day, and roman twists on light day. Start at 12 reps, add a rep per week and increase weight after week 5, just like the rest of the program.

[Jaweirdo]

Hello all, I just started this routine today after finding out my 10 rep max last week. I made the mistake of doing 10 reps instead of 8 and of course it was KILLER. oops!

One question/concern though, my lats are pretty underdeveloped and I read somewhere that there is really no substitute for pull ups when it comes to working the lats. With the bent-over rows I don't feel my lats being worked that hard, but at the same time i never felt my lats being worked when I did pull ups. To sum it up, is the bent over row efficient enough of a lat workout?

[JaxLifter]

Hello all, I just started this routine today after finding out my 10 rep max last week. I made the mistake of doing 10 reps instead of 8 and of course it was KILLER. oops!

One question/concern though, my lats are pretty underdeveloped and I read somewhere that there is really no substitute for pull ups when it comes to working the lats. With the bent-over rows I don't feel my lats being worked that hard, but at the same time i never felt my lats being worked when I did pull ups. To sum it up, is the bent over row efficient enough of a lat workout?

Yes. For thickness in the mid back/lat area, BOR's are great. Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together or trying to pinch your elbows together behind your back when you pull the bar up to your torso.

[Jaweirdo]

Yes. For thickness in the mid back/lat area, BOR's are great. Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together or trying to pinch your elbows together behind your back when you pull the bar up to your torso.

Whew thanks for the reply. I don't think I could have added pull ups to this routine anyhow. Another question on BOR's, is my upperbody supposed to be completely parallel with the ground, or kind of angled up at a 45 degree angle? Edit: I just watched a couple videos on you tube that cleared this up (I cant post links yet)

[sixpoint]

Whew thanks for the reply. I don't think I could have added pull ups to this routine anyhow. Another question on BOR's, is my upperbody supposed to be completely parallel with the ground, or kind of angled up at a 45 degree angle?

I do BOR at 45 degrees. 90 seems llike it would be really hard on your back.

[64509chvl]

Whew thanks for the reply. I don't think I could have added pull ups to this routine anyhow. Another question on BOR's, is my upperbody supposed to be completely parallel with the ground, or kind of angled up at a 45 degree angle?

I'd say I'm at approx 60 degrees, not even 90!

[Jaweirdo]

In the original thread there was a post that detailed what muscles each exercise targeted plus secondary muscles. I went through about 45 pages looking for it but couldn't find it. does any one know where that post is or what each exercise targets? if it isn't too much to ask of course

[adambannon]

For abs I do decline weighted situps on heavy day, weighted hanging knee raises on medium day, and roman twists on light day. Start at 12 reps, add a rep per week and increase weight after week 5, just like the rest of the program.

That sounds good I might add that as well. I assume it is two work sets for abs as well?

[traineeh]

For abs I do decline weighted situps on heavy day, weighted hanging knee raises on medium day, and roman twists on light day. Start at 12 reps, add a rep per week and increase weight after week 5, just like the rest of the program.

I'm trying this out too. Thanks

[Freakyfresh]

What if you're still achy on day 2? For example trained Monday and still achy on Wednesday?

[SamPNE]

That sounds good I might add that as well. I assume it is two work sets for abs as well?

Yeah I do 2 sets, on my second cycle now and I find the knee raises leave me aching most the day after.

[sixpoint]

What if you're still achy on day 2? For example trained Monday and still achy on Wednesday?

Push through as long as you're not injured.

Wednesday should be a medium day, so you're deloading now. The workout won't be as intense as Monday.

Your body will adjust to the amount you're lifting, especially if you're in your first cycle.

Having said that. Do everything you can to recover. Eat well. Get enough protein. Sleep enough. Stretch before and after your workouts.

[Jabbar]

Give your self 3 days to find your 10rm. That way you can find a good average. That's what I did and it worked pretty good.

Use this calculator to help you out:
http://www.naturalphysiques.com/18/o...max-calculator

That sounds good to me. Thanks!

[traineeh]

Yeah I do 2 sets, on my second cycle now and I find the knee raises leave me aching most the day after.

seeing any ab progress yet?

[surfzrup]

Hey guys! Currently on week 2 of cycle 2. I finished my heavy day on Monday, but due to some scheduling conflicts won't be able to squeeze in a middle day this week (my next gym day will be Sat). Should I just not do anything these few days, and then go for a heavy on Sat? Or do some light workout at home and then do a medium day on Saturday, then go back to heavy day of week 3 the following session?

Here are my current weights btw: (bodyweight 59kg)
Squat - 50kg (weak, I know! Never ever trained my legs and have tightness around my posterior chain and hip flexors which is slowly improving with foam rolling and stretching)
Bench - 56.8kg
Row - 46.8 Kg (finding this a HUGE step up from the previous cycle although the increase is 10%)
Press - 32.2 kg
SLDL - 46.8 kg
Curl - 24.6 kg

I managed to clear everything in cycle 1 other than my bench and curl. The funny thing is I cleared a weight heavier than my current weight for curls back when I was doing the program several months ago before I switched to other stuff, but I used to skip the squats or not do them with good form. Finding large and quick improvements in my bench hard to come by, guessing it's because I've been training my bench press for quite a while already. I can 1RM maybe 1.3+ times my bodyweight.

[surfzrup]

Yes. For thickness in the mid back/lat area, BOR's are great. Focus on squeezing the shoulder blades together or trying to pinch your elbows together behind your back when you pull the bar up to your torso.

I stopped doing pullups a good half a year ago or more when I first started on this program. I found that while I got thickness around my mid back/shoulder blades, the sides of my back (or "wings") got softer and smaller. They got firmer and bigger when I started doing pullups again. I then switched back to this workout program, and have since lost some size around the sides yet again. Is this normal or am I not doing my BORs properly? I am getting bigger in the mid/upper back region around the inside of the shoulder blades but not at the sides.

[Xenoslayer33]

Hey guys! Got a question/concern:

I just completed my very first week of this program (8 reps).

How intense is this first week supposed to be? Gotta say, I'm feeling pretty whooped. Sore all around, but very much so in my thighs and legs.

I'm concerned because others have said that their first couple of weeks were a breeze. Mine certainly was a challenge. At this rate, I'm afraid I might fizzle out too quickly. Did I start too heavy? I completed all reps just fine.

Also, IF I have started too heavy, should I completely start over? Or move on to my 9-rep week with readjusted weights?

Thanks!

[Sipher32]

Also, IF I have started too heavy, should I completely start over? Or move on to my 9-rep week with readjusted weights?

Thanks!

I'm curious about the answer to this question as well..Although in my situation I feel I went too heavy on two of the exercises.