A Simple Beginner's Routine part II

[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.