how much to lift?

[Alldaydmd]

So Ive just recently started to actually get serious about getting into PROPER shape…. Have got myself a bench and some plates and started the Jim Stoppani shortcut to shred, on week 2 now.

I need some help to know how much weight i should be lifting, given that Ive just started but also want to see some results….

Very grateful if someone could help a bit.

Many thanks!

[Jtbny]

Lift more tomorrow then you did today. How can anyone one here tell you how much weight you should be lifting..../boggle. Problem solved.

Oh and any program with the buzz word shortcut is a gimmick. There are no shortcuts. Time and consistency is what it takes.

[Alldaydmd]

Kinda figured it would be something like that, but thanks dude!!

Lift more tomorrow then you did today. How can anyone one here tell you how much weight you should be lifting..../boggle. Problem solved.

Oh and any program with the buzz word shortcut is a gimmick. There are no shortcuts. Time and consistency is what it takes.

[Jtbny]

Kinda figured it would be something like that, but thanks dude!!

Not trying to give you crap. Think about if you asked the same question to a guy you never met at the gym. How could he help without more information.

Do you feel like you are progressing? Are the weights going up? Increase in reps? If so I'd say continue doing what you are doing. I honestly don't know the particulars of the program you listed except it has a catchy buzz word in it.

You are also on week 2....week 2!!!!. That's a drop in the bucket. Maybe give it a few months and reevaluate where you are at.

[weiss1967]

weight you can control, not swing, for 10 reps. No cheating, no momentum and with good form. Build up from there. Be humble and honest, do not chase big numbers. This is what I would do if I had to start it all over again

[hmmmm16417]

if you can complete all of your sets/reps without hisitation - increase the weight!

example:
preacher curl - 50lb x 12 - 60lb x 10 - 70lb x 8 - 80lb x 6 (edit- with a 2 minute rest between sets) ....and you could have actually done more than 8 on the last two reps....then increase the weight by 5 lbs each set next day you do curls and see how it feels.


if you are not sore (edit - slightly) the day after lifting....then add more weight.

main thing to remember is to KEEP GOOD FORM!!! you will gain more from GOOD and CONTROLLED form then a ton of weigh that you will get hurt with.

good luck and read a lot of the stickies throughout the forum....tons of good info

[SteveWright1]

not familiar with the programme myself

but my advise would be start light, get the form correct, and progress heavier

no sense starting too heavy and then being unable to train due to injury or from over strain due to pushing yourself too hard to start with
once you master form, increasing the weight will be easier

it is a marathon and not a sprint for most of us on this site

[JediRN]

Make sure you've read the stickies in the exercise forum by Voxexmachina if you havn't, they are good... and don't piss him off, his mod negs hit like a motha

[pharmamarketer]

Whatever amount your shortcut tells you to. Or did they leave that part out of the shortcut program ?

Reminds me, I have to get that shortcut guide to being worth 9 figures.

[DuracellBunny]

All of it

[Brackneyc]

Just use Allpros beginner program. It tells you exactly what to do. No guessing.

[Richie71]

Shortcut is a decent programme. Dismissing it because the name includes "shortcut" is like dismissing 5/3/1 because it equals 1.6667 and that makes no sense

Anyway, lift as much as you can.

[Jtbny]

Shortcut is a decent programme. Dismissing it because the name includes "shortcut" is like dismissing 5/3/1 because it equals 1.6667 and that makes no sense

Anyway, lift as much as you can.

Not even close

I never said the program wouldn't work. Anything will work for someone who hasn't done anything or took a very long break. I dismiss it because of the use of the word shortcut...oh and the recommendation of many supps along the way in order to have "success". http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jim-...pplements.html

Oh and all can be in six short weeks!!

I didn't recommend the OP change is program. He never asked for such advice so I didn't offer it.

[Richie71]

Not even close

I never said the program wouldn't work. Anything will work for someone who hasn't done anything or took a very long break. I dismiss it because of the use of the word shortcut...oh and the recommendation of many supps along the way in order to have "success". http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jim-...pplements.html

Oh and all can be in six short weeks!!

I didn't say you said it wouldn't work. I said it's wrong to dismiss a programme because of the title it uses, which is what you did initially. Although now you have also added a dismissal due to the number of supplements it recommends, which is a fair enough reason.

[OutOfStep]

Jim Stoppani is the new Kris Get-Thin.

[Brackneyc]

The 6 minute abs folks guarantee just as good a workout as the 7 minute ab folks. If you aren't satisfied, they will send you the extra minute for free.

[Corbi]

The 6 minute abs folks guarantee just as good a workout as the 7 minute ab folks. If you aren't satisfied, they will send you the extra minute for free.

Pfft, don't need extra minutes or those damn pesky and dangerous weighty. Just get this and you are good to go

[michail71]

So Ive just recently started to actually get serious about getting into PROPER shape…. Have got myself a bench and some plates and started the Jim Stoppani shortcut to shred, on week 2 now.

I need some help to know how much weight i should be lifting, given that Ive just started but also want to see some results….

Very grateful if someone could help a bit.

Many thanks!

I'm not sure about your specific program but many of them have a way to figure out the starting weight or they just start with an empty bar and then follow linear progression after that.

[Richie71]

Pfft, don't need extra minutes or those damn pesky and dangerous weighty. Just get this and you are good to go

But why use all that, when you can just do this?

[Requitor]

So Ive just recently started to actually get serious about getting into PROPER shape…. Have got myself a bench and some plates and started the Jim Stoppani shortcut to shred, on week 2 now.

I need some help to know how much weight i should be lifting, given that Ive just started but also want to see some results….

Very grateful if someone could help a bit.

Many thanks!

You should always lift all of it....

Seriously, find your 1 rep max on the big lifts: bench, squat, dead, overhead press, and develop a workout from there based on percentages of those numbers. For the smaller lifts just find how much you can lift with correct form for 8-10 reps and do 3-5 sets of them.

[MrNismo]

weight you can control, not swing, for 10 reps. No cheating, no momentum and with good form. Build up from there. Be humble and honest, do not chase big numbers. This is what I would do if I had to start it all over again

Man, I so wish I could go back 4 years and adopt this mentality. Too stupid and too stubborn here. Repped for great advice!

[Brackneyc]

I'm not sure about your specific program but many of them have a way to figure out the starting weight or they just start with an empty bar and then follow linear progression after that.

This^^ is all anyone ever really needs to do (imo) in reality. Linear progression will sort out all sorts of things for guys who maintain records, and adhere to form in their lifts. No one can outrun it (progression), so the idea that a few weeks worth of "light" training should be embraced. Finding out a 1rm for is fine (imo) for guys who are returning to lifting. Guys who are new would be far better served to start with way too little on the bar, as opposed to trying to go too fast.

Even Allpros rather simple "canned" beginner program involves using lifts which if done incorrectly or too heavy, can cause permanent damage.


I will wait for the "chucklers" to come in a shoot this idea down.

[michail71]

This^^ is all anyone ever really needs to do (imo) in reality. Linear progression will sort out all sorts of things for guys who maintain records, and adhere to form in their lifts. No one can outrun it (progression), so the idea that a few weeks worth of "light" training should be embraced. Finding out a 1rm for is fine (imo) for guys who are returning to lifting. Guys who are new would be far better served to start with way too little on the bar, as opposed to trying to go too fast.

Even Allpros rather simple "canned" beginner program involves using lifts which if done incorrectly or too heavy, can cause permanent damage.


I will wait for the "chucklers" to come in a shoot this idea down.

It's a difficult concept for a beginner to grasp. It's kind of like running at a wall with a battering ram. You need some room to build momentum and you're going to have to hit that wall repeatedly.

[Brackneyc]

It's a difficult concept for a beginner to grasp. It's kind of like running at a wall with a battering ram. You need some room to build momentum and you're going to have to hit that wall repeatedly.

This is why I have no problem adding as little as 2.5lbs, or a single rep to a particular lift from week to week. My progression takes more than one form, in that I know myself well enough that changing a specific movement or rep scheme can help break through plateaus before they get into my head.

[jaeburd]

I would recommend that you find a weight that you can properly (with good form) lift for 10-15 reps for 3 sets for each body part. As the reps get easier, I would add 5 lbs. or add a 4th set-/up to you.

[Smelly bull]

This is why I have no problem adding as little as 2.5lbs, or a single rep to a particular lift from week to week. My progression takes more than one form, in that I know myself well enough that changing a specific movement or rep scheme can help break through plateaus before they get into my head.

This post says it all......excellent post.

[Tifflex]

Are you ensuring proper form? Don't get so caught up in the weight and injure yourself.

[Tmax55]

Try not to be like I am. I've always been a x+5 guy. Where x is the amount I lift or weigh x+5 is the amount that'd make me happy.