Beginner here, would it be wiser overall to do weaker exercises for a longer period of time than to do harder exercises for a shorter period of time?
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09-05-2019, 03:52 PM #1
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09-05-2019, 05:59 PM #2
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09-05-2019, 06:45 PM #3
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09-06-2019, 12:41 AM #4
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09-06-2019, 07:08 AM #5
In the beginning you can start at a much lower intensity because your body will adapt to pretty much anything. Consider your current training stimulus 0 and the training stimulus at full intensity to be a 10. So as long as you give yourself a training stimulus of more than zero, you will start getting somewhere.
Training at a lower intensity in the beginning is also good so that you can practice correct form on the exercises. Make sure to do a lot of research on YouTube to learn how to do every exercise correctly. The more you know what you're doing, the more you will be able to stick with it. That's because your workouts will feel more effective.
Eventually, you will reach a point where you actually want to increase your intensity. So then you can go up to 70% effort, 80, 90 and eventually 100% effort. But it's okay if you stay around 20 to 50% effort in the beginning.
So you are right that longevity is most important. A lot of people start off way too intense and they fizzle out because they get too sore or they just learn to associate exercise with unwanted pain. So try to gradually get into it, so that you create a more enjoyable association with exercise.
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09-06-2019, 07:31 AM #6
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09-06-2019, 08:47 AM #7
For a beginner, intensity is not near as important as trying to do too much will lengthen your recovery time. A beginner does not take much work to get them building muscle and it is more productive to do it more often than longer more intense sessions. Almost all good beginner programs are limited volume, full body workouts that you can do every other day, but may be tailored for your time needs. They start with easy amounts and progress to harder amounts as your body adjusts. There are no shortcuts and pushing too hard to start can only get you hurt.
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09-06-2019, 08:57 AM #8
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09-06-2019, 09:01 AM #9
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09-06-2019, 09:06 AM #10
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So you are talking about weight used vs. number of sets vs. level of exertion in each set...
1. Weight used = anything from about 30% to 85% of your one rep maximum lift. Higher weight emphasises strength improvement but muscle gain can be achieved anywhere in that range.
2. Exertion levels. Generally speaking, take every set to within 1-3 reps of failure (rarely to total failure, especially in major compounds)
3. Number of sets per bodypart per week - this is thing you have to tune over time... Start with about 8-10, increase as you get more experienced or you experience plateaus in performance.
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09-06-2019, 09:52 AM #11
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09-06-2019, 10:24 AM #12
Starting out with simple exercises and understanding your limits in the beginning is important. As your body builds more muscle and strength over time, then that is when you can start taking it up a notch with the intensity of your workouts or lifts. Switching up the routine is important over time too so you do not hit a plateau. It is is not always easy to avoid, but is important to know. Learning the correct form with lifts is important so you can put focus into the muscle groups that need it most.
Consistency is key. Remember there will be days you do not want to do your workouts, but you will always feel better after finishing them. Setting goals is always a good thing to keep doing over time until you eventually reach your goal.
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09-06-2019, 10:40 AM #13
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09-07-2019, 01:39 AM #14
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09-16-2019, 09:43 PM #15
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05-04-2021, 11:24 AM #16
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05-04-2021, 11:48 AM #17
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05-05-2021, 07:08 AM #18
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05-06-2021, 05:22 AM #19
The amount of time your workout lasts isn't as important as the quality of the exercises, but typically you're going to need at least 30 minutes or so and probably shouldn't be lifting for more than an hour.
In this context, intensity is more important than longevity. If you spend 5 hours in the gym barely lifting anything substantial you aren't going to make nearly as much progress as you would spending 45 minutes lifting weights appropriately heavy for your strength level.
That said, for a beginner, the single most important factor you should be considering is proper form, including full range of motion, lifting speed (tempo), coordinating your breath with your movements, etc.
You ought to find a beginner program to follow. Don't worry about the time or intensity of your workout, if you find and follow a good program all of those factors will be sorted out organically and you can trust that you're doing it right because it's well designed, tried and true.
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05-06-2021, 05:40 AM #20
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05-06-2021, 06:05 AM #21
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