Need advice on training program! BEGINNER!!

[chad]

Hi guys new the the forum. also relatively new to weight lifting.


i'm 20yo i have been training for about 2 months now and am using a program i made my self just by some minor research and what i thought would work well... i have put on a bout 4kg in the last 2 months using this program with help from the weight gainer i'm using. BUT after reading a lot on this forum i think i've got everything wrong and as a beginner i shouldnt be doing what i am.......

was having a look at some of those 5x5 beginner programs but they seem to focus more on strength. i dont really care if i'm benching 50kg or 350kg just want a good body..

anyway here is my program, let me know you opinions.

All exercises 6-8 reps at max’ weight!​

Chest: (Monday)
1. Flat BarBell Bench Press
2. Incline BarBell Bench Press
3. Flat DumBell Flies
4. Low Cable Flies
5. Incline Machine Chest Press

Back: (Tuesday)
1. Lat Pull-down Wide Grip
2. Pull-down close Grip
3. Seated Row
4. Deadlifts
5. Lat Push-Down
6. Shrugs

Legs: Basic machine excersises(Wednesday)

Shoulders: (Thursday)
1. DumBell Shoulder Press
2. Side DumBell Raises
3. Bent-over DumBell flies
4. Front DumBell raises
5. Empty over-head bench bar


Chest: (Friday)
1. Flat DumBell Bench Press
2. Incline DumBell Bench Press
3. Incline DumBell Flies
4. Dips
5. Over the Tops

Arms: (Saturdays)
(Bi's)
1. Preacher Curl (Close Grip)
2. Cable Curls
3. Preacher Curl (Wide Grip)
4. Twenty-Ones

(Tri's)
1. Rope Push downs
2. Reverse Single-handed Pushdown
3. Weighted Dips
4. Overhead single


My goal is to get pretty big but not too big just have a nice body.
my body is naturally pretty fit.

not sure if this info is relevent but i am about 180cm and weigh 82kg
also with the program i've been using i have been getting stonger every week, as in each week i'm able to lift more wieght. for example when i started i was benching 32.5kg DB's and am now doing 42.5kg with same reps.


i am completely new to all of this so i know i'll prob get flamed but just need advice on what to do if what i'm already doing isnt correct.

 

[MikeW]

Too much and too much iso work. That 5x5 stuff is the go, strength equals size! You need to focus on the compound exercises!!

Search for Markos' Beginner's programme on here and give that a go, or even Starting Strength from Rippetoe. If you want to get more advanced then do something like PPP or 5/3/1 etc but for now I'd just start with Markos' Beginners programme.

Your focus should be on the big three lifts: squats, deads, bench and in that order. Progressive resistance is the key. Train about three times a week with high intensity and up the weights or reps marginally each workout. Eating is critical if muscle entrophy is your goal. Your bodyweight times three in grams of protein a day is a good start at the macro level. Fine tune the micro nutrients in time.

Give yourself at least a day off between workouts to recover. Without enough rest you won't be able to grow.

That's a good start, I'll let others pitch in too.

Cheers,
Mike

 

[sookie]

IMO,there is Not enough leg workouts Chad

 

[Bench Polkov]

Its crap, shit and fucking awful. No squats or deads? Chest twice a week with back only once and whole sessions just for arms and shoulders. You've got it ass-backwards. 5x5 programs build strength and some size and that strength allows you to build more size.

Choose one of the programs that MikeW suggested.

If you just stick to being a chest and arms warrior you will wallow in mediocrity with the rest of the curl monkeys.

 

[chad]

Thanks guys.

the reason i thought the 5x5 workouts arent for me is i was looking at a few guys that have been doing the "strength training" for a while and they all look like they can lift a lot but havent got nice bodies............. thats not what i want.

freako, my back workout includes DL.

i have also just started doing squats but was reccomended by a PT at my gym to start on the leg machines for a few weeks before i start doing heavy squats.

hmm looks like i have to start looking into one of those programs

 

[chad]

could someone please send link to markos' programme, cant seem to find it. cheers!

 

[adamklam]

the program is

Squat 3 sets x 10 reps
Bench Press 3 sets x 8 reps
Bent Row 3 sets x 8 reps
Military(Standing) Press 3 sets x 8 reps
Stiff Leg Deadlift 3 sets x 8 reps
Barbell Curl 3 sets x 8 reps

repeat times a week.

If you can do all reps, increase weight the following week.

Continue on this for 6-12 months until you can:
Squat 140kg
Bench 100kg
Deadlift 180kg

Generally if you can reach this level of strength, you will have gained significant size / fitness.

full details:

http://ausbb.com/strength-training-power-lifting/9460-beginners-program.html

 

[Goosey]

Arthur Jones

"Break-in" Training

Extreme degrees of muscular soreness can be – and should be – avoided by following a carefully outlined "break-in" program of training for at least a week; and in some cases, as much as ninety days of break-in training may be required. Although, in such cases, prolonged break-in training will not be required because of any considerations due to muscular soreness. During the first week of training – if at all possible – a trainee should exercise daily for a period of about thirty minutes; during that first week of training, only one set of one exercise should be performed for each of the major muscle masses of the body – and these sets should be terminated before reaching a point of muscular failure. However, it is necessary to work the muscles fairly hard – no amount of light movements will prepare the muscles for the heavy workloads that will follow in the normal course of training. At least some degree of muscular soreness is almost unavoidable, but it is neither necessary nor desirable to work a new trainee so hard that he will become extremely sore; but should extreme soreness result, then it is absolutely necessary to work the muscles quite hard until such a time that a normal condition returns. If a muscle is worked hard enough to produce an extreme degree of soreness within twenty-four hours, then that muscle should be worked heavily every day until no traces of soreness remain; if not, then the subject will probably be crippled for at least a week. But while that is certainly true, it is almost impossible to convince a new trainee that he should heavily work a muscle that is already extremely sore; he will tend to feel, rather naturally, that hard work got him into that condition – and when you suggest even harder work as a cure, it may appear that you are suggesting pouring gasoline on a fire as a means of extinguishing it. But if extreme muscular soreness results within twenty-four hours after a workout – and if no exercise is performed on the second day – then a literally crippling degree of soreness will result on the third day, and the fourth day will usually be far worse. The worst form of muscular soreness involves the attachments of the tendons and ligaments, and in extreme cases it may be literally impossible to straighten the arms or stand in a normal manner with your heels flat on the floor; in such cases, more exercise – heavy exercise – is the only possible solution. Without additional exercise, normal activity may be impossible for as much as ten days or two weeks. But such a situation can be – and should be – avoided; if a new trainee suffers that sort of results from his first workout, you have probably seen the last of him – although he might be tempted to come around a month or so later and burn your house down, with some possible justification. Some years ago, a man I knew suffered such a degree of muscular soreness as a result of one hard workout that he spent the next five days in the hospital – and was unable to resume his normal activities as a flight instructor for a period of more than a week after he got out of the hospital; and this man was in fairly hard muscular condition at the time of his first workout – or at least thought he was. But, if he had returned for a second hard workout on the following day, then most of the prolonged effects would have been avoided – and his degree of soreness would never have approached the point that it actually reached. But trying to tell him that had no slightest effect – with the results mentioned above.

 

[Goosey]

Thus – since new trainees usually cannot, or will not believe that heavy exercise is capable of reversing the effects that were caused by previous heavy exercise – it is best to avoid any sort of training that might produce extreme soreness. During the first week of training, a new trainee should perform the following basic program of exercises – every day for five consecutive days: 1. Full squats 1 set, 20 repetitions 2. Standing press with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions 3. Regular grip chinning on bar 1 set, 5 repetitions 4. Bench presses with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions 5. Regular grip curls with barbell 1 set, 10 repetitions 6. Stiff-legged deadlifts 1 set, 15 repetitions 7. Calf raises on one leg 1 set, 10 repetitions 8. Sit-ups with bent knees 1 set, 10 repetitions The actual resistance employed should be light enough to permit the designated number of repetitions without exhausting the working muscles –and the first week of training should be conducted under careful supervision, in order to assure that the trainee is performing the exercises properly and is not working to a point of exhaustion. During the second week of break-in training, the same basic exercises should be employed in the same order – but only three workouts should be performed, on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, or Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. And two sets of each exercise should be performed during each workout; the first set of each exercise should be performed exactly as that exercise was performed during the first week of training – with the resistance previously used – and the second set should employ approximately ten percent (10%) more resistance, and should be carried almost to the point of momentary exhaustion. The actual number of repetitions performed during second sets of the exercises will depend upon the recovery ability of the individual trainee – but in most cases it will be found that the subject will be able to perform about as many repetitions during second sets as he performed during first sets. After two weeks of such break-in training, most subjects will be ready for a regular training program – but exceptions will occasionally be encountered; most such exceptions will involve trainees that are either extremely overweight or very thin – and great care is required in the supervision of the training of either type of individual. While a thin individual may appear to be in good muscular condition, such subjects will almost never have much in the way of recovery ability, and if they are worked too heavily during the first two or three months of training, losses in strength and muscular size may be produced; in such cases, keep the trainee on a basic program of one set of each of ten exercises – movements designed to involve the largest muscular masses in the body – until such time that the subject is obviously gaining weight at a rate of at least one pound per week. The number of repetitions in each set should be limited to about ten – with the exception of squats, which should be performed for twenty repetitions; but after a normal break-in period, each set of each exercise should be a maximum possible effort, leading to a point of momentary muscular failure. Unless a thin subject is suffering from an undetected illness, he should gain at least thirteen pounds during the first three months of training –at a rate of one pound per week for thirteen weeks; and if so, then his training program can be increased to two sets of each exercise during each of three weekly workouts after the first three months of training.

 

[The Hamburgler]

Thanks guys.

the reason i thought the 5x5 workouts arent for me is i was looking at a few guys that have been doing the "strength training" for a while and they all look like they can lift a lot but havent got nice bodies............. thats not what i want.

freako, my back workout includes DL.

i have also just started doing squats but was reccomended by a PT at my gym to start on the leg machines for a few weeks before i start doing heavy squats.

hmm looks like i have to start looking into one of those programs

No one is making you start off with heavy squats lol.

I'd take a full depth, ass to grass, squat with just bodyweight over a 200kg leg press any day.

If you look at any of the best BBers they're all strong as fuck. You don't get ripped lifting toothpicks and pushing rabbit food around on your plate

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[leachy]

Lulz at the strong people don't look good line.

Seems like your pretty strong if your repping 40kg dumbells.

 

[chad]

Well just got back from gym...

tonight i did bench not DB and was pushing 90kg including bar for 8 reps. so i'm pretty close to the 100KG BP goal already and i just started =S

so wont take long to get bench sorted will prob be squats and DL's that will keep me in the "beginner" class for a while...



as for the strong people dont look good line, this is the page i was browsing that made me say that PERFORMANCE TRAINING CENTRE in Frankston, VIC - PH: 0404 453 542 - HOME OF THE 200KG DEADLIFT

not one of those guys look like they have what i think is a good looking body =S (well at least not what i'm aiming for anyway)

so just say i reach all the goals i.e can Squat 140kg, Bench 100kg, Deadlift 180kg will a program like the one i'm currently doing be more effective? if not what do you do once you've reached that stage...?

 

[sookie]

depends on how you look now I guess. I will start off in the beginner program then once I reach my goal weight. I will start cutting and work on isolation exercises for definition.
The reason why I want to start off with the beginner program is I will grow more compared to split programs. I will put more stress on my central nervous system doing squats, deadlifts, bench vs isolation exercises (leg press, lat pull down etc). More stress I put on the CNS = more growth.

Another reason for me starting off with compound workout is because i am fairly scrawny. For me I will look ugly if I started off with isolation exercises. Why? Because im scrawny, Ill be out of symmetry if I used your program listed. My chest will hunch forward because of the lack of back muscles. I dont want to look like the typical guy thats top heavy (Big upper body and puny legs.)

 

[Big Mick]

PERFORMANCE TRAINING CENTRE in Frankston, VIC - PH: 0404 453 542 - HOME OF THE 200KG DEADLIFT

not one of those guys look like they have what i think is a good looking body =S (well at least not what i'm aiming for anyway)

Haha, I can see what you are worried about, not the look I am aiming for either

 

[The Hamburgler]

depends on how you look now I guess. I will start off in the beginner program then once I reach my goal weight. I will start cutting and work on isolation exercises for definition.
The reason why I want to start off with the beginner program is I will grow more compared to split programs. I will put more stress on my central nervous system doing squats, deadlifts, bench vs isolation exercises (leg press, lat pull down etc). More stress I put on the CNS = more growth.

Another reason for me starting off with compound workout is because i am fairly scrawny. For me I will look ugly if I started off with isolation exercises. Why? Because im scrawny, Ill be out of symmetry if I used your program listed. My chest will hunch forward because of the lack of back muscles. I dont want to look like the typical guy thats top heavy (Big upper body and puny legs.)

You won't be out of symmetry, you'll just still be scrawny.

You don't look like this doing chest flies and curls with pink Dbs

 

[The Hamburgler]

These guys just train for "strength" and they look ok to me (no homo)

All powerlifters. Most guys in the last photo have benched 700lbs+ equipped

 

[callan]

get strong now... get big later...
u wont get anywhere without a solid strength base.

 

[Bench Polkov]

Sweet crap, its not that complicated!

Lift heavy weights lots, get big muscles. Do cardio and keep diet clean, minimise fat gain.

Chad, Big Mick: I know some of those blokes you don't want to look like, guess what, they're now pretty well built and lean due to hard training and good diet.

 

[chad]

You won't be out of symmetry, you'll just still be scrawny.

You don't look like this doing chest flies and curls with pink Dbs

Woahh that's the last thing i wanna look like!!

Just want a nice toned body with good shoulders and decent back and chest. the reason i am training chest twice a week is because i think it's out of proportion to the rest of my body and needs to catch up if you will..



i will post pictures soon so show how my body looks at the moment and maybe get some better tips to get where i want.


thanks for the replys guys.

 

[chad]

i'm using a weight gainer (iso mass) but seem to be getting fairly cut up rather than bulking............. any idea why?
not complaining because i've still put on a fair bit of size but do want to bulk up first...