Starting out, some questions

miladdo · 01-02-2006, 01:27 PM

Hi all, new to the site etc etc

Right, that's the noob scenario dealt with.

I'm 31 years old and have been fairly inactive for most of my life. I've always been an ectomorph physique but in my mid twenties I developed a bit of a pot belly as my shape dictated I could get away with eating junk food and not have it show up on my body.

I now want to get rid of the belly but also gain some muscle. I'm not looking for become a full-on body builder, just that if I took my top off, I want people to be able to see I work out.

I've been going to a gym for about 5 weeks now and my session consists of 12 minutes on the treadmill and 25 on the cross-trainer in order get my fitness up and fight the fat.

Now I've added some resistance training, doing 2 sets of 10 (the last rep in the last set usually makes my muscle almost give out) and I'm going to see how this goes.

Can anyone comment on whether they think this sort of programme will aid my goal? The instructors at the gym don't seem able to speak 'human' - it's all full of "physiology this" and "cardiology that" so I'm hoping you guys will be able to give me advise in normal english....

TIA

Nick500 · 01-02-2006, 01:35 PM

Welcome to the site !

The best thing to do would be to search through the diet and nutrition forums to find out the sort of diet you should be following, and also the training forums for workout.

First, read this: http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopi...136&highlight=
10 fundamental ways to gain muscle mass.

Then, read this:
http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4308
An excellent diet thread written by young gun

A workout that you might want to follow is the beginner's guide by Garry, he wrote it a long time ago and has proved effective for many people:
http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1983

Anonymous · 06-02-2006, 08:28 PM

Simple programme for you mate to get you started with. Do a whole body workout 3 times a week to begin with focusing on your major muscles and using compound movements. Free weights mainly if you feel confident enough to do the exercise safe and correctly if not start with machines and try and get someone who knows what their doing to help with the free weights. Stick with 3 sets of 10-12 to begin and make sure the last set your struggling. CHEST ( bench press or chest press machine) LEGS ( Barbell squat or leg press) BACK ( Chin ups or lat pulldown to front) SHOULDERS ( dumbell press or shoulder press machine) BICEPS ( barbell curl) TRICEPS ( dips or tricep pushdown) ABS ( Crunches). Make sure you start with a 5-10 minute light cardio warm up and finish with a 20-30 minutes cardio session of moderate intensity. And make sure your diet is in check or you will get no where!! Work on that for 6-8 weeks and then look at advancing it.

miladdo · 06-02-2006, 09:10 PM

Thanks for that - my new workout involves 2 to 3 sets on the Chest Flyes, Bench Press, Shoulder Press, Lat Pulldown, Tricep Pulldown and ab roller and yes as you say, I stuggle with the last set on each.

I've found that if one particular weight feels a bit too easy and the next setting is a bit too hard, I just slow each rep down on the easier setting and that seems to do the trick.

Cardio - I start off with about 10 mins on the runner and end the whole session with 20 minutes on the cross trainer.

Anonymous · 07-02-2006, 02:24 PM

Sounds good mate see how you go with that. Remember to increase the weight when that 3rd set becomes comfy and increase the intensity on your cardio when that becomes easier, Progression is the key mate!

SoulCard · 07-02-2006, 09:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Simple programme for you mate to get you started with. Do a whole body workout 3 times a week to begin with focusing on your major muscles and using compound movements. Free weights mainly if you feel confident enough to do the exercise safe and correctly if not start with machines and try and get someone who knows what their doing to help with the free weights. Stick with 3 sets of 10-12 to begin and make sure the last set your struggling. CHEST ( bench press or chest press machine) LEGS ( Barbell squat or leg press) BACK ( Chin ups or lat pulldown to front) SHOULDERS ( dumbell press or shoulder press machine) BICEPS ( barbell curl) TRICEPS ( dips or tricep pushdown) ABS ( Crunches). Make sure you start with a 5-10 minute light cardio warm up and finish with a 20-30 minutes cardio session of moderate intensity. And make sure your diet is in check or you will get no where!! Work on that for 6-8 weeks and then look at advancing it.

...this is a bad idea and a schedule like this will lead you into early fatigue and horrific overtraining which will minimize your gains and discourage you early on...a good beginners schedule would be 3 -4 days per week and 1-2 body parts/workout session...sitck with core exercises like bench, incline bench, flys, close grip bench, two hand push downs, dips, military press, dumbell press, upright rows, squats, leg extensions, claf raises, lat pulls, rows, deadlifts, straight bar curls, hammer curls and 21's...lets say you go on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and do chest and tris then shoulders and legs then back and bi's...that gives you enough workout and enough rest inbetween...remember intensity and weight progression to tax your muscles is key, but growth occurs during rest, not during workouts...

SoulCard · 08-02-2006, 12:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Make sure you start with a 5-10 minute light cardio warm up and finish with a 20-30 minutes cardio session of moderate intensity. And make sure your diet is in check or you will get no where!! Work on that for 6-8 weeks and then look at advancing it.

...and no, you dont want to work abs that often, they are like every other muscle group and need rest...and NO, if you are trying to bulk (unless you are already overweight) you do not want to do heavy cardio every week...but the diet tip is very important...

rich b · 10-02-2006, 07:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jay123

Quote:

Originally Posted by Anonymous

Simple programme for you mate to get you started with. Do a whole body workout 3 times a week to begin with focusing on your major muscles and using compound movements. Free weights mainly if you feel confident enough to do the exercise safe and correctly if not start with machines and try and get someone who knows what their doing to help with the free weights. Stick with 3 sets of 10-12 to begin and make sure the last set your struggling. CHEST ( bench press or chest press machine) LEGS ( Barbell squat or leg press) BACK ( Chin ups or lat pulldown to front) SHOULDERS ( dumbell press or shoulder press machine) BICEPS ( barbell curl) TRICEPS ( dips or tricep pushdown) ABS ( Crunches). Make sure you start with a 5-10 minute light cardio warm up and finish with a 20-30 minutes cardio session of moderate intensity. And make sure your diet is in check or you will get no where!! Work on that for 6-8 weeks and then look at advancing it.

...this is a bad idea and a schedule like this will lead you into early fatigue and horrific overtraining which will minimize your gains and discourage you early on...a good beginners schedule would be 3 -4 days per week and 1-2 body parts/workout session...sitck with core exercises like bench, incline bench, flys, close grip bench, two hand push downs, dips, military press, dumbell press, upright rows, squats, leg extensions, claf raises, lat pulls, rows, deadlifts, straight bar curls, hammer curls and 21's...lets say you go on Monday/Wednesday/Friday and do chest and tris then shoulders and legs then back and bi's...that gives you enough workout and enough rest inbetween...remember intensity and weight progression to tax your muscles is key, but growth occurs during rest, not during workouts...

Quote:

Think a split programme is the way to go eventually but not for someone who is just starting out. A whole body routine where your only doing one exercise per muscle is a good way to start for a beginner. And if you want to lose weight 20 mins of moderate intensity cardio is going to help you on your way. He is hardly going to lose excessive amounts of muscle tissue doing that its not like he busting his ass training for a marathon! Think training 3 days a week is plenty when just starting out giving your body 4 whoke days recovery. After 6 weeks of getting your body used to free weight training then step it up to a simple split programme and maybe up it to 4 times per week.

devilsquest · 10-02-2006, 08:00 PM

yep thats a couple of copys but got any thing to add???lol

rich b · 10-02-2006, 08:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by devilsquest

yep thats a couple of copys but got any thing to add???lol

Yea keep it simple when starting out!!

01-02-2006, 01:27 PM	#1 (permalink)
miladdo Under Construction Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19 Rep Power:	Starting out, some questions Hi all, new to the site etc etc Right, that's the noob scenario dealt with. I'm 31 years old and have been fairly inactive for most of my life. I've always been an ectomorph physique but in my mid twenties I developed a bit of a pot belly as my shape dictated I could get away with eating junk food and not have it show up on my body. I now want to get rid of the belly but also gain some muscle. I'm not looking for become a full-on body builder, just that if I took my top off, I want people to be able to see I work out. I've been going to a gym for about 5 weeks now and my session consists of 12 minutes on the treadmill and 25 on the cross-trainer in order get my fitness up and fight the fat. Now I've added some resistance training, doing 2 sets of 10 (the last rep in the last set usually makes my muscle almost give out) and I'm going to see how this goes. Can anyone comment on whether they think this sort of programme will aid my goal? The instructors at the gym don't seem able to speak 'human' - it's all full of "physiology this" and "cardiology that" so I'm hoping you guys will be able to give me advise in normal english.... TIA

01-02-2006, 01:35 PM	#2 (permalink)
Nick500 Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Bristol Posts: 3,232 Rep Power:	Welcome to the site ! The best thing to do would be to search through the diet and nutrition forums to find out the sort of diet you should be following, and also the training forums for workout. First, read this: http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopi...136&highlight= 10 fundamental ways to gain muscle mass. Then, read this: http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=4308 An excellent diet thread written by young gun A workout that you might want to follow is the beginner's guide by Garry, he wrote it a long time ago and has proved effective for many people: http://www.musclechat.co.uk/viewtopic.php?t=1983 ______________________ - Obsession is what lazy people call dedication -

10-02-2006, 08:00 PM	#9 (permalink)
devilsquest Join Date: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,152 Rep Power:	yep thats a couple of copys but got any thing to add???lol ______________________ www.uk-steroids.co.uk-Your one stop Bodybuilding Resource site.

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06-02-2006, 08:28 PM	#3 (permalink)
Anonymous Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 0 Rep Power:	Simple programme for you mate to get you started with. Do a whole body workout 3 times a week to begin with focusing on your major muscles and using compound movements. Free weights mainly if you feel confident enough to do the exercise safe and correctly if not start with machines and try and get someone who knows what their doing to help with the free weights. Stick with 3 sets of 10-12 to begin and make sure the last set your struggling. CHEST ( bench press or chest press machine) LEGS ( Barbell squat or leg press) BACK ( Chin ups or lat pulldown to front) SHOULDERS ( dumbell press or shoulder press machine) BICEPS ( barbell curl) TRICEPS ( dips or tricep pushdown) ABS ( Crunches). Make sure you start with a 5-10 minute light cardio warm up and finish with a 20-30 minutes cardio session of moderate intensity. And make sure your diet is in check or you will get no where!! Work on that for 6-8 weeks and then look at advancing it.

06-02-2006, 09:10 PM	#4 (permalink)
miladdo Under Construction Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 19 Rep Power:	Thanks for that - my new workout involves 2 to 3 sets on the Chest Flyes, Bench Press, Shoulder Press, Lat Pulldown, Tricep Pulldown and ab roller and yes as you say, I stuggle with the last set on each. I've found that if one particular weight feels a bit too easy and the next setting is a bit too hard, I just slow each rep down on the easier setting and that seems to do the trick. Cardio - I start off with about 10 mins on the runner and end the whole session with 20 minutes on the cross trainer.

07-02-2006, 02:24 PM	#5 (permalink)
Anonymous Join Date: Dec 2003 Posts: 0 Rep Power:	Sounds good mate see how you go with that. Remember to increase the weight when that 3rd set becomes comfy and increase the intensity on your cardio when that becomes easier, Progression is the key mate!