Beginner

[sl97aq]

I am 5 foot 5 and 110 pounds. I want to get bigger and more muscular. How do I begin, since I have never worked out with weights before?

Hello sl97aq,

Of course it all depends on your resources and will. (not desire, will!)

How old are you? How much can you spend per month reliably? How much time do you have? How much control do you have over where you go, what you do, and what you eat? All questions to consider in your planning.

Getting healthy and athletic is a hobby, getting "big" is a lifestyle.

You asked how to begin.

First step is to find somebody you trust to ask questions of and give reliable safe advice. There are I'm sure many reading this right now. Another thing to consider is what do you do about conflicting advice? Answer: Do your own research! Read books about beginning bodybuilding. Learn to keep records of what exercises you do, what you eat, how you feel. If you really want to get big you need to know what makes you big and be willing to do the things that make you big. That includes learning, about biomechanics, nutrition, and more.

The most available bodybuilding tool is your body. Don't neglect the benefit of isometrics, calesthenics or running. The cheapest bodybuilding tools are things like springs, and rubber stuff you stretch or squeeze. The simplest and most versitile iron is a pair of dumbells. (You'll eventually need access to several pair).

One of the tricks to getting started properly is to not hurt yourself while still learning the ropes. You need to determine what you can safely lift without twisiting or tearing something.

The answer to not hurting yourself is "Stay in control of the weights". Repeat, "stay in control of the weights". You are in a battle with gravity. Gravity will win everytime. All you can do is to "stay in control of the weights" for a little time. When you feel gravity winning, give the weight back to it. slowly and under control. If the weights are getting out of control your're gonn'a lose. If you push it, you're gonna' get hurt. Don't jerk the weights you'll tear something. The sport is called weight lifting, not weight jerking. Move the weights slowly and deliberately, and stay in control of the weights! When you jerk you put terrible strain on muscles and tendons which can tear even in the biggest strongest bodybuilders, never mind the soft saggy beginners. Oh, by the way, the message of this paragraph was "stay in control of the weights!".

There is so much to tell. So much to learn. This little essay can't begin to tell you what to do.

If you can't find a reliable knowlegable person to give you face-to-face help then the next best thing is your own research and advice from places like this forum. In the end, it's your own CAREFUL experimentation on yourself that will teach you the things that really do and don't work for you.

I've been lifing for 30 years. I'm no contest winner or certified trainer but I've been trained by pro BB winners and have learned a few things over time. There are several readers here who can help, but you eventually need to develop a rapport with the one or two (wherever you find them) who can communicate clearly and are willing to continue to help you.

I hope this helped.

-- LeatherGryphon --

Oh, damn, now you got me started. I'll try to keep it short this time.

You're a beginner. Don't go trying to keep up with all the exercises in the muscle mags. They are for experienced lifters. Beginners have a tough enough time learning how to breathe properly, much less doing the hellatious workouts purported to be done by the pros.

At the very beginning, keep your workouts simple, one maybe two sets of 8-10 repetitions of a generic body part workout (arms, legs, chest, back, abs) once or twice a week. Don't try to do things like split routines, isolation exercises, etc. you're wasting your time and just confusing yourself. Learn how your body responds first. Learn to adjust the amount of weight you're lifting so at the end of two sets of eight reps you should be nearly desperate to give that weight back to gravity, but still in a conrolled manner. You gott'a learn your own limits.

You as a beginner (as all beginners do) WILL overdo it, and will eventually have at least one three day session of terrible muscle aches and pains. Don't give up. That was a valuable lesson. It hurts when you do that, don't do it again. Learn to build up to your stress level when you start in lifting from a long layoff. (longer than two weeks). The body is an amazing machine and can learn to tolerate incridible stress but when you've laid off, it forgets how to handle the stress and is easily over stressed. Two weeks of good lifting sessions gets you back in the grove. However, two weeks off and you've lost your edge again. You gott'a remain on a steady schedule in order to keep your body toned.

OK, I've said enough for tonight. Please, feel free to ask again.

-- LeatherGryphon --

[polomuscle]

Try to find someone who hs experience in the gym to give you a program. The main thing is to learn PROPER FORM. Everyone wants to go in and lift heavy. It's not necessary. I WISH in my first two years of lifting, I had done light weights, hi reps, and had focused on FORM and CONDITIONING. Now there are things I can't do, because of injury, because I started too fast and went to heavy weights. Remember, you make most of your gains in the FIRST YEAR so be patient and do it smart. Even if you're not pushing huge amounts of weight, you'll see HOT results, if you put in the time and train right. Train + proper diet + rest is all you need. More days in the gym does not necc. mean more gains, esp. for a beginner.
Stay away from supplements. All you need is a proper diet, lots of water, a little extra protein (lean chicken, lean fish), and you're off.
Main thing--stick with it.

[polomuscle]

some inspiration...

[sl97aq]

I won't be joining the gym until December, when the membership prices go down. Everyone who joins the gym gets a free training session in the weight room.
What exercises should I do beforehand to get ready? Pushups, situps, etc?

[brent]

A pushup is a great exercize. It works the chest, back, arms, and shoulders. Starty by doing some pushups, then in a week, add incline pushups (feet on your bed or sofa) and hold the pushup at the bottom for 20 seconds before the last one. I guarantee results.

Situps are dangerous, and should stay in the '80s, I suggest crunches. They are excelent for the abs. Lunges for the legs, and jog a couple times a week.

[sl97aq]

When I said situps, I meant crunches; I can't do situps. I got to 45 last night, and 45 pushups. What are lunges? When should I do the feet on the bed pushups? What diet is recommended before I start weight training? I drink lots of milk, and water, I eat cereal and fruit and veggies. Should I eat more meat, and if so, what kinds? Beef, chicken? How many days rest should I have between training sessions?

[brent]

sl97aq,
if you are doing 45 pushups, it's time to play around with them. do the inclined ones now, and even do the opposite (up against a wall).

As for diet, I wouldn't worry too much. If you drink milk, and eat healthy food, you will have enough of everything already. Have an extra glass of milk after working-out, but suplements are just that, a suplament for the crappy american diet. I don't suggest increasing the amount of meat in your diet, it always made me feel lazy. If anyting, take a multi vitamin. They're cheap, and I think they give the most bang, for very little buck.

Lunges hard for me to explain, I really just meant to add a leg exercize in there. Most guys forget their legs, and then they look funny when they get big on top.

Brent.

[sl97aq]

What exactly is a multivitamin?
I use my bike to get everywhere within the city: to work and school. Is that enough leg exercises, or should I do some after the pushups? What kind of leg exercises should I do: stretching, lifting, etc?
Is there anything else I should do to get ready for my weightroom training to start in December?
How many inclined pushups should I do each time? Should I do enough so that I cannot do one more? OR should I pick a number like 10 or 20?
Should I continue with the regular stomach crunches too?