Hi Guys,

I've included a fairly informative guide to weight traineo which should be useful for any novice who wants to develop strength and muscle in the most effective way or just to tone up. This article is geared to the very inexperienced to outline the key principles that must be considered to maximise the inevitable gains a complete beginner will make and to get into the good habits as early as possible. Thanks to Richard Cash for providing much of the content.

1. Mind set
So often neglected by the beginner and yet the most important ingredient in success.... DESIRE. So many fail by seeing it as a short term goal to improve your physique. This will contribute to failure. Get it out of your head that you need to get in shape for your holiday in 8 weeks time. You should see it as a lifestyle. A way to live your life. "A bodybuilder is for life not just for Christmas"

Accept the condition your body is in and make the decision to change your life to achieve your objectives. Accept it is a long term plan and you will not be disheartened if it takes time to improve. Lets face it folks, if it was easy then everybody would be doing it.

Be realistic about your goals. A beginner should not be saying I want to lose 30Ibs of fat and gain 20Ibs of lean muscle in 2 months. It Just won't happen, yet people time & again put this sort of image in their mind and become disheartened when it doesn't happen that fast. Time to wake up and forget the brainwashing from much of the health & fitness industry we have endured most of our lives to sell their latest fat loss or muscle growth gimmick.

Prepare yourself for hard work and sacrifice and you will see it as something you love and not as a chore. You will see it as something that distinguishes you from the masses who cannot be bothered or those who shoulder too much pride to seek advice. As soon as you see it as a chore you are on the path to failure.

2. Objective Setting
First of all assess your physique. Decide what you need to do most of all – Lose fat, build muscle. How fat you are, or how small your muscles are, will determine where your priorities are. I feel this is important so that you can set yourself some attainable targets. Remember...for fat loss, the more muscle you have the more calories your body burns at rest (approx 50 cals per hour as opposed to 5 cals per hour of fat) and while exercising a Ib of muscle burns roughly 10x as many calories as a Ib of fat (approx 70 cals per hour compared to 7 cals per hour for fat). Do the math.... If you add an extra 14Ibs of lean muscle to your body you will burn an extra 1200 calories per day just by having the muscle. This is 8400 calories per week (remember that 1 Ib fat is 3600 calories) so that's almost the equivalent of an additional 2Ib of fat per week that your body burns off just by having that extra muscle. This means that you have a much faster metabolic rate than you would have without that muscle.

Set some sensible targets e.g. to lose 10Ibs of fat in 5 weeks and gain 5 Ibs of lean muscle mass. Despite what we think, it is physically more difficult to build muscle than to lose fat. You can, though not advisable, lose 4 or 5 Ibs of fat in a week (as you are likely to lose muscle mass). You cannot build 5Ibs of lean muscle in a week.... live with that fact as It will not happen.

Setting some lifting targets as you become familiar with the exercises and your routine e.g adding 20kg to your bench press in a month, will help you gauge your progress.

3. Training with Weights
Your weights routine will be the bedrock of your lean muscle gains. To make consistent and long term gains you should make of point of having a structured weight routine from the start.

My first recommendation is to join a good gym. A gym that offers a comprehensive induction process, members of staff who know what they are doing. It should have a full range of free weights & equipment, lots of dumbells and plates (especially plenty of the heavy plates 20Kgs) for you to work your way up to the bigger weights. A good gym will be one where you feel comfortable.

It is very important that as a novice you are NOT INTIMIDATED by training alongside much more experienced bodybuilders. They won't bite you !!!! Most are very nice, helpful and normal people that are good fun and often quick to help out. They will not be looking down at you because you are new to the sport. We all were at some time! In fact use their experience to help show you how to do exercises correctly, etc as most of us just love the sound of our own voice and will not hesitate to help someone less experienced. Swallow that pride folks.

My preference is to start as you mean to go on and learn to use free weights asap. They will allow a much more thorough workout of the muscles than machines due to the full range of natural motion you can achieve in the exercises and that they recruit many more fibres in the supporting muscles and working muscles than machines. More fibres recruited..... More muscle gains you'll make.

GET YOUR FORM RIGHT!!!! This cannot be stressed enough. Poor form is rife amongst the MAJORITY of gym goers and will vastly hinder your progress. Do not sacrifice good form in ALL exercises for more weight just to feed your ego! Your muscles will develop MUCH quicker and you will have much less risk of injury if your form is good. If you cannot complete good form with the exercise then the weight is too heavy for you. It's that simple! Live with it! And work at getting stronger while having perfect form. Do not try and compete against the bloke next to you who is doing it wrong but lifting heavier. (in 6 months time he'll be the one that won't have grown much at all and you can leave him to wonder how you have put on so much mass.)

Try and separate your workouts into splits – chest, biceps, triceps, back, traps, legs, calves, shoulders, abs. Train each group once a week and your body will have plenty of time to recover and rest. You grow when you rest.

A nice 4 day split that will not kill you is
- Chest/Triceps/Abs
- Back/Biceps
- Shoulders/Traps
- Legs/Calves

As a good rule aim for 9 to 12 sets (MAXIMUM) for Large Muscle groups (Chest/Back/Legs) followed by a smaller muscle group for 6 to 8 sets (MAXIMUM)(Biceps/Triceps/Shoulders/Abs/Calves). Go easy on the biceps as they are much smaller than the triceps so will probably respond better at the lower end of that set range. Forget about doing 50 sets of bicep curls for big arms! You'll overtrain them and they will not grow to their full potential.

Also as a good rule work at a weight that you can perform 6 to 8 reps with strict form with before you can't hold good form anymore. When 8x becomes comfortable then you can add a little more weight on. 6 to 8 reps is the best compromise between hypertrophy gains (muscle growth) & strength gains. Where you see "train to failure " this means until you cannot do anymore reps at that weight with perfect form.

4. Rest
This is very important. You should aim to give your muscles a week's rest for recovery and growth. Muscles grow while you rest. This is why you train each muscle group once a week, so that you give the muscle a weeks recovery time before you hit it again the following week. It is very easy to overtrain and when you do your body goes into catabolysis (where it starts using the body's protein source – muscle). This is not good. Many budding bodybuilders overtrain and wonder why their biceps haven't grown in the last 6 months! (that is why I have listed the rep & set numbers like I have). It is very easy to overtrain, especially when you are very enthusiastic at the outset. To begin with you will most likely gain some muscle but not nearly as much as if you rested properly. No good doing 20x sets of bicep curls 3x a week. Your arms will not grow!

You should get a minimum of 8hrs sleep every night. You grow while you sleep. Less than 7hrs and you start to risk catabolysis of the muscles and lose those hard earned gains.

5. Training – Cardio
Important for fat loss & cardiovascular fitness. You should aim to do cardio on separate sessions from weights so that your muscle glycogen is used while weight training to fuel the muscles. DO NOT perform cardio before the weights sessions otherwise you reduce the potency of the weights session.

Fat loss cardio should be at 65% Max Heart Rate (MHR) for 30 to 40 mins and ideally before breakfast so that your body can tap into its fat stores for fuel immediately. Any more than this and at a higher intensity then your body will also utilise protein for fuel and lead to muscle loss (HIIT is the exception to this but we'll keep it simple for now).

6. Diet
EAT CLEAN!Try and eat every 3hrs to keep protein flowing through your body to provide a positive nitrogen balance and to keep your metabolic rate high.

Muscle growth – High Protein, High Complex Carbohydrates, Moderate Fat (good fats – flax seed oil, rape seed oil, etc)
Fat Loss – High Protein, Lower Complex Carb, Very low simple carb, Lower Good Fat, No Saturated Fat.

To lose fat you need to use more calories than you consume. To gain muscle you need to raise the calories to a higher level than you would utilise. This means a little fat gain but with some gentle adjusting you'll find where your level is at. Aim for 1.5g of protein per Ib bodyweight for gaining & fat loss. 200Ib person would need 300g protein in diet per day for bodybuilding.

Also remember to get protein in you before you go to bed, when you wake up and immediately after weights. This is when your body needs it most.

Thanks for the article. This will be very helpful!

Thanks for the article.

I just picked up a copy of The Complete Idiot's Guide to Weight Training. It got good reviews on Amazon. I'm just getting in to it, but this article reads like it could be the executive summary for the book. (That might have come out worng. I sincerely mean that as a compliment.)

Good post.

From somebody at the site i moderate on:

This routine is the one I used when I first started out and has proved very successful for the many lads I've trained since.

Train following the routine below 3 times a week allowing at least 1 days rest between for example mon,wed,fri:

1 Squats
2 calf raises
3 benchpress
4 lat pulldowns, bentover rows or chins
5 shoulder press (first set infront of head second behind alternate on third)
6 bicep curls
7 tricep extensions

You should do 3 sets of each exercise for 8-12 reps. So for each exercise you need to find the weight which will allow you to complete 8 reps with maximum effort, never put the weight down until you have tried for one more rep and failed this is known as training to positive failiure, it is these last 1 or 2 reps that will force the muscle to grow hence the phrase no pain no gain. Now wait 2 mins and reduce the weight by approx 10% then do your second set again to total positive failiure. You should always lower the bar under control and not let it drop down as this will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise and increase the risk of injury.

Now immediately you complete the second set reduce the weight down by 50 percent and do your third set again 8-12 reps to total positive failiure but this time count 4 seconds as you lower the bar. Now wait 5 mins then move on to the next exercise/bodypart.

When you can do 12 reps with the weight increase the weight by 10% this should reduce your reps back down to 8.

Keep a training diary listing weight and reps this way it is easy to see your progress and this helps keep you motivated.

so an example would be:-

Bench Press

You would do your first set with say 50kg wait 2 mins whilst waiting reduce the weight down to 45kg do your second set then immediately reduce the weight down to 25kg for the third slow set.

This may not seem like alot of training, the routine should only take just over an hour but believe me this is one time when less is more. The biggest mistake newbies make is over training. Your muscle must be trained then rested then they will recover and only when all of this has taken place will they GROW if you train again too soon they will not have time to grow and you will make no progress.

excellent posts... thanks all for this invaluable info! now i'm off to do some weight training!

Well written and gives great true information that will help us all out.

As an inexperienced weight lifter, I've found Weight Training for Dummies to be a great resource.

I've been looking the past few days for just this sort of information. I've been doing cardio in the mornings and weight training in the afternoons but without any sort of routine. Chris's essay and Nick's comments have given me a lot of the information I was missing so that I can now get started on actual routine.

I wonder if there's any chance of getting Chris's article pushed up to Traineo's Training section?

Thank you so much for the information!!!

Hi, just reading this post.. I'm in the begining of weight training. I mean when there's FAT! I wrote a post but in the 'exercise and trianing tips' please if you have a chance read it.. 'Buiding a body from scratch'
I admire your commitment and dedication to bodybuilding.. Man, i wish I had a body already. But I'm starting and need lots and lots of help and encouragement..Take care Y'all'
Becky

Being a weight-lifter of seven years, I've unfortunately found out a few things the hard way so I thought I'd list them here.

Warm up! Definitely prevents injury, especially to your joints. A general warm up can be as simple as 5 minutes of walking or light jogging, but don't forget warm up sets! Going through the motions of an exercise with lighter weights will accustom your joints to the exercise before you hit it with the heavy weights.

Get a spotter or use a Smith machine or Grab&Go when training to failure. Very embarassing to be caught with a bar across your neck, if it doesn't kill you first.

I second the rest idea! I overtrained for pretty much the first six months when I started, got weaker, and didn't lose much fat.

Don't let having a lot of fat stop you from jumping into a weight training program, unless you're really sick and your doctor tells you not to. Which leads me to...

Talk to your doctor, but if your doctor is overweight chances are they can't help you and will not be supportive enough. Time to get another doctor! (I bond awesomely with my new vegan, exercises-like-a-fiend doctor.)

Finally diet. I only learned this recently: eat fewer calories doesn't mean eat less food and feel hungry! When you change what you eat to less calorie-dense foods, you can fill your belly with the same amount and yet consume less calories. Best to eat nutritious foods like fresh fruit, veggies, and coarsely-ground whole grain too.

I find it helpful to count the number of times in a day I switch a bad food to a good one, then use that number for my perceived dietary "goodness". Eat an apple, instead of those Fritos. Eat oatmeal for breakfast (not instant) instead of the buttered toast and ham. Have a cup of straight green tea, instead of coffee with cream and sugar.

I'm still worried about losing strength and muscle due to diet changes. I've noticed my strength slip somewhat in the last two weeks, but I'm reading up on it and hope to have a solution soon. (Reading all those vegan bodybuilder links that Aoife and others posted!)

This is my 100th post and since a milestone in my traineo life, I thought it better be a great one.

@ Becky

I have about 80-90 pounds to lose and many people have told me NOT to do weight training until I am very close to my goal weight. I'm not sure why.

A visit to my MD last September encouraged me to think otherwise. He told me that weight training will do 2 things.

1. Create muscle which will in turn assist in fat burning.
2. Make my body stronger

These are two benefits that I greatly wanted as I was weak and very achy.

I have seen incredible changes in my body in terms of flexibility, ability to manage stress (running, falling, agility, etc.) and physical differences like a less sagging chest, stronger legs and a tiny change in my ab and arm area. This not only keeps me motivated but also confirms the fact that although I need to lose a lot of weight, my body is absolutely, without a doubt developing and getting stronger and when my fat is gone, I'll be that much more ahead of the game.

Becky, once you see gains and changes, you will "see" the body under your fat and THAT will be your reward.

Keep going!

Thanks Dave & congrats on your success Keep going too!!!...I'm not doing heavy weight AT ALL..I'm walking 3 miles with hand weights and bands...light cardio after that, I'll pick up the pace once I'm down to 170..I'm guessing by this time next month

@ Itadaki: I finally replaced a cup of coffee for green tea, and said good bye to eggs/bacon tortilla tacos! said: Hello' to my little friend' the oatmeal bowl' LOL.

Egg whites are going to be your best friend when you lots of protein and few calories.

i think 15 calories and 6 gr of protein per egg white. Most of the calories are in the yolk.

Careful with the arm badns and weights while walking, you can hurt your joints, be careful.

Thanks to all of you for the valuable info. I weight trained for a year with a trainer (now I am on my own), after I had lost 100 pounds and still had 60 to go. SO to Becky, believe me when you weight train, you still will eventually see definition under the fat especially in your arms. I was amazed and very happy about that. Egg whites are the way to go and I also use Amino 2222 when I haven't eaten enough protein. It is a faster way to get it.

wow I actually learnt stuff, I actually do my cardio right before weights cuz both workouts are not that intense so I figure while I'm at it.. why not

so I should do them on seperate days?? (I don't quite understand your explanation, why?)

and out of curiosity, doing intense cardio alone, could that still help give you a bit of tone? since you are using your muscles..??

I plan on doing 3 cardio workouts and 2 muscle (30 mins targetting every major muscle group) and one 20 minute abs routine), do you think that's okay to get me fit and toned in about 2 months time (with healthy eating habits of course, 1500 calorie a day diet, although I usually go over)?

You can find mp3 workout session for free to run and lose weight in twelve weeks in music and vocal coach here :
http://blog.jiwok.com/en/?cat=3

good write up man...

the bit about mind set is real good..

iv tried alot of this only thing is i stoped going to the gym for a yr and now im small again. so deffo people need to realise its a lifestyle not just for a few months..

Hi, I'm fairly new to this website, have been over at the JUDDDING forum for a couple of weeks. I also am interested in getting into a serious weight training program, I am a 56 year old woman that is healthy and in good shape despite being slightly overweight. What would be a good training that I could do at our local gym. We have machines and only hand held dumbbells for weights. I have the book Power of 10 which talks about doing very heavy weights at a real slow count. What do you all think of that approach??

Wow, wonderful article you have written I feel like I'm in a self study class. So much valuable information packed into this thread. :P

That is a pretty good writeup for someone interested in Bobdybuilding or physique.

In the immortal words of Dr. Tobias Funke: "You're blowing my mind, Frank."

Great write-up. I totally agree with the mindset. I found when I first started training I dreaded going for my workouts but I would push through them anyway. As I got stronger and more confident in the gym I enjoyed myself more. Now I look forward to going and working out.

I also agree with getting the form right, beginners should hire a personal trainer at first to make sure they are doing exersizes correctly. I did not do this and I always find myself trying to correct form that I've done for over a decade. It is extremely hard to change your ways once they are set.

One thing I would suggest is not to break up body parts into separate days but rather work your whole body every second day. Muscles take 2 days to recooperate. If you are working your bicep once a week it only grows for 2 days. If you work every muscle every second day then they are growing ALL week.

Rexanne S.: I've never heard of the power of 10 but I have heard of a workout routine called the "Colorado Expirement" which has you lifting weights slowly and until total muscle failure, meaning you are getting someone to lift the weights for you (spotter) at the end of your sets and just lowering them on your own. Doesn't really mention if it's heavy or not. I just started this workout and it's pretty intense. I only do one set per body part.

wow, that was an eye opener as far as my diet goes. i really need to increase my calorie intake if i expect to see any results.

i got stuck on the math. i'm a little embarrassed to point it out. i think i've missed something obvious.



does 1lb of muscle (at rest) really burn 50Cal per hour? or is it 50Cal a day? 14lbs x 50Cal/hr.lb x 24 hrs = 16,800Cal.

14lbs x 50Cal/day.lb = 700Cal

the 1,200 you came up with, is that 50Cal x 24hrs = 1,200? that doesn't factor in the 14lbs at all, does it?

i'm sure i'm missing something. i kinda feel stupid writing this, lol. i wasn't able to find any answers myself, so i decided to check here.

Please help me out here because I am totally lost. When I lift weight, lets say, chest press - I start for example with 35 lbs on each side, then on my 2nd set I raise it up to 40 and so on. This contradict totally with what was said above. I always thought one is supposed to go up in weight not down please advise

Omg man, I bench and work my arms everyday, no wonder I haven;'t seen much improvement (I only have the weekends to rest) thanks for your tips, this will help me greatly!

If I may jump in here for ya, Jess, the way I understand it is, the basic reasoning behind doing your weight work before any cardio is because lifting, (and not the featherweight stuff, the stuff that makes you sometimes grunt it out), requires serious, quick fuel, which is drawn primarily from the blood, not from fat reserves. For maximum performance, you want that "tank" to be full when hitting the weights, not already depleted from doing cardio--and if your cardio is on the intense side, then all the more reason to do it after the weights.

If the lifting leaves you pooped, you can always do the cardio later in the day, or alternate cardio days and weight days.

Hope that helps.

I used to do weights like this, Dan and got some pretty amazing results too--which was even more amazing as back then, (this was about 10 years ago), I knew practically ZIP about nutrition.

The only drawback was the amaaaaaaaaaaazing muscle-rebuilding aches I would get to enjoy ALL OVER my body, every 2nd day! But really, I kinda liked it, teeeheeee...

I second wondering about this. Anyone have any more details in what instances this is more beneficial, and why?

thanks

If you're just starting out, don't worry about anything fancy - warm up to your work weight, and do your sets with that weight.

There are A TON of variations in weight training, and these are generally for more advanced people (say, at least a year, getting bored with progressive load). Just push yourself on every set.