GordyR's Beginners Guide to Bodybuilding

Ok, first of all big thanks to Gordy and the other guys who have contributed to this thread.

I used to be exceptionally fit when I was about 16-17 and played hockey for Scotland. However, I stopped that after I ended up with a twisted sacrum. Not only this but I started driving everywhere and put on quite a lot of weight. I was going swimming and some light gym work but nothing major and up until a few months ago was still eating utter rubbsish.

After reading this thread I decided I really needed to do something to change that. For the past 2 months I've been eating correctly going to the gym properly with a friend of mine who has been been going for years.

I'm really happy with my progress just after 2 months. I've lost most of my beer belly and started to get definition along with major stretchmarks on my biceps. :eek:

My weight lifting in the gym has improved too having gone up quite a few weights. On the declines I'm now up to 30kg on each arm and on the bench press I'm up to 115kg although my triceps really let me down.

My only concern is that I'm still too heavy and I've put on weight since going to the gym (muscle I know, defo not fat). I'm 6'1 but now 16 stone. I've got a picture I took last night which I am proud of when you compare it to 2 months ago but not sure if I should post it up :p

Anyway, I'm really happy with the way things are going just now and feel much happier in myself too. I'm defo gonna continue with the way I'm going and hopefully by the end of the year will look even better!
 
Hi, I've just started out and I was just thinking about a routine, but I read this and I wasn't too sure -

Monday (Chest/Shoulder/Triceps)

Flat Bench Press – 3x8
Incline Dumbbell Bench – 3x8
Skull Crushers – 3x8 (similar to lying tricep extensions)
Close Grip Bench Press – 3x8
Seated Dumbbell Military Press -3x8
Lateral Dumbbell Raises – 3x8
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I don't think I could manage doing incline dumbbell presses after doing flat dumbbell presses on the same day, am I the only one? Should there be a break between each exercise and for how long?

Thanks.
 
quick question for those on bulking diets. Ive been eating oatmeal cereal and then 2 boiled eggs for breakfast for a while now, but ive never been that keen on eggs, and its starting to make me feel ill when i eat them.

Im thinking instead ill just have my cereal and then a quick shake with some eggs chucked in. Whats everyones views of raw eggs? does anyone do this? cheers.

andy

p.s beginning of feb i started at 10st. Now i weigh 11.7 :D
 
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GordyR said:
With regards to Bill Starr's be sure to follow the plan properly incorperating the deloading. Most people who fail on such routines start straight out right at their 5RM's and burn out far too quickly. The first couple of weeks should feel relatively easy, by the end of your fourth week you should be hitting now PR's. When the gains stop, rewind, deload and work up again to new PR's.
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I'm just about to go in to the fourth week of the advanced version and wanted to know if it's ok to add an extra week of loading if I manage to complete the fourth week without difficulty. I've read quite a lot on the subject and some people say it's vital that you follow the program step-by-step but others say your body will tell you when it's time to deload so keep going until that time comes. Other than the deadlifts, which became very difficult due to my hands slipping because of the heat, I found the third week quite easy and I'm hopeful I can complete the fourth week without a hitch. Any thoughts on adding an extra week? Cheers.
 
Pigeon_Killer said:
I'm just about to go in to the fourth week of the advanced version and wanted to know if it's ok to add an extra week of loading if I manage to complete the fourth week without difficulty. I've read quite a lot on the subject and some people say it's vital that you follow the program step-by-step but others say your body will tell you when it's time to deload so keep going until that time comes. Other than the deadlifts, which became very difficult due to my hands slipping because of the heat, I found the third week quite easy and I'm hopeful I can complete the fourth week without a hitch. Any thoughts on adding an extra week? Cheers.
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I'm with the "go with what your body tells you" school of thought matey. I would try to keep this program single factor for as long as possible. You don't have to deload all three lifts if you are only failing one one of them. Just deload the failed lift (in your case deadlifts) and keep progressing with the other lifts for as long as you can. When you hit a brickwall with your bench/squat then deload those also.

As always, everyone is different mate. If in your 4th week you hit PR's on bench and squat with relative ease then by all means try for new PR's the next week, it won't do any harm at all. :)

Having said this though, the fact that you are hitting PR's with ease suggests to me that you would do better with the beginners/intermediate version which is essentially the same but is single factor. On that routine you keep going until your lifts stall, then deload, exactly as you have described. If you can consistantly make gains in strength week after week then there is no need to periodise the program. Of course this doesn't last forever and thats where the "advanced" version is needed in order for progress to continue.
 
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Alchemy said:
Hi, I've just started out and I was just thinking about a routine, but I read this and I wasn't too sure -



I don't think I could manage doing incline dumbbell presses after doing flat dumbbell presses on the same day, am I the only one? Should there be a break between each exercise and for how long?

Thanks.
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do EITHER close grip bench, or skull crusher, not both. and take out the Lateral Dumbbell Raises , and add in DIPS, and you're good to go (if this is too much then take out incline, but make sure u do dips)
 
brocksta said:
quick question for those on bulking diets. Ive been eating oatmeal cereal and then 2 boiled eggs for breakfast for a while now, but ive never been that keen on eggs, and its starting to make me feel ill when i eat them.

Im thinking instead ill just have my cereal and then a quick shake with some eggs chucked in. Whats everyones views of raw eggs? does anyone do this? cheers.

andy

p.s beginning of feb i started at 10st. Now i weigh 11.7 :D
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from what i have read, there is simply no need to take the risk of food poisoning by eating raw eggs. Surely you could fry/boil whatever them, THEN stick them in a blender anyway?
 
GordyR said:
Advice
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Cheers mate :) I only went with the advanced version because the word advanced sounded better than intermediate :o I'll probably try the intermediate program in a few months time. How should I work out the weights for additional loading weeks because I used the Bill Starr - Glenn Pendlay spreadsheet to work out the weights I should be lifting each week. Should I just add an extra 2.5k to the weights I lift in week four and continue until I fail? Cheers.
 
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Alchemy said:
What would anyone recommend for situps? How many reps/sets?

I'm doing this on a dumbbell bench.
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10-12 reps, 3/4 sets

treat it like any other muscle in your body

if it gets too easy, put a weight on your chest
 
By the way, I have a question concerning reps/sets it's a very stupid one, but nevertheless it requires an answer. :p

When you say 3-4 sets with 8-10 reps, usually on the first set I do 8-10 reps but on the second I only can manage maybe 6-8 then on the third set maybe only 4-7. Well, this was the case last night at least. Should I lower the weight for the second and third sets so I can do 8-10? Keep in mind i can do it without any problems for the first set.

Thanks again. :)
 
Alchemy said:
By the way, I have a question concerning reps/sets it's a very stupid one, but nevertheless it requires an answer. :p

When you say 3-4 sets with 8-10 reps, usually on the first set I do 8-10 reps but on the second I only can manage maybe 6-8 then on the third set maybe only 4-7. Well, this was the case last night at least. Should I lower the weight for the second and third sets so I can do 8-10? Keep in mind i can do it without any problems for the first set.

Thanks again. :)
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I would think about altering your starting weight rather than dropping the weight down the sets. Choose a weight that you fail on the final few reps of the final set.

Could also be a diet issue. Are you bulking or cutting? If you're bulking you need to eat more carbs (probably failing due to lack of energy rather than outright strength), if you're cutting then you probably just need to alter your starting weight a little to reflect the change in your diet.

Hope that makes sense :confused:
 
A2Z said:
10-12 reps, 3/4 sets

treat it like any other muscle in your body
Click to expand...

It's not always that simple. For calves (yes, I do train my calves in isolation, only 3 sets per week) I never do less than 20 reps. 10 simply isn't sufficient, even with a large weight and good stretching on each rep.
 
As a complete "food" noob. What should I and should I not be eating to get rid of a Tum and Double Chin?

I was a skinny runt all through growing up - however the last 4 years behind a desk and a bad diet has given me some excess baggage.

I have resumed skating with a passion (trying to do 30min sessions 2 - 3 times a week) but I also know I should change my diet some what to compliment the increased exercise.

I have done all the obvious things, stopped popping out for a BK/MaccyD/KFC/Chippie lunch, stopped drinking fizzy drinks like other people drink water.... and started drinking a lot more water to compensate :p

One issue I have is that almost all "diet" foods and drinks contain sweetners and IMO i'd rather have sugar than sweetner as its a lot better for you. I generally get some chronic headaches if I have some with Aspartame in.

I dont know much and all the technical terms are confusing me (carbs?), I am not interested in building muscle at this stage just losing my stomach and extra chin.

Should I stop eating the following?

White Bread
Rice
Pasta

If I go the "Atkins" style route, what should I be eating?

I read Gordys excellent opening post but I admit to skipping right to the end. Cheers for any help.
 
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