GordyR's Beginners Guide to Bodybuilding

[SK07]

That's something that will always give me a little laugh. People simply training their upper half as they think their legs are big enough when in fact they will just be of an average size and will look very stupid compared to a trained upper body.

Yeah what your saying is true, hence the reason im going to do something about it .

What do you mean squats? im only about a month into weight training so I don't know what that is, simple google I guess but your definition of them might help too.

Well im not small or skinny. Im 6'2 and large, Large arms + legs. I wouldn't say my arms and legs are like muscular to the extent of what you'd see on a body builder, im trying to produce that muscular tone lol.

Also do you know of any exercises at the gym or even something you can do at home that will help advance the tightining of the muscles in the stomach, pulling in. Cradle crunch which im doing everytime I go to the gym now and it is helping but im just wondering.

Again on the pain issue. I find doing the actual exercise gives me the "burn" for example the pec flys starts to give pain, burn in the pecs/arms but I find that say the next day, I won't have any pain like as if I've got bruises. It might feel quite tight but no pain to be honest. In the first week I admit I got pain, first time it felt like I pulled every muscle. But im gradually increasing the weight that is lifted.

Also do you reckon that my variation of what im doing at the gym is balanced. Aside the leg work which im going to be sorting out on Thursday to get a program written up for leg work. But some body builders can build the bicep too much and end up leaving their forearm quite weaker or not built to the same extent due to not doing a particular exercise. Do you reckon what im doing is fine for building up all aspects, pecs, biceps, forearm, triceps and everything else that is important. I don't want to have an unbalance of something not getting enough attention as like you said with the unbalance of upper body to lower body.

I type a lot into one post lol, but hopefully you can read all that and anyone here with relevent knowlodge can give me advice. If its going to help me I'll try it out, im not going to shun something off because I don't like it or what not and I know its in my best interest to do it, so any help is appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Morba]

from what you posted above, yes its imbalanced. hence my reply to you :]

 

[SK07]

from what you posted above, yes its imbalanced. hence my reply to you :]

So what do you suggest?

 

[SK07]

Also is it necessary to take Whey or whatever it is the powder?

"Otherwise all the kids we see at the gym training only arms day after day would all have 20” biceps by now. Train your whole body, don’t question it just do it."

lol so true like. Are most of the gym weight training population ignorant to these facts or just never took the time to look into it? Im just starting to learn about it now, if I never came across this section I doubt I would have known .

 

[Styles]

Yeah what your saying is true, hence the reason im going to do something about it .

Good man

What do you mean squats? im only about a month into weight training so I don't know what that is, simple google I guess but your definition of them might help too.

By squats I mean bar across the top of the back standing straight and bending the legs down to parallel or lower.

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBSquat.html

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Quadriceps/BBFullSquat.html

Well im not small or skinny. Im 6'2 and large, Large arms + legs. I wouldn't say my arms and legs are like muscular to the extent of what you'd see on a body builder, im trying to produce that muscular tone lol.

Tone, as you call it, is simply muscle mass and a low bodyfat %.

Also do you know of any exercises at the gym or even something you can do at home that will help advance the tightining of the muscles in the stomach, pulling in. Cradle crunch which im doing everytime I go to the gym now and it is helping but im just wondering.

If you have some DBs and weights you can do 2 x 20 weighted crunches and 2 x 20 leg raises.

Again on the pain issue. I find doing the actual exercise gives me the "burn" for example the pec flys starts to give pain, burn in the pecs/arms but I find that say the next day, I won't have any pain like as if I've got bruises. It might feel quite tight but no pain to be honest. In the first week I admit I got pain, first time it felt like I pulled every muscle. But im gradually increasing the weight that is lifted.

I'll find that if I've worked hard in the gym the day before that I'll ache. The fact that you're not aching doesn't mean to say you've not done well. But also, it could be a sign you're not quite there in terms of focusing your efforts on a particular muscle or hitting it hard enough. Have you posted a routine here before?

Also do you reckon that my variation of what im doing at the gym is balanced.

I can't really see a routine other than you've said you want to work the chest and pull in the stomach. If that's the case you'll have a very unbalanced routine.

Aside the leg work which im going to be sorting out on Thursday to get a program written up for leg work.

Squats
SLDL

are the foundation of a good leg workout IMO. You can add some front squats in if you're looking to bodybuild and attain a nice tear-drop by the knee. You can add lunges, leg curls, leg ext. but you shouldn't really need to at all.

But some body builders can build the bicep too much and end up leaving their forearm quite weaker or not built to the same extent due to not doing a particular exercise.

A Prime exampe is too much work on the quads and not enough on the hams. Or in your case, too much work on the chest and not enough or any on the back.

Do you reckon what im doing is fine for building up all aspects, pecs, biceps, forearm, triceps and everything else that is important. I don't want to have an unbalance of something not getting enough attention as like you said with the unbalance of upper body to lower body.

From what you've said it sounds very unbalanced. If you work the bicep you need to work the tricep, if you work the front of your body, of course you need to work the back. If you work the upper half of your body, you need to work the lower half. It would be beneficial to yourself to have help here in writing a routine.

 

[Styles]

Also is it necessary to take Whey or whatever it is the powder?

It's the best supplement money can buy for weight lifting. It'll be very hard to get the correct amount of protein into the diet otherwise.

"Otherwise all the kids we see at the gym training only arms day after day would all have 20” biceps by now. Train your whole body, don’t question it just do it."

lol so true like. Are most of the gym weight training population ignorant to these facts or just never took the time to look into it? Im just starting to learn about it now, if I never came across this section I doubt I would have known .

Most people are ignorant to it, and will not listen if you tell them. They mess around doing their chest and arms workout and don't bother doing anything else. They no nothing of what they do and tbh will give up after not long at all. They tell everyone they go to the gym and people are wowed by it, but they are just clueless.

 

[SK07]

I'll have squats added on and a the 3 machine leg exercises, ontop of my CV work that should be balanced enough? lat pulldown and seated row should be good for the back no? Anyway heres the program that I have been doing:

4 Times per week (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday)

CV Work 4 times a week containing:

Treadmill, Rower, Bike and Cross trainer with at least 15 mins each and a high resistance and speed.

Cradle Crunch of 50, 4 times a week. I do all cardio 4 times per week.

Weights (Split into two. Tuesday, Strength, Thursday, Tone " " " ")

Tuesday + Saturday: Strength: 4 sets of 6 reps for all weight exercises listed.

Bench Press 50KG start, move up to 60KG. 4 sets of 6 reps.
Cable Cross 45 each side, lighter.

Bench Work:

Pec flys - 2 Dumbells of 14KG each arm (28KG total)
Incline Chest - 2 Dumbells of 16KG each arm (32KG total)
Chest Press - 2 Dumbells of 16KG each arm (32KG total)

Thursday + Sunday: Tone: 3 sets of 15 reps for all weight exercises listed.

Machines:

Seated Row: 49KG
Lateral Pulldown: 61KG

Bench Work:

Single Arm DB: 26KG
Tricep Press: 25KG total on bar
Bicep twist: 14KG each arm

Thats it. Im going to add in the leg squats as you suggested + 3 machines that I posted earlier for legs.

I've been doing the gym for 2 months now. It has been sometime since I've been at a gym 2-3 years (im 18). I dunno if that weight seems low, to you it will no doubt lol, but again im working my way in and up. I started free weights a month ago.

Anything else you recommend?

Cheers.

 

[Styles]

A serious re-working of the routine. It's terrible and needs to major changes. Is there any reason you're doing quite so much cardio? Are you trying to increase your fitness or just trying to loose weight?

What are your goals.

 

[SK07]

A serious re-working of the routine. It's terrible and needs to major changes. Is there any reason you're doing quite so much cardio? Are you trying to increase your fitness or just trying to loose weight?

What are your goals.

My goals are strength and tone. That cardio is to get fit really. I do want to get physically built not extreme body builder but the works, toned, proper toned body, tightened stomach, muscle developed arms etc. Legs as well since I need the balance all over. I do not know how im going to accomplish it, kinda confused. I am determined but I can set my mind on this but constant changes kind of put me off and make me unsure of what im actually supposed to be doing to accomplish this.

Gym instructor set it up.

 

[Styles]

My goals are strength and tone. That cardio is to get fit really.

Gym instructor set it up.

That says it all, 95% of gym instructors really do not know what they are talking about.

If your goals are stregth and low bodyfat % then you've come to the right place. Following a better routine will give you infinately better results and you'll be bigger, stronger and look better.

How many times a week would you be willing to weight train, and how well equiped is the gym. Free weights? DB Racks?

 

[SK07]

That says it all, 95% of gym instructors really do not know what they are talking about.

If your goals are stregth and low bodyfat % then you've come to the right place. Following a better routine will give you infinately better results and you'll be bigger, stronger and look better.

How many times a week would you be willing to weight train, and how well equiped is the gym. Free weights? DB Racks?

Well 4 times per week, not sure if I could extend it but give me your input of if 4 times is fine? for say 2 hours+ a session?

Yeah Strength, low bodyfat but stressing again tightning of the pecs and stomach, outcome of the goal is a flat stomach (maybe even a six pack after probly year(s) lol. Main point is I do want to be big but not like the extreme body builders whos arms are bigger than there bodies haha.

Okay I usually put cardio in with weight training but is that a no no? The gym is quite small however there is a leg squat, olympic bar/bench press. 2 Benches, a cross chop (if you know what that is not sure what its called). Theres a dumbell rack of many weights, 2KG's all the way to 35 KG's, all in pairs. There is enough weights for the bench press, 2.5's, 5's, 10's ,15's, 20's, 25's. Also a seperate area for your exercises + cradle crunch etc.

 

[Styles]

Well 4 times per week, not sure if I could extend it but give me your input of if 4 times is fine? for say 2 hours+ a session?

4 is good, but for now 3 should be enough.

So you could train:

Workout 1:
Chest/Shoulders/Tri's

Workout 2:
Back/Bi's

Workout 3:
Legs

Or you could remove shoulders from workout 1 and add it to workout 3.

Yeah Strength, low bodyfat but stressing again tightning of the pecs and stomach, outcome of the goal is a flat stomach (maybe even a six pack after probly year(s) lol.

You'll grow bigger, more full and rounded, better looking pecs and your abs will become stronger, and larger and you'll develop a nice V tapered back and powerful quads and nice looking arms. Six pack is a product of low bodyfat not of tightening the muscles.

Main point is I do want to be big but not like the extreme body builders whos arms are bigger than there bodies haha.

Not going to happen, so don't worry there. You'll not reach a size anywhere near that of those guys.

Okay I usually put cardio in with weight training but is that a no no?

Don't mix the cardio with the weights, and I think you should cut down the cardio. I think you're doing too much at this stage.

And the gym sounds good enough.

 

[SK07]

Okay cheers but for cardio? if I don't mix it with weights then not at all? I do want to keep doing at least some cardio though (rower actually helps the arms too) but keep doing it for fitness purposes. Also what of the cradle crunch?

From what you have mentioned, how many exercises of each e.g. shoulder etc. Expanding on what you have listed.

Cheers though m8, I'll reply back tommorow, fallin asleep haha. Anyway cheers, later.

 

[GordyR]

Six pack is a product of low bodyfat not of tightening the muscles.

Absolutely... A sixpack is built in the kitchen, not in the gym. (To an extent)

 

[alexakasloth]

Absolutely... A sixpack is built in the kitchen, not in the gym. (To an extent)

Menshealth would have you believe otherwise

Get down to ~10% bodyfat and a good sixpack will be starting.

 

[Robi]

How does this diet/workout plan sound? Going for slight bulk/tone. I started about a week ago.

WORKOUT:

Monday: Triceps/Abs (+ 10 minute run).
Tuesday: Biceps/Pecs (+ 10 minute run).
Wednesday: Triceps/Abs (+ 10 minute run).
Thursday: Biceps/Pecs (+ 10 minute run).
Friday: Back/Legs (+ 10 minute run).
Saturday: Pecs/Abs (+10 minute run)
Sunday: REST.

Whey protein supplement taken after workout. Banana flavour milkshake.

DIET:

Breakfast: Branflakes + toasted wholemeal bread and/or scrambled eggs.
Lunch: Toasted wholemeal bread + fish.
Dinner: Meat, Veg + Wholemeal bread.

(Constantly drinking water throughout the day).

The only feesable problem I can see is the single rest day, should I keep saturday/sunday free for rest?

 

[Styles]

That's a terrible terrible workout.

Day 1: Chest/Tri's

Day 2: Back/Bi's

Day 3: Legs/Shoulders

1000 times better.

 

[Chong Warrior]

How does this diet/workout plan sound? Going for slight bulk/tone. I started about a week ago.

A slight bulk/tone? So you want to slightly gain & lose weight? How's that going to work?

Listen to Styles, that workout you posted is a shocker, sorry mate but it's the truth and you are basically wasting your time.

 

[Robi]

A slight bulk/tone? So you want to slightly gain & lose weight? How's that going to work?

Listen to Styles, that workout you posted is a shocker, sorry mate but it's the truth and you are basically wasting your time.

I'm pretty much clueless about building, so care to explain?

Also, should I be taking the supplement after workouts? Or morning, afternoon and nightly?

EDIT: Phrased the first sentance wrong. I meant going for bulk & tone but not to the crazy extent. More lean so to speak.

 

[Styles]

Day 1: Chest/Tri's

Day 2: Back/Bi's

Day 3: Legs/Shoulders

Would you like a full routine posted from that? I posted just that at first, as I would rather see if you would be willing to follow a routine just like that. You could do that, or an upper/lower split, or full body 3 x a week. It's just up to you at the end of the day.

Supplement wise, whey is exactly what is says on the tin, a supplement. If you can't eat for one reason or another then a shake can be had instead with a carb source (i.e. oats or similar). Post-workout is the best time, as well as pre if you simply cannot eat.

You need to be eating about 6 meals a day not just the 3.