Barbell Weight Lifting For Beginners - Help?

IrZeo

Hey all,

So for Christmas I got an entire Barbell weights set. I'm going to be a beginner when it comes to lifting, and I don't know how many sets/reps or even the weight I should be lifting at. I have looked around online and asked a few people, and they just refer me to programs that already exist.

The problem with this is that I don't want to start an already existing program straight off the bat and often when I read up on them it's still like reading a foreign language. >_<

Does anyone have any tips/a guide for a beginner using Barbell weights? what weight should I be lifting, how many reps/sets, etc.

Thanks in advance for all replies, I really appreciate it!

Oh also, my aim with lifting is to gain muscle and lose weight~

---

Starting weight: 461 lbs (August)
Current weight: 397 lbs (December)
Goal weight: 180-190 lbs

I already do cardio twice per day, 30 minutes each time, using a stationary bike.

cwolfman13

Starting Strength is a great place to start and will help you develop a good foundation of strength and a lot of exposure to compound lifts which should be the foundation of pretty much any routine you do going forward regardless of whether you're body building, strength training, Oly-lifting, etc...

It's a tough read, but the routine itself is simple...but don't let that fool you. Note that many people substitute BB rows for the power cleans (even though Rippetoe is adamantly against that) and really, it's perfectly fine. I would recommend at some point learning to clean as it is just an awesome movement...but rows are fine to start with. I also prefer the 3x5 format of Starting Strength to the 5x5 format of Strong Lifts. I personally had issues with the volume of a 5x5 format while I was dieting...it's a lot of volume and I had recovery issues and found the 3x5 format much better. I went back to a 5x5 format later when I went into maintenance and could eat to recover.

Anyway, basic programming will look like this...keep in mind I haven't looked at the actual program in a couple of years but this is what I remember...

Workout A:

Squat 3x5
Bench Press 3x5
Dead Lift 1x5


Workout B:

Squat 3x5
OH Press 3x5
Power Cleans 3x5 (or substitute rows)

The program has you basically start out with the bar on everything...work on form and get that down...but you add weight on every workout. As I recall, you try to add 5 Lbs every workout...it might be 10...or 5 for upper body and 10 for lower body...something like that. At anyrate, you start out light and this helps you work on form as well as getting your tendons and whatnot prepared for heavier weights...before you know it, everything is pretty heavy.

It's a full body program that you run 3x weekly on non-consecutive days.

Monday: A
Wednesday: B
Friday: A

Monday: B
Wednesday: A
Friday: B

And so on and so forth....

rick_po

You should do one of the beginner strength programs. You'll start with really light weights - like an empty bar for most lifts. Beginners get stronger fast, so you'll add weight every time you workout.

Some good programs:

Stronglifts 5x5
Starting Strength
New Rules of Lifting
all pro beginner

Chances are, the first few weeks, the weight will be easy for you to handle. Take advantage of the light weights to practice perfect form.

Whichever program you follow, pay close attention to progression rules and the de-load rules. They are just as important as the number of sets and reps.

If you don't know what you're doing, don't try to design your own program. Follow the program to the letter. These are popular programs because they've been successful for thousands of people, and they are designed for people exactly like you.

Good luck, and be prepared to have a good time! I think you'll be surprised how fast your strength improves.

dbmata

Use an existing program, or spring for a trainer.

You are not smart enough to roll your own.

ItIsTJ

Existing programs are where we all pretty much start off. From there, once you have a basic understanding of what's what, then you can venture off onto the more complicated routines/programs.

I would recommend anything that incorporates the basic fundamental movements. Anything too complex and you're more than likely going to get injured.

Bench (push)
Squat
Row (pull)
Deadlift (hip extension)

When you first start off, you're more than likely not going to be strong at all. Going for the basics like a 3 Sets for 7-10 reps for the first month or 2 would be fine. This allows for you to get to feels with how the movements work and how to perform them.

From there, you can can ramp up some weight and bring the reps down. Always remember, if you increase the weight, you decrease the reps and work yourself back up.

anyways, that's just my view

Best of luck on your new journey

jenglish712

dbmata wrote: »

Use an existing program, or spring for a trainer.

You are not smart enough to roll your own.

I would agree to use one already made, but re-phrase it that you don't have the knowledge base to create your own program that works well. You could be a genius for all we know, but lack the basic knowledge on this subject.

HeySwoleSister

Hey, great job on your weight loss so far! Building muscle will help you to keep losing the fat!

I'm a beginner, too, and doing the New Rules of Lifting program (I'm doing the for Women one, because female). I definitely recommend finding a from-the-start program, I would have been totally lost without the guidance of a pre-arranged workout plan. The New Rules workouts take me just under half an hour three mornings a week and are pretty logically set up. (So far, I'm still on the first stage)

Once you find a plan/program that you want to try, I also recommend watching as many videos as you can for each exercise in your program workout. There are excellent ones on Bodybuilding.com and on You Tube. (As always, don't read the comments on You Tube, LOL. Most lifters I meet in real life are generous and encouraging people...the jerks seem to live in YouTube comments!) I really struggled with understanding the Deadlift from just reading and looking at photos, it took many viewings of MANY form videos to learn to do it "right." (I'm sure my form is still very beginner-level, but at least I'm feeling the muscles work in the right places, now!)

IrZeo

Hey all, thanks for all of the replies, I really appreciate it.

I've been looking up beginner programs so far, not having much success! I literally know nothing about any of this besides I need to be lifting, so a lot of the terminology used is like a foreign language to me.

But I made progress! I now understand reps and sets where as before I kept confusing the two! haha, so yeah maybe I wasn't smart enough to roll alone after all.

dbmata

jenglish712 wrote: »

dbmata wrote: »

Use an existing program, or spring for a trainer.

You are not smart enough to roll your own.

I would agree to use one already made, but re-phrase it that you don't have the knowledge base to create your own program that works well. You could be a genius for all we know, but lack the basic knowledge on this subject.

You write your own stuff. I wrote what I wrote to convey precisely what I wanted to convey.

This is not the time to pat his berries and tell him what a good boy he is. He needs real answers without fluff.

Done.

dbmata

IrZeo wrote: »

Hey all, thanks for all of the replies, I really appreciate it.

I've been looking up beginner programs so far, not having much success! I literally know nothing about any of this besides I need to be lifting, so a lot of the terminology used is like a foreign language to me.

But I made progress! I now understand reps and sets where as before I kept confusing the two! haha, so yeah maybe I wasn't smart enough to roll alone after all.

What are you trying to get from lifting?

Your goal will define what works. There are many programs, Starting Strength and Strong Lifts are some of the most often suggested. They're also very easy to find, and have guided thousands to success.

A trainer is probably a better choice for you though, you'll be able to work form, find any imbalances, get questions answered, and then be well prepared with either a custom program, or they can help you get on the right newbie program.

jenglish712

dbmata wrote: »

jenglish712 wrote: »

dbmata wrote: »

Use an existing program, or spring for a trainer.

You are not smart enough to roll your own.

I would agree to use one already made, but re-phrase it that you don't have the knowledge base to create your own program that works well. You could be a genius for all we know, but lack the basic knowledge on this subject.

You write your own stuff. I wrote what I wrote to convey precisely what I wanted to convey.

This is not the time to pat his berries and tell him what a good boy he is. He needs real answers without fluff.

Done.

Hostile much keyboard warrior?

IrZeo

@dbmata I guess I'm looking to tone up but not bulk up, with the main aim to aid my weight loss.

jenglish712

OP: I am assuming you have a standard bench? Most beginner programs really focus on the squat, which requires a different piece of equipment (squat rack, power rack or squat stands). In that respect it may be difficult to find a pre-made beginner program that doesn't have that. Every program I know of would require some modification to safely get your leg work in.

HeySwoleSister

I use dumbells for my squats at home now. I will need a squat rack in a month or so, but for now have heavy dumbells at home to get started.

PS: Mileage will vary, of course....I'm doing the NRL4W program as a beginner now, using my husband's ANCIENT weights that he bought from Sears as a teen in the 1970s.

carlosduncan98229

IrZeo wrote: »

Hey all,

So for Christmas I got an entire Barbell weights set. I'm going to be a beginner when it comes to lifting, and I don't know how many sets/reps or even the weight I should be lifting at. I have looked around online and asked a few people, and they just refer me to programs that already exist.

The problem with this is that I don't want to start an already existing program straight off the bat and often when I read up on them it's still like reading a foreign language. >_<

Does anyone have any tips/a guide for a beginner using Barbell weights? what weight should I be lifting, how many reps/sets, etc.

Thanks in advance for all replies, I really appreciate it!

Oh also, my aim with lifting is to gain muscle and lose weight~

---

Starting weight: 461 lbs (August)
Current weight: 397 lbs (December)
Goal weight: 180-190 lbs

I already do cardio twice per day, 30 minutes each time, using a stationary bike.

Immerito

cwolfman13 wrote: »

Starting Strength is a great place to start and will help you develop a good foundation of strength and a lot of exposure to compound lifts which should be the foundation of pretty much any routine you do going forward regardless of whether you're body building, strength training, Oly-lifting, etc...

It's a tough read, but the routine itself is simple...but don't let that fool you. Note that many people substitute BB rows for the power cleans (even though Rippetoe is adamantly against that) and really, it's perfectly fine. I would recommend at some point learning to clean as it is just an awesome movement...but rows are fine to start with. I also prefer the 3x5 format of Starting Strength to the 5x5 format of Strong Lifts. I personally had issues with the volume of a 5x5 format while I was dieting...it's a lot of volume and I had recovery issues and found the 3x5 format much better. I went back to a 5x5 format later when I went into maintenance and could eat to recover.

Anyway, basic programming will look like this...keep in mind I haven't looked at the actual program in a couple of years but this is what I remember...

Workout A:

Squat 3x5
Bench Press 3x5
Dead Lift 1x5


Workout B:

Squat 3x5
OH Press 3x5
Power Cleans 3x5 (or substitute rows)

The program has you basically start out with the bar on everything...work on form and get that down...but you add weight on every workout. As I recall, you try to add 5 Lbs every workout...it might be 10...or 5 for upper body and 10 for lower body...something like that. At anyrate, you start out light and this helps you work on form as well as getting your tendons and whatnot prepared for heavier weights...before you know it, everything is pretty heavy.

It's a full body program that you run 3x weekly on non-consecutive days.

Monday: A
Wednesday: B
Friday: A

Monday: B
Wednesday: A
Friday: B

And so on and so forth....

+100

arditarose

I'm just here to say that it's awesome you got the weight set for xmas!

I feel you on not wanting to start off with a program. I started with a trainer, left her, and then farted around in the gym for months because wrapping my mind around a program wasn't working. I finally did it though, and it's worth it. You have to start somewhere, and there's no point in wasting time-especially when a lot of these programs have great explanations on how to do all exercises. Also, if you're not sure what the explanation means-look the lift up on bodybuilding.com-there is a short video for everything.

shor0814

IrZeo wrote: »

Hey all, thanks for all of the replies, I really appreciate it.

I've been looking up beginner programs so far, not having much success! I literally know nothing about any of this besides I need to be lifting, so a lot of the terminology used is like a foreign language to me.

But I made progress! I now understand reps and sets where as before I kept confusing the two! haha, so yeah maybe I wasn't smart enough to roll alone after all.

This is why you should look at the Starting Strength book. Even if you don't do the workout the descriptions and explanations in the book are excellent and will give you a good base of knowledge.

I also recommend not making your own program, stick with something tried and true.