How do I map out a schedule for lifting?

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amg394
amg394 Posts: 18 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
At my university, I have access to a gorgeous multimillion dollar gym. I try and go about 5 times a week, but I am mostly doing cardio and abs. I want to use all they have to offer and my roommate and I would like to start lifting to tone up.
How do I go about it? How many times a week should I be lifting to tone versus really bulking up? Any suggestions for a beginner is welcome!

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  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Bulking vs toning will be a function of diet, not exercise... so that shouldn't be a factor in how often you go or what you do.

    As for the rest of your question... do some reading on established routines (of which there are tons) and pick the one that seems most appealing. No sense recreating the wheel when there are already suitable plans/routines out there.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    For beginners, I would recommend Starting Strength or Stronglifts 5x5. They really help to get people off on the right foot and help you to learn the barbell lifts which will pay off in dividends once you get them down. It stops people from spinning their wheels doing exercises that don't provide the results that you want (like machines, little pink dumbbell exercises...). It will also help you to get a lot stronger than you probably imagined was possible. You can get Mark Rippetoe's book: "Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training" on kindle or you can check out stronglifts at stronglifts.com. Good luck.
  • giantrobot_powerlifting
    giantrobot_powerlifting Posts: 2,598 Member
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    Insofar as what particular program you should follow for whatever your goal is, you have to ask yourself when can you reliably make it the gym? If your goal is to build strength like SS, then the sequence of its program will require you to be at the gym quite regularly -- otherwise gains will not be made.

    For me, I can only go 4 days a week. 4 only and not a day more. But I go. I never miss a day, unless illness, family, or zombie outbreak.

    You are lucky that you have all 5 days at your disposal. You should have no problem finding a program (be it SS, Starting strength etc...)

    The envy is strong in this one.

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