beginning weightlifting -- anyone(s) want to partner up?

mpizzle421

I've tinkered around here and there with weight-lifting since I was 13 with my Dad's old sand-filled set (oh the memories). I've had 3-6 month spurts here and there, but with my latest commitment to fitness I'm ready to try again. I've been working out over the course of the last 2 months with a upper/lower body split invented by me with no real progression goals but I'm happy with the progress that I've made thus far.

I've looked around for a good beginners routine geared toward progression and found something that I liked. The workout comes from bodybuilding.com and stands strong after 4+ years, and literally 1000's of replies. I ran it by the owner of the gym I go to and he fully endorses the quality (being a former competitive bodybuilder with 20+ years of personal training experience I'm even more persuaded knowing that he stands behind it).

The workout (coming from allpro at bodybuilding.com). Check out the mega-threads on bb.com if curious, or any questions. I can probably answer any basic questions, but anything more advanced should be directed at that thread on that site:

A Simple beginner's Routine
You will do 3 work outs per week on non consecutive days. The first work out is your heavy work out. The second work out is your medium work out, use 10% less weight for your work sets. The final work out for the week is your lite work out, use 20% less weight.

Do a lite warm up with 1/4 of your work sets weight. Do a medium warm up with 1/2 of your work sets weight. Do 2 work sets with the same weight. Choose a starting weight and start light.

These are the seven exercises you will be starting with.

Squats
Bench Presses
Bent-Over Rows
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls
Calf Raises

You will be running this program on a five week cycle as follows:
The first week do all 4 sets for 8 reps.
The second week do all 4 sets for 9 reps.
The third week do all 4 sets for 10 reps.
The fourth week do all 4 sets for 11 reps.
The fifth week do all 4 sets for 12 reps.
If you got all of the required reps on the fifth week then increase the weight by 10% and

repeat the cycle. If you didn't get all of the reps on the fifth week then repeat the cycle with the same weight. You shouldn't need more than one minute rest between the warm up sets and you shouldn't need more than one minute thirty seconds between the work sets.
Do some cardio and abs work on non weight training days.

He recommends free weights (no universal/smith machines) for several reasons that can be reviewed on that website. Dumbells can be substituted as you have access to the proper weight. A pretty uniform agreement after 1000's of posts is resist the urge to tweak the workout unless absolutely necessary due to a medical condition (for example, serious lower back problems).

If anyone is interested in joining me, message or reply back.

mpizzle421

I just did day one yesterday @ the following stats:

Squats x 135
Bench Press x 155
Bent-Over Rows x 90
Overhead Barbell Presses x 90
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts x90
Barbell Curls x 65
Calf Raises x 165

I can't believe the difference between what I had been doing before. The exercises I have been doing the last few months have been somewhat effective for me, but I realized that this routine is world's apart. Even stopping to change plates every exercise/after warmup made allpros workout more of a strain (something you don't have to think about when doing machines/dumbells and I certainly didn't appreciate before).

I felt "strong" enough to do my rows and deadlifts with more weight, but my lower back is weak from neglect and I think it's probably for the best that I didn't. Both are new exercises to me, and I was cautious.

js370

You started on compound exercises. Excellent. If you want to strengthen your back, you could do 45-degree back extensions. 3 sets of 10 is all you need. After the first week, grab a 10lb wieght and increase every week or two by 5 or 10 pounds, then you can stop increasing after a month or so. In the long run it will help you when get to a heavier weight on the deadlifts.

mpizzle421

Would that be too much volume on the lower back initially? When would you suggest doing it -- on cardio days? How many times per week?

Thanks for the response!

js370

The workout you're doing is similar to what I'm doing right now.
You can exercise on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. You can split the workout as I've listed below (recommended). First week should be A,B,A. Second week should be B,A,B. Then repeat the sequence.

Do two warm up sets with 60-80% of working weight then do three sets at 100% of your working wieght. 5 reps is all you need. (For deadlifts, 2 warm ups and 1 at 100% weight, if you decide on doing squats every workout.)
For example: Squats @ 135, warm up with 95 and then do 135.
The next time you do a work out you add 5lbs.

I do calf raises using the same weight that I'm squatting and I do those every time. I also do back extension every workout, but once you're squats and deadlifts are getting heavy you can drop these two exercises if you want.

If you get to the point that you can't do the 3 sets of five, then you deload about 20% of the wieght and progress from there.

A
Squats
Bench Press
Bent-Over Rows

B
Overhead Barbell Presses
Stiff-Legged Deadlifts
Barbell Curls

A&B
Calf Raises
45-degree back extension

This will keep you going for a few months.

P.S. I also do squats on both A & B, but I wasn't sure if you would be interested in that. It's taxing, but it's a great workout.

mpizzle421

Appreciate the response!

Based on the overwhelming success people at bodybuilding.com have had with allpros workout (4 years/1000's of responses) I'm going to stick to the routine I posted. I want to give it a few cycles (15-20 weeks) and see if I make the kind of progress that folks over there claim is possible. Another good one supposedly is "Starting Strength" by Mark Rippetoe, where people have been known to make astounding strength gains in the starting months. He still focuses on the basic compound lifts, but keeps the rep range low focusing mostly on strength (as opposed to strength/size).

Long story short, I want to stick with something (proven to work) to see what happens before really making any changes.

Again, thanks for the info and make sure to post your progress (and accept my friend request!).

js370

No problem. As long as you're happy with your routine, that's what counts.

spartacus69

I started doing that same routine, total body three days a week, but at four weeks into it I felt I did not have enough recovery time and I was exhausted on the off days (which for me are cardio days.)

I reworked it as a split routine (with additional exercises) and so far that is working MUCH better for me.

Start with the program as is and see how you do, but I'd take js370's split suggestion into serious consideration.

mpizzle421

I reworked it as a split routine (with additional exercises) and so far that is working MUCH better for me.

I actually prefer an upper/lower split myself because by the time I finish so many exercises I'm run out of steam. Especially combining so many challenging compound exercises together. Squats alone are brutal.

I started doing that same routine, total body three days a week, but at four weeks into it I felt I did not have enough recovery time and I was exhausted on the off days (which for me are cardio days.)

A few subtleties that may make the difference.... (unless of course you performed it this way as well)

The second and third workouts of the week are reduced in weight by 10%, and 20%. So you have one heavy day, a medium day, and a light day keeping recovery in mind.

Also, there are only 2 "work sets" for each exercise built into the routine. The other two sets are totally warm-up -- set to 25% and 50% of the work set.

Start with the program as is and see how you do, but I'd take js370's split suggestion into serious consideration.

Agree. I'll base the decision on results after the first/second cycles. If I progress and I'm not a total mess on off days (the exception being the day after my heavy workout), I'll stick to it until I can't make any progress.

Thanks for the advice. Mind if I friend you?

spartacus69

Yep, even with the low number of working sets and less weight on the other days, my shoulders in particular were really getting overworked. And doing squats and deadlifts on the same day, three times a week, was too much for my old knee and hip joints.

But hey, I've got about a decade on you, most of which did not involve significant exercise, so don't let me dissuade you!

mpizzle421

Week 1 completed, all 8 reps achieved with good form for all 3 days...

Interestingly, day 2 I started out sore, and going through the workout actually eliminated the aches and pains.

Week 2 starting tomorrow with 9 reps, same weight.