Building Muscle for beginners

HeidiMightyRawr

I'm trying to help a family member of mine at the moment with their training / dietary needs to help them get to their goals. I'd really appreciate any help or advice anyone has, especially if you know of any good website/articles that might be of use. Just stuff I can email to him to help him out (we can't train together, otherwise I'd go with that)

Their main goals are to lose a little weight, he's not overweight but has a bit of a stomach he wants to lose. I've told him he can't spot reduce. He also wants to build up his upper body (chest and arms) and I've recommended a range of exercises, sets/reps etc. I doubt he'd be willing to focus on one at a time, and myself I've only really done bulk / cut cycles. Maybe a small deficit and then later on once he's more experienced and lost the fat he wants, up to maintenance/small surplus to build more muscle?

They're pretty much a beginner, he's had experience before with lifting but not much, and not that much variety, a lot of stuff with dumbells (overhead press, flyes, chest press, bicep curls etc) but not much compound lifts, and no lower body work. He's 56 and worries that he may be too old to look how he wants to, has knee problems also so is afraid of squatting.
I've recommended this site quite a while ago, but he didn't seem that into the idea of monitoring everything he ate, so I'm thinking of just a regular healthy, balanced diet. That's not so much the issue over the training itself though.

Thanks in advance

ickybella

Starting strength is great! http://startingstrength.com/

There's also a book. I got the ebook at Amazon UK. It goes into a huge amount of detail about how to perform lifts and at the end gives you an example 12-week (I think) routine.

ETA: Stronglifts 5 x 5 is great, all online and free as well.

HeidiMightyRawr

Thanks ickybella! I'll have a look at that site too

Bumping for more responses!