A question with a new workout program

[phillipeb]

Alright so i finally found a gym that wont bust my wallet. Its basic and at 10 bucks a month i cant complain. So i can move beyond the realm of bodyweight work outs into assisted weight workouts. Now since there was a hiccup in the system around december that lost my previous 20 posts im unsure if anyone is aware that while i am frequenting this forum i am more looking for slow gradual gains in the form of 5 or so lbs of muscle a year. It is my hope that by doing this i can learn to sustain a weight of 180lbs-185lbs without having to live in the gym. Id like to keep the muscle on by doing every day things.

 

That being said i found a link to a basic body building routine for the absolute begginer because that is what i am. i was wondering if anyone could perhaps look it over and let me know what you think. It goes on for paragraphs about how obviously know who this workout was written for because it is so basic.

 

I appreciate any help you can give me. I have loved coming here and reading about everyones love of fitness and it has been very inspiring for me to comit at that same level.

 

 

here is the link to the program:http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

 

It is in section 1c that i think he outlines his suggestion as to how and what to workout.

 

I was thinking about doing compound exercises because i just want to overall engage my body. Which i also hear is good for building muscle as well.

 

A few extra questions. Taking into account my goals of a 5 lb increase in muscle mass a year how much protean should i be shooting for in a day.

 

if i ate a diet of 1500-1700 calories a day because beyond that i gain weight what should i increase it to now that i will be lifting weights.

 

Is cardio bad to do when my goals are meager as they are? I read that if you dont want to loose muscle then don't do cardio but i have a hard time eating the calories i need to bulk without gaining substantial fat as well.

 

 

Thank you guys for your help i look forward to entering the bodybuilding lifestyle how ever luke warm my approach is.

[chrisjs]

What do you mean by beginner? Do you know how to properly squat and deadlift but can't do much weight?

[phillipeb]

What do you mean by beginner? Do you know how to properly squat and deadlift but can't do much weight?

 

I have read various things and i have even used a curl bar once or twice. But i would say that i know nothing of the practical application of weight lifting. Theory yes terms yes as well as idealized workout schema but no actual practical application.

[phillipeb]

p.s. i have a vauge idea of what a deadlift is. also yeah since i do bodyweight workouts currently i would think to do the squats like i do my bodyweight workouts ass to ankles. Which something tells me is very very bad.

[tatman6006]

if i ate a diet of 1500-1700 calories a day because beyond that i gain weight what should i increase it to now that i will be lifting weights.

 

I, too seem to have this problem as well. The more I eat, the more fat I put on. I guess it has something to do with my metabolism, but I can't possibly fathom eating as much volume as most of the people on this forum eat. I'd be a blimp...

 

I do low-intensity cardio for the fat-burning stuff, but inevitably, I seem to wind up either getting slim and toned, or building muscle, and having a lot of fat.

 

You're not alone, dude.

[chrisjs]

Hopefully you'll get some better responses than what I can offer. When I started out I was following Justin Palermo's routine: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/justin2.htm.

 

I wasn't seeing massive gains but you need to start somewhere.

 

Ultimately I think your goal should be to do that beginner stuff long enough to get everything into place then move onto a 5x5 workout. I'm currently having great success with this one: http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm.

 

But the 5x5 is way too aggressive for a beginner. You really need some in person to check your squat and deadlift form before you start jumping up with those weights. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

[phillipeb]

Hopefully you'll get some better responses than what I can offer. When I started out I was following Justin Palermo's routine: http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/justin2.htm.

 

I wasn't seeing massive gains but you need to start somewhere.

 

Ultimately I think your goal should be to do that beginner stuff long enough to get everything into place then move onto a 5x5 workout. I'm currently having great success with this one: http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow1/5x5_Program/Linear_5x5.htm.

 

But the 5x5 is way too aggressive for a beginner. You really need some in person to check your squat and deadlift form before you start jumping up with those weights. But I'm getting ahead of myself here.

 

I appreciate your advice but i was kinda looking for a specific set of responses. How does the training i listed compare to beginning training? ect. based on what i had posted.

[chrisjs]

I, too seem to have this problem as well. The more I eat, the more fat I put on. I guess it has something to do with my metabolism, but I can't possibly fathom eating as much volume as most of the people on this forum eat. I'd be a blimp...

 

Have you tried playing with the makeup of your diet? I find with my body that dietary fat and simple sugars (except sugars taken when working out) cause me to gain fat pretty quickly. The way the body metabolizes seems to be different person-to-person though.

[phillipeb]

I, too seem to have this problem as well. The more I eat, the more fat I put on. I guess it has something to do with my metabolism, but I can't possibly fathom eating as much volume as most of the people on this forum eat. I'd be a blimp...

 

Have you tried playing with the makeup of your diet? I find with my body that dietary fat and simple sugars (except sugars taken when working out) cause me to gain fat pretty quickly. The way the body metabolizes seems to be different person-to-person though.

 

I have tried mixing things up a bit. I think that i need to put some serious thought into my diet perhaps the ratio i eat should be different i know that veggieprincess recommended a 40/30/30 split but i cant seem to get my carbs low enough. I eat a heavily grain based diet, it is one of my main sources of sustenance because it is nutritious and has a decent amount of calories. Also i think that because i was doing a body weight workout i was no wear near buring enough calories, now with a member ship to the gym and a normal workout plan this might be a different thing. Thanks for the advice i will sit down this weekend and try to figure out some ratios that work for me.

[chrisjs]

I appreciate your advice but i was kinda looking for a specific set of responses. How does the training i listed compare to beginning training? ect. based on what i had posted.

As I said, I hope others can give you better responses. I'm only sharing what I know.

 

I do think Rippetoe/Kilgore know what they're talking about. You should pick up their book if you decide to embark on that route. I actually just ordered their "Practical Programming" book the other day.

[tatman6006]

Have you tried playing with the makeup of your diet? I find with my body that dietary fat and simple sugars (except sugars taken when working out) cause me to gain fat pretty quickly. The way the body metabolizes seems to be different person-to-person though.

 

Actually, this is with me taking my simple carbs down to nihil, and my fats down quite a bit as well... If I eat salads constantly, I can get my bodyfat down quite a bit, but where's the fun in that? I don't wanna have to have a diet that consists of salad, protein supplement, and water... ya know?

[chrisjs]

If I eat salads constantly, I can get my bodyfat down quite a bit, but where's the fun in that?

Maybe that's where the "fat == jolly" stereotype came from.

[phillipeb]

Have you tried playing with the makeup of your diet? I find with my body that dietary fat and simple sugars (except sugars taken when working out) cause me to gain fat pretty quickly. The way the body metabolizes seems to be different person-to-person though.

 

Actually, this is with me taking my simple carbs down to nihil, and my fats down quite a bit as well... If I eat salads constantly, I can get my bodyfat down quite a bit, but where's the fun in that? I don't wanna have to have a diet that consists of salad, protein supplement, and water... ya know?

 

 

Hmmm have you started eating more frequently to keep your metabolism running in overtime?

[chrisjs]

Hmmm have you started eating more frequently to keep your metabolism running in overtime?

That's a good point too. I've started eating smaller more frequent meals and won't pig out as much in the evening. I also start the day with a pretty massive smoothie.

[hsorlando]

If you are a beginner to weight lifting you really need to address your form, and perfect this area so you don't get hurt when you lift.

[tatman6006]

Hmmm have you started eating more frequently to keep your metabolism running in overtime?

 

Yeah, I snack and graze all day long. I eat as often as I can, in small amounts of course... I duno... maybe I just need to keep trying harder, maybe really monitor my intake and find out my ratios and stuff...

[phillipeb]

If you are a beginner to weight lifting you really need to address your form, and perfect this area so you don't get hurt when you lift.

 

 

Thank you for the advice. Not to be rude or anything but i would really love an answer to my actual post. If you wouldnt mind reading it and perhaps offering your opinion about that it would be greatly appreciated.

[LongTimeVegan]

I was thinking about doing compound exercises because i just want to overall engage my body. Which i also hear is good for building muscle as well.

 

A few extra questions. Taking into account my goals of a 5 lb increase in muscle mass a year how much protean should i be shooting for in a day.

 

if i ate a diet of 1500-1700 calories a day because beyond that i gain weight what should i increase it to now that i will be lifting weights.

 

Is cardio bad to do when my goals are meager as they are? I read that if you dont want to loose muscle then don't do cardio but i have a hard time eating the calories i need to bulk without gaining substantial fat as well.

It looks like your three main questions from the original post are:

 

1. "how much protein should I eat each day"

2. "will I need to eat more calories once I start working out with weights"

3. "is it ok for me to do cardio while I'm trying to gain mass"

 

If you spend any time in the health and nutrition section of the forum, you know that the answer to question #1 is highly debated. Some would recommend as little as .5g protein per pound of lean body mass, per day, while others would recommend as high as 2g of protein per pound of lean body mass. Personally, I think 1g per lb is sufficient.

 

The answer to #2 is yes. Not only will you burn calories working out, but your body will need them to recover. Once you gain some mass, the amount of calories needed to sustain yourself will increase. Obviously a 150lb fit person requires fewer calories than a 200lb fit person, so the same will be true for you as you gain muscle (on a less dramatic scale).

 

The answer to question #3 depends on your body type, type and intensity of cardio, and nutritional intake. The simple answer is that since you are only trying to gain 5lbs muscle a year, you could probably work some cardio in and still acheive your goals, assuming you are getting adequate nutrition. It may take some trial and error on your part to figure out what works for your body type.

 

I also scanned the article you linked to and the exercises look good. The main problem I see, is that as a novice, you're probably going to get hurt doing sets of 5 reps on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, powercleans, and standing military presses. Some others have mentioned this, but you do not seem receptive to their advice. You mention in your posts that you have done research regarding the proper execution of exercises, but you have no practical experience. It's easy to remember most of the nuances of doing a proper squat while you're sitting at your computer, but getting everything right with a barbell and weight on your shoulders is going to be more difficult than you think. This is true for most compound exercises. If you go light enough to get your form perfect, 5 reps will probably not be enough to really stimulate your muscles. If you go heavier, you will develop bad habits and probably injure yourself.

 

Doing higher reps; 8-12, maybe 10-12 is probably a safer bet if you want to avoid injuries. It forces you to lower the weight a bit, and that way you can work on your form. Since you are a beginner, it will probably be easy to make gains at first, even in the higher rep range.

 

hth,

-Chris

[phillipeb]

I was thinking about doing compound exercises because i just want to overall engage my body. Which i also hear is good for building muscle as well.

 

A few extra questions. Taking into account my goals of a 5 lb increase in muscle mass a year how much protean should i be shooting for in a day.

 

if i ate a diet of 1500-1700 calories a day because beyond that i gain weight what should i increase it to now that i will be lifting weights.

 

Is cardio bad to do when my goals are meager as they are? I read that if you dont want to loose muscle then don't do cardio but i have a hard time eating the calories i need to bulk without gaining substantial fat as well.

It looks like your three main questions from the original post are:

 

1. "how much protein should I eat each day"

2. "will I need to eat more calories once I start working out with weights"

3. "is it ok for me to do cardio while I'm trying to gain mass"

 

If you spend any time in the health and nutrition section of the forum, you know that the answer to question #1 is highly debated. Some would recommend as little as .5g protein per pound of lean body mass, per day, while others would recommend as high as 2g of protein per pound of lean body mass. Personally, I think 1g per lb is sufficient.

 

The answer to #2 is yes. Not only will you burn calories working out, but your body will need them to recover. Once you gain some mass, the amount of calories needed to sustain yourself will increase. Obviously a 150lb fit person requires fewer calories than a 200lb fit person, so the same will be true for you as you gain muscle (on a less dramatic scale).

 

The answer to question #3 depends on your body type, type and intensity of cardio, and nutritional intake. The simple answer is that since you are only trying to gain 5lbs muscle a year, you could probably work some cardio in and still acheive your goals, assuming you are getting adequate nutrition. It may take some trial and error on your part to figure out what works for your body type.

 

I also scanned the article you linked to and the exercises look good. The main problem I see, is that as a novice, you're probably going to get hurt doing sets of 5 reps on compound exercises like squats, deadlifts, powercleans, and standing military presses. Some others have mentioned this, but you do not seem receptive to their advice. You mention in your posts that you have done research regarding the proper execution of exercises, but you have no practical experience. It's easy to remember most of the nuances of doing a proper squat while you're sitting at your computer, but getting everything right with a barbell and weight on your shoulders is going to be more difficult than you think. This is true for most compound exercises. If you go light enough to get your form perfect, 5 reps will probably not be enough to really stimulate your muscles. If you go heavier, you will develop bad habits and probably injure yourself.

 

Doing higher reps; 8-12, maybe 10-12 is probably a safer bet if you want to avoid injuries. It forces you to lower the weight a bit, and that way you can work on your form. Since you are a beginner, it will probably be easy to make gains at first, even in the higher rep range.

 

hth,

-Chris

 

 

I really appreciate your analysis. I definetly understand that others were trying to give me advice as to how and in which manner to work out but i wanted the advice referenced with my proposed plan. You have given me alot to think about and for that i appreciate it.