FAQ Update: Beginner/Intermediate Routines

However, considering that particular poem, in the end he tries, and likes, green eggs and ham. I'm not sure if a poem based on green eggs and ham is the best answer for a Broz related FAQ question.

Good point. Maybe I'll do one instead where Sam-I-Am is a typical body part split curl enthusiast, and he is persuaded to try and like Starting Strength.

Still I'm very impressed with your poetry. Is that what you do? Teach Afghanis to be poet ghost writers for wealthy nitwits who want to author books? Like a literary version of Indian call centres.

That's a very interesting idea for a programme here in Afghanistan, but it is not actually what I do. The poetry thing really comes from the fact that I started out as an English Lit. major (before changing to Psychology and Philosophy) and learned a reasonable amount about how it is constructed. Being a pretentious teenager with literary aspirations I even tried to write some myself, but such efforts are long-since abandoned, other than several attempts in more recent years to compose my masterpiece "Am I Gay to love myself so much?", which for some reason I was unable to complete.
 
You a Nabokov fan, Jaunty?

Not enormously. But mainly because we had a 'guest lecturer' when were covered Lolita while doing 20th Century novels, the novelist Martin Amis, who is a huge fan of the book. I thought the guy (Amis) was so arrogant and narcissistic, it put me off the book. A terrible reason not to like a writer, admittedly.

The truth is that I rarely read much literature at all these days, so I can hardly be described as a fan of anyone.
 
teach_the_controversy_440.jpg

Terry Pratchett fan?
 
Great thread. You made a good point about all beginners (and even more experienced lifters) training like a body builder. (3x10 isolated body group training) Even if that is not their intention.

It has took me a while to learn this but now i'm out of that unsuccessful loop.


I would say the best advice for beginners is to train with a experienced lifter until they learn the ropes.
 
alright, thanks. youre the one who showed me these actually :)
im gonna start one of them. possibly the 3 day push/pull one you showed me. how long should i go on that split? 4-6 weeks?

As long as you want, longer the better
 
alright, thanks. youre the one who showed me these actually :)
im gonna start one of them. possibly the 3 day push/pull one you showed me. how long should i go on that split? 4-6 weeks?

Basically, you want to be adding weight every time you do one of the exercises. When it gets tough to add weight, slow down with the adding weight. When you actually fail, cut the weight 10% and start adding weight again. That will probably take you anything from 2-6 months. Then you can either fiddle with the programme so that it still works for you (basically adding more variation in how heavy you lift and adding weight less often), or choose a new programme. Making the correct adjustments will be fiddly, so better to pick a new programme from the list.
 
Westside for Skinny Bastards A modified lifting program for "Hardgainers" - DeFranco's Training
this one seems more appealing to me. im a skinny dude, lol. this also appeals to my want for hypertrophy, but at the same time its focused on strength. do i do the same thing with that, jaunty? like add weight every time? +how much am i adding? like a 2 and a half or a 5 every time?

You should use the search function and check out some of the previous threads we've had about Westside for Skinny Bastards. It seems like we've had some fairly recent threads about it and they all had some good info in there.

With a beginner such as yourself, alot of times its better to go with something different than this program. The hypertrophy and variation in exercise selection appeals to most begginers so they want to do it, but something very basic like Starting Strength would be alot better because it gets you used to doing the basics.
 
Westside for Skinny Bastards A modified lifting program for "Hardgainers" - DeFranco's Training
this one seems more appealing to me. im a skinny dude, lol. this also appeals to my want for hypertrophy, but at the same time its focused on strength. do i do the same thing with that, jaunty? like add weight every time? +how much am i adding? like a 2 and a half or a 5 every time?

I am not a huge fan of this programme- I don't think that beginners need to rotate their max effort exercises. But yes, you would increase at least the max effort exercises every time. A rule of thumb is to add 10lbs a time to squat and DL, reduce to 5lbs a time when it gets hard, and add 5lbs a time to bench and overhead, reduce to 2lbs a time when it gets hard. Some people will go lower- start adding 2lbs a time to squat and DL, other people will say that that level of increase is too slow, and if that is the level you are at you should move on to an intermediate programme.

I would seriously recommend to you what I recommended to the other guy: when you haven't lifted heavy and progressive, you have incredible potential to get stronger. In just 2-3 months you could put 200lbs on your DL, 150lbs on your squat and maybe 75-100lbs on your bench (depending on your starting bodyweight and how much you eat while you are doing the programme). The key is to use a programme which was specifically designed to elicit these gains- these are the programmes which focus on the core exercises, in moderate volume and in the 5 rep range, with progressive loading: basically Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5 and the Bill Starr Beginners Programme (the Eclypse Gym one). A lot of people are put off these because it looks like not enough exercises and the volume/reps seem low- but they really do elicit these remarkable gains. So what I would say is pick one of these programmes that gets these awesome gains. Get your technique for bench, overhead, DL, press, row and maybe power clean down- in a way that is only possible if you live and breathe those exercises for or 2-3 months- because those will be or should be a massive part of your training for the rest of your life, and you have to do them properly or not at all. Then move on to another programme that has a hypertrophy component- 5/3/1, Juggernaut and Madcow all have hypertrophy work. But get that base of strength first, because hypertrophy without strength sucks balls. And it's only a few moths out of your life.

I, like many people, would recommend Starting Strength, either original or Practical Programming version. There's loads of resources for it online, great book, good video, and loads of people here have done it can help. I know we wall flamed the shit out of you, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you start one of these programmes and put in the effort to do it properly, everyone will support you 100%.
 
I know we wall flamed the shit out of you, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you start one of these programmes and put in the effort to do it properly, everyone will support you 100%.

This. Plus you seemed unwilling to hede the advice of people trying to help you, which always calls for a good flaming.

There is never a need to start a new account unless your name is Naudi. Almost everyone is ignorant of proper training when they first come here. If you read the faq and stickies several times to where you know them, pick a good beginner program and stick with it, start a log, and listen to the advice of those trying to help you then everyone here will be supportive and friendly.
 
Westside for Skinny Bastards A modified lifting program for "Hardgainers" - DeFranco's Training
this one seems more appealing to me. im a skinny dude, lol. this also appeals to my want for hypertrophy, but at the same time its focused on strength. do i do the same thing with that, jaunty? like add weight every time? +how much am i adding? like a 2 and a half or a 5 every time?

You want SS. I was 168 at 6'3" (so real skinny) and now I weight 205-210 in less than four months.

You want SS.

Edit: I wish I didn't miss out on all this "Naudi" stuff I hear about all the time :*(
 
i know you guys all hate me, but why isnt this a sticky?

1. Just to piss you off.
2. You are too insignificant to be worthy of my hatred. My hatred is a very powerful thing, and not wasted on the ignorant. This is like being pissed off by a pile of dog shit that you step in. There is really no point, wipe your foot clean and walk on. Eventually, as nature takes it's course, the pile of shit will dry up and blow away, forgotten on the winds of time.
 
1. Just to piss you off.
2. You are too insignificant to be worthy of my hatred. My hatred is a very powerful thing, and not wasted on the ignorant. This is like being pissed off by a pile of dog shit that you step in. There is really no point, wipe your foot clean and walk on. Eventually, as nature takes it's course, the pile of shit will dry up and blow away, forgotten on the winds of time.

but then you went home, got on the computer, and typed a paragraph about how you stepped in dog poo. so it must have bothered you some. i said i was sorry and i got double carded lol, chill please.
 
I am not a huge fan of this programme- I don't think that beginners need to rotate their max effort exercises. But yes, you would increase at least the max effort exercises every time. A rule of thumb is to add 10lbs a time to squat and DL, reduce to 5lbs a time when it gets hard, and add 5lbs a time to bench and overhead, reduce to 2lbs a time when it gets hard. Some people will go lower- start adding 2lbs a time to squat and DL, other people will say that that level of increase is too slow, and if that is the level you are at you should move on to an intermediate programme.

I would seriously recommend to you what I recommended to the other guy: when you haven't lifted heavy and progressive, you have incredible potential to get stronger. In just 2-3 months you could put 200lbs on your DL, 150lbs on your squat and maybe 75-100lbs on your bench (depending on your starting bodyweight and how much you eat while you are doing the programme). The key is to use a programme which was specifically designed to elicit these gains- these are the programmes which focus on the core exercises, in moderate volume and in the 5 rep range, with progressive loading: basically Starting Strength, Stronglifts 5x5 and the Bill Starr Beginners Programme (the Eclypse Gym one). A lot of people are put off these because it looks like not enough exercises and the volume/reps seem low- but they really do elicit these remarkable gains. So what I would say is pick one of these programmes that gets these awesome gains. Get your technique for bench, overhead, DL, press, row and maybe power clean down- in a way that is only possible if you live and breathe those exercises for or 2-3 months- because those will be or should be a massive part of your training for the rest of your life, and you have to do them properly or not at all. Then move on to another programme that has a hypertrophy component- 5/3/1, Juggernaut and Madcow all have hypertrophy work. But get that base of strength first, because hypertrophy without strength sucks balls. And it's only a few moths out of your life.

I, like many people, would recommend Starting Strength, either original or Practical Programming version. There's loads of resources for it online, great book, good video, and loads of people here have done it can help. I know we wall flamed the shit out of you, but I can pretty much guarantee that if you start one of these programmes and put in the effort to do it properly, everyone will support you 100%.


thank you. i did the skinnies workout today. its definitely a lot different than anything ive ever done, but ill do starting strength. im out of shape right now anyways lol, i have nothing to lose. you guys all seem to know way more than me. thanks.
oh by the way, do i have to buy starting strength?
 
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