Group: Beginners to Exercise

Created: 2012/01/01, Members: 969, Messages: 18927

Share and offer advice to beginners to the fitness world!

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New to the gym/homeworkouts.

7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2002/11/08, 05:52 PM
I wanted to say a little something about being new to this working out thing. I wish when I got started years ago for a book that explained how everything worked. Or at least someone to help me out. It was 3 years before that happened, in the meanwhile I struggled to find my way. I think the biggest mistake that most make is to go to fast to soon. I am sure you have read many posts here about this, or will soon. It is more important to go slow learn the movements, then to add to much to soon and get it wrong. Just like other bad habits, doing the lifting wrong can be hard to fix later. So here is some advice for you that I wished someone had given to me. When you start out make it a prioity to learn the movement well. I mean go light and really get the form down. That is key in regards to later gains. Do not be afraid to ask at the gym for help. Most are happy to share knowledge. Make sure to stick to the basics. The other big mistake is to forget the bread and butter of weight lifting....squats, bench press, deadlifts, chins, bent rows, curls, sh presses. You will see it a lot people with less than 3 months under their belts doing cable work or just using machines. While machines do have their place nothing compares to lifting free weights. That is mistake number 3, that free weights make youhuge and muscle bound. While they do that if done right, that is only if they are lifted right with the right amount of food. Ok, here it is the biggest myth/secert of the lifting world: Myth:mentioned before, free weights=hugh muscles. The secert: you need to eat a lot and lift heavy to get them huge. You need to eat in order for this to work. Do not be afraid to take time off every 4-8 weeks or so. This allows your body to rest and that is when you grow and make muscle, which brings us to the next area of mistakes, one that I made. I am heavy...ok I am fat. But I also have a lot of muscle. I have found that the only way to really loose weight and keep it off is to do 3 things. One:weightlift heavy...Two:eat 6 meals or more a day...Three do cardio. That is right, 6 meals a day. Eahc is a complete meal protein carbs and fat. I like more Protein then cabs cause that is how I loose, and that brings the next point....each one of us is different, try a few different ways to see what works for you. And last, but seriously not least is to drink at least a gallon of water a day. Ok this was long I am sorry, I hope it helps you.

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There are those the lift, and those that do not. Which are you?
Carivan
Carivan
Posts: 8,542
Joined: 2002/01/20
Canada
2002/11/09, 04:56 PM
Good post 7707Mutt.
I think I would of done the same if I didn't have a good trainer.

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To change it, or to create it, simply train it!
bb1fit
bb1fit
Posts: 11,105
Joined: 2001/06/30
United States
2002/11/11, 09:44 AM
You have very valid points here mutt...ask for help is key. You know I see people in the gym all the time, usually younger guys, and even some women, who I just want to go over and "FIX". They are either using terrible form or doing exercises which will do them absolutely no good. I rarely do this anymore, because alot of them think they know it all already. I think this is the "the rag mags" fault. They read Ronnie coleman's workout, and think this is what they are supposed to do. Most of these mags will get a tainee nowhere or at the best overtrained. If they look around, they may notice, there aren't too many Ronnies in the gym. Your mesage is good, hope people read it. Don't be afraid to ask for help.
Carivan
Carivan
Posts: 8,542
Joined: 2002/01/20
Canada
2002/11/11, 06:38 PM
I have a trainer work with me every 8 weeks.
Money well spent.

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To change it, or to create it, simply train it!
Big-E
Big-E
Posts: 248
Joined: 2002/08/07
United States
2002/11/16, 10:33 AM
7707Mutt, looking at the postage stamp sized picture your arms look huge, looks like what you are doing is working! Can you tie your advice into using freetrainers? I am a total newbie, I am using a machine (I'm between houses right now.. in a temp living location) because thats all that is laying around here. I am in the muscle mass program but have changed my reps from 4 sets of 20 whatever to >6, <12 and 3 sets. After 14 weeks I still look skrawny but my weight amounts have gone up quite a bit since I started.. diet was not working for me.. eating 5 meals, keeping it under 2000 calories has caused me to gain.. I am now almost 195 when I used to be 182.. maybe its muscle but it looks like fat to me. lol. Anyway, with your advice it sounds like sticking to freetrainers program is not really the only thing someone needs to build muscle? I have never seen a trainer, and I have no friends that work out.. I try very hard to obey the instructions I find here (exercise form). Are there any self learners here that have had success? Is a trainer the only way to go or can you gather this knowledge by 'study' alone?
tew
tew
Posts: 51
Joined: 2002/08/23
United Kingdom
2002/11/26, 06:43 PM
I have a question for Mutt, Iv just started at the local gym, they have wrote me a training programmes and so far it is going well, they have also put in free weights such as squats dumbell press ect as well as machines,its all going well but eating is my problem, what sort of things should you eat and how much, do you have a whole plate full of things like pasta ect and do you have to eat enough to make you feel full? Im currently using "Weider Crash Weight Gain" which is a combination of carbohydrates and protien plus vitamins and minerals designed to help support the individual in regular bouts of activity (so it says on the can)does that help with the food intake.? help would be good. plus alot of the things you said in your post was good, i did a lot of things you did.

And Big-e i am a self learner, i could find no one to train with, i resorted to free trainers and that helped quite a lot, i did the 8 weeks lean muscle programme and a lot of ppl commented on how i was growing wich was good, the best advice i would give to you is to try to get to a gym. Iv recently started going to my local gym and i have found it very useful, also they can keep an eye on you to make sure your form is correct, i used to train at home and i was worried about my form, scince i started going to the gym everybody has offered advice when i asked and there is always someone to spot if your doing squats or anything, i love my local gym,i have also learned a lot of things from them plus there is the motivation. Hope this helps
happy lifting
7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2002/11/26, 07:01 PM
tew for eating all you need is good sources of protein and veges as well as some rice and spuds! Other than that lift hard and heavy

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IF THE SWEAT AIN'T IN YOUR EYES, AND IT AIN'T STINGING, THEN YOU AIN'T LIFTIN!
7707mutt
7707mutt
Posts: 7,686
Joined: 2002/06/18
United States
2002/11/26, 07:07 PM
The amounts vary if you say you are gaining from 2000(which I doubt very much) then you need to find that level that gives you what you want. Do you want to be large like a powerlifter, or cut like a bodybulider? Do a search on the diet board there are tons better to tell you what and how to eat than me LOL I just eat!

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IF THE SWEAT AIN'T IN YOUR EYES, AND IT AIN'T STINGING, THEN YOU AIN'T LIFTIN!