Strength training for the beginner?

Hi, James!

Congratulations! Strength training is for everyone. Since it's a metabolic furnace, increasing your lean muscle mass will enable you to keep your percentage of body fat low naturally.

However challenging, forget the calisthenics. If you are doing strength training, you don't need them.

If you are a beginner, it'll take six months or so to increase your neuromuscular coordination. You'll become stronger as you train, but you may not get bigger. Don't worry about it. Just keep using perfect exercise technique.

I recommend Stuart McRobert's BUILD MUSCLE LOSE FAT LOOK GREAT You may be able to get it from your local library). Do the exercises that he recommends and do them in exactly they way he teaches. If you'll do that, you won't hurt yourself and you'll be able to train productively until your dotage.

Do each rep using perfect technique. Vary reps from low (4-6), to medium 98-12), to high (15-20--especially for the lower body).

Do not stick to 3 sets per exercise. Vary the number of sets you use, too. Change your routine about every two months the first year. (There's six routines for beginners listed at the free webpage below.)

Concentrate on using the maximum poundages possible with perfect technique. Intensity is a privelege. It'll take 6 to 12 months before you are able to work with real intensity.

Don't try to rush the process. Add weight gradually; don't make any big jumps. Otherwise, you'll hurt yourself (by, for example, injuring connective tissues). Work with your body and don't try to force it to do what it's not ready to do.

Should you train to failure? NEVER on squats and deadlifts; so always keep 1 squat or deadlift in reserve. With respect to other exercises, expert opinion is divided. Try it each way and see which way works best for you.

Concentrate on the major, multi-joint exercises such as squats, deadlifts, rows, pulls, dips, and chins. Get a good warm up for each major muscle group you are working.

It's not difficult to avoid overtraining if you'll do two things.

First, never do more than 20 total sets in one workout. Second, never train until at least 24 hours has elapsed since all DOMS has disappeared. 'DOMS' stands for 'delayed onset muscular soreness.' It'll set in a day or two after a hard workout.

Wait at least 24 hours until after it is completely gone from all your muscle groups before training again. This will ensure systemic recovery and prevent overtraining. In practice after the beginner stage, this means you'll likely be training twice a week.

I've included below some web pages from a free Internet resource that have excellent information. If you study them and follow the recommended procedures in those pages , you'll soon be a lot stronger and you won't retard your progress by getting injured.

Take the time now to learn how to get a general warm up, how to warm up specific muscle groups, and how to stretch after a workout. If you don't, you'll wish you had.

Train in good health, James!

The information at this free Internet resource will help you.

All my best wishes.

Since you're a beginner and have been doing calisthenics, you should now begin to lift weights while concentrating on improving the nervous functions in your body first. In other words, try to get used to working with 10 lb. dumbells in various exercises. You should also try to buy a Swiss ball to gain more balance strength while doing common exercises (like push-ups). 3 sets per exercise is good--leave it at that. Push out 8-12 repetitions in each set. Be aware that muscle injury happens when you work out a particular muscle too often with little time for recovery. Hence, you should choose one body part per day and perform about 4 different types of weight-resistance exercises, and then do the same the next day (or two) but with a different body part.

I wish that you had identified your age, height, and weight as this would help. Assuming that you are a teenager the idea of pushing the program would be entirely wrong. The growth centers in the bones have not closed and could be damaged. That means a bone would stop growing while the other bones in the body continue to grow. Not a good thing! If you are in this category the keep the weights very light, do the lifting very slowly( at least ten seconds in each phase of lifting and letting the weight down), and only do one set per movement. This will cause you to grow but decrease the likelihood of injury. A good idea would be to get with someone that is knowledgeable in lifting and not one of the guys. For larger growth do movements such as squats. Here form is everything! It is not the weight(resistance factor) that matters but the correct form. Your whole body will grow from that.

You should go with your gut! If you feel you need a break, then take a break! Remember to keep hydrated! And most importantly, HAVE FUN! Hope this helps!