Good results from training can only be obtained if you have 3 components: motivation, dieting, load calculation.
- The first factor depends on the psychological attitude;
- the second - from personal responsibility;
- the third - from a properly designed training program for men in the gym.
Beginners They start with mastering basic skills and preparing the body for stress.
After adaptation— after 2-4 months they move to a more advanced level.
To make progress, it is better to rely on the experience of a trainer who will offer beginning men a gym program.
In a modified form, the exercises are relevant for intermediate and advanced levels.
Below, the proposed training plan for the gym for men can be rotated and changed depending on the level of training and other factors.
Monday
- We sit on the simulator, bend our arms and lean on the surface.
- We take the figured bar with our palms on top.
- We bend and extend our arms with a projectile (15x4).
Experienced athletes additionally work their right and left arms.
We repeat abdominal exercises
It is very difficult for beginners in the gym to decide on the choice of exercises to perform, especially if they do it without a trainer. Most often, novice athletes focus on cardio and isolation exercises for each muscle group, forgetting about a more effective method - performing basic exercises.
And in vain, because it is the base that helps us create an ideal figure with a low percentage of fat and a lot of defined muscles.
What are basic exercises?
Basic exercises are exercises that involve several muscle groups at once. They have many advantages, among which we can highlight:
- Acceleration of metabolism;
- Increased strength and endurance of the body;
- Uniform work over the whole body;
- The ability to build beautiful and large muscles;
- Starting the fat burning process.
Due to its complexity and the large amount of energy expended, basic exercises help both build muscle and burn fat, depending on the amount of food you consume. That’s why everyone should include them in their workout.
- Your workout should definitely start with a warm-up! Do light bodyweight exercises for all muscle groups or walk on a treadmill at medium speed for 10 minutes. This will help you warm up your muscles and avoid the risk of injury, as well as prepare your body for more intense work.
- After completing the warm-up, you need to start basic exercises. It is best if you do 2-3 basic exercises and 2-3 isolation exercises in 1 workout. There is no need to do more.
- Try to focus on the quality of the exercises you do, not the quantity. It is very important to ensure the correct technique so as not to injure joints and ligaments.
- It is best to finish the session with a cool down and some stretching. This method will help you smoothly release your muscles from work and minimize pain the next day.
Basic muscle exercises
You need to approach the choice of exercises wisely; the main thing is to decide which muscle group you will work with today. Based on this, it is worth selecting a base and building a training plan.
Back exercises
One of the best basic exercises that perfectly works the back muscles, gluteal muscles, hamstrings, strengthens the lower back and uses the arms. It allows you to develop all muscle groups proportionally.
To perform a deadlift, stand up straight, hold a bar with weights in your hands, your legs are set narrowly, your back is absolutely straight, your knees are bent quite a bit. Slowly lean forward, the bar seems to slide along your legs, maintaining a deflection in the lumbar region. Having reached the lowest point, stay there for a couple of counts and rise up again.
An easier version of the deadlift is performing the exercise with dumbbells. His technique is similar to the previous version, only instead of a barbell in his hands there are dumbbells.
Bent-over rows help build beautiful and harmonious shoulder and back muscles. To perform the deadlift, bend your knees at an angle of about 10 degrees and place your feet shoulder-width apart, grab the bar with your arms extended downwards and bend at an angle of about 30 degrees, while looking forward. As you inhale, pull the barbell straight to your stomach, and as you exhale, lower it again to your outstretched arms.
Be careful to only pull the bar with your latissimus dorsi and not with your arms. Your elbows must be strictly fixed, and your back should not be slouched under any circumstances.
Exercises for the pectoral muscles
You can do push-ups with equal efficiency both in the gym and at home. So if for some reason you are temporarily unable to go to the gym, then push-ups will compensate you for a full chest workout.
Lie down on a gymnastics mat, place your hands with a wide grip and bend them at the elbows. The body weight is supported on the feet and bent arms, the back, head and legs form one straight line. Rise up, straightening your arms while keeping your back straight, then lower to the starting position.
Girls can choose an easier type of push-ups - knee push-ups.
Exercise for the full and harmonious development of the latissimus dorsi, chest, shoulders and biceps. Lie down on a horizontal bench with your feet firmly pressed to the floor.
With a wide grip, grab the barbell and slowly remove it from the support with your arms outstretched. Then slowly lower the bar parallel to your chest, while your elbows should move along a clearly defined path. As you exhale, press the weight back up and hold it for a few seconds at the highest point.
The advantage of this exercise is that you can vary the effect on the upper or lower chest. For more work of the upper pectoral muscle, use a bench with a slight incline, while a regular bench will engage the entire chest.
Biceps exercises
When doing pull-ups, several muscle groups are involved in the work at once: all the back muscles and biceps. To perform this, grab the bar with an overhand grip, with your hands at a distance of 3-4 cm from each other.
Pull yourself up with your arms and back, bending your elbows until your head is above the bar. Then lower yourself down the same way.
The exercise can be greatly facilitated if you perform it in a gravitron, where you can place a small counterweight.
Triceps exercises
Stand with your back to the bench, rest your palms on it with your straight arms, your feet resting on the floor, and the rest of your body suspended in the air. Bend your elbows and lower your hips down, then begin to return to the starting position. Reverse push-ups not only work the triceps, but also the upper pecs.
Lie on a horizontal bench, feet resting on the floor, and buttocks and shoulder blades pressed to the surface. The barbell is positioned at arm's length above chest level. Then, while inhaling, lower the projectile behind your head, bending your elbows. You should feel your triceps working and stretching.
Shoulder exercises
Sit on a horizontal bench, back straight, feet resting on the floor. Hold dumbbells in both hands, bend your elbow and lift the dumbbells to shoulder level. Now, as you exhale, press the dumbbells up until they stop, then return to the starting position. Please note the following points:
- The back is perfectly straight all the time;
- The elbows move along a strictly defined trajectory;
- At the highest point, the dumbbells are very close.
Stand straight, feet together, take dumbbells with the required weight in both hands. As you exhale, bend your elbows slightly and then spread your arms out to the sides until they are parallel to the floor. Pause at the highest point and slowly lower the projectile down. Watch the position of the lumbar region and back, it should remain straight all the time!
On the abdominal muscles
One of the most wonderful exercises that harmoniously works the abdominal muscles, back, and back of the thigh. Lie down on a gymnastic mat, bend your arms at the elbow joint. Transfer your body weight with your arms and feet bent, your back, head and legs forming a straight line.
Hold this position for 30 seconds or longer.
Other variations of the exercise: plank on one hand, plank with alternating hands, plank with one leg raised.
Lie on a horizontal mat, legs bent at the knees, hands behind your head. Connect your right elbow to your left knee, doing a twist, then vice versa. Perform the exercise at a fast pace to get a good feel for the work of all the abdominal muscles.
On the leg muscles
An excellent basic exercise that will help evenly work all the lower muscles. Sit in a bench press machine with your back and head pressed against the support, your knees bent and your feet on the platform. As you exhale, press the platform all the way, then bend your knees again and lower the platform.
If you want to focus on the gluteal muscles, then place your feet on the upper edge of the platform, and if on the quadriceps, then on the lower edge.
Squats
One of the best basic exercises that evenly engages the back muscles, glutes, legs and abs. Place your feet approximately shoulder-width apart with your toes facing outward and your back completely straight. Take the bar with weights and place it on your shoulders, holding it with your hands, squat down, and then stand up again.
During a squat, your knees should not go beyond your toes, your back should remain straight at all times. Also make sure to squat to parallel with the floor or slightly lower.
Weekly training program for beginners in the gym
At the beginning of each workout, you need to do a warm-up, and at the end - stretching or cool-down. The program is designed for a beginner who trains 3 times a week. On each training day we will work the entire body to achieve harmonious muscle development.
Day 1:
- Squats with a barbell 4*12;
- deadlift 4*12;
- wide grip pull-ups 4*15;
- reverse push-ups 4*15;
- upper block thrust 4*15;
- hanging leg raise 4*20;
- twisting 4*20.
Day 2:
- Wide grip bench press 4*12;
- dumbbell raises to the side 4*20;
- forward lunges 4*20 on each leg;
- leg press 4*15;
- plank 1 minute;
- lateral twists 4*25.
Day 3:
- Hyperextension 4*15;
- squats 4*12;
- push-ups 4*15;
- French press 4*15;
- Bent-over barbell row 4*12;
- twisting 4*20;
- plank 1 minute.
- Beginners are recommended to train 3-4 times a week, working all muscle groups in one workout.
- You should not chase heavy weights; first you need to learn how to do exercises with the correct technique.
- Perform 2-3 basic and 2-3 isolation exercises per workout.
- Select such a weight of the projectile that the last 2-3 repetitions in the approach are difficult for you.
And of course, do not forget about a nutritious and healthy diet. Include meat, fish, poultry, herbs, vegetables and fruits, cereals, and dairy products in your daily menu. After all, a beautiful body is built not only in the gym, but also in the kitchen!
When dreaming of muscles of steel, you should not hope for a miracle that will happen overnight. To achieve what you want, a novice athlete needs to stock up on time, maximum concentration and motivation.
Are you determined? Then let’s begin our step-by-step introduction to the topic “How to create a training program for a beginner.”
The essence of the program for beginners
The tasks of beginners who first cross the threshold of the gym are similar. Guys want to improve, become better, have a healthy and attractive appearance.
In more detail, the essence of any training program for beginners is:
- development of general training ability - the body's endurance during training, the ability to quickly recover after exercise;
- improving muscle coordination, training exercise techniques;
- increasing efficiency - increasing the volume of the program;
- increasing strength indicators.
As the novice athlete achieves these goals, he approaches others - gaining muscle mass, burning fat, improving overall health.
How to write a program correctly
The most effective training program will be one based on the individual characteristics of the beginner.
When selecting exercises for a beginning athlete, it is necessary to take into account 3 main factors:
- Age. This factor determines the list of acceptable exercises. For example, it is better for a 16-year-old teenager to refrain from performing heavy deadlifts.
- State of health. A person suffering from varicose veins should reduce the load on their legs.
- Regime and lifestyle. When creating a program for an office manager and a loader at a factory, different approaches are needed.
Training schedule
The training program for a beginning athlete looks something like this:
| Day of the week | Week #1 | Week #2 |
| Monday | A | B |
| Tuesday | rest | rest |
| Wednesday | B | A |
| Thursday | rest | rest |
| Friday | A | B |
| Weekend | rest | rest |
Training takes place on Monday, Wednesday and Friday - three times a week. The two types of training alternate every other time. This schedule of training in the gym is the most optimal: the muscles are well pumped during the workout and have time to recover after the load.
What muscles can you train in one workout?
Here is the most common and logical option:
The main muscle groups are distributed by day. To each large group, small muscle groups are added that take part in the main training (excluding training of the shoulders and legs). It's simple: let's take chest training, which includes exercises based on pushing (squeezing) weight away from the chest. This function is performed by the triceps, which should be trained together with the pectoral muscles.
We adhere to the same principle when planning a back and biceps workout. The shoulders are not involved in pumping the legs, but Friday is the most convenient day to ensure a high-quality load on the deltoids.
The above program should not be taken as a postulate and there is an alternative plan for training muscle groups. Looks like this:
This option is less popular. Its supporters consider it pointless to train a secondary muscle after it has already been involved in working out the main muscle groups. Therefore, biceps and triceps have moved in the table.
The third and no less effective training option for beginners: working out all the main muscle groups in one workout. This plan is the most energy-intensive and is not suitable for everyone.
Where to start training
The beginning of any workout involves a warm-up.
A cardio machine is perfect for these purposes. Beginners should prefer an exercise bike. Cardio warm-up usually takes 5-10 minutes.
Then move on to swings, body turns, and pull-ups to the sides. Everyone remembers this warm-up from their school days: we start with the neck, then the shoulder joint, elbow, and wrist.
It is especially worth paying attention to the lower back - this area of the body bears the main load during the training process. Bend to the sides, bend back, stretch to the side, do crunches, rotate your torso. We finish the warm-up - rotate our hips, work our knees and feet.
Training program for beginners
The above programs can serve as an excellent guide for a novice athlete. However, before starting classes, it is necessary to adjust the material based on individual characteristics (age, health, lifestyle, etc.).
Split training program for beginners
A three-day split for a beginner might look like this:
| Monday (back muscles, biceps) | |
| Warm-up | 5-10 minutes |
| Deadlift | 2 sets of 8 times |
| Bent-over barbell row | 3 sets to the maximum |
| Biceps curl (with barbell) | 2 sets of 12 times |
| Abs workout | 3 sets to the maximum |
| Stretching | 5 minutes |
| Wednesday (pectoral muscles, triceps) | |
| Warm-up | 5-10 minutes |
| Bench press with wide arms | 5 sets of 5 times |
| Bench press with narrow arm position | 2 sets of 12 times |
| French press | 3 sets of 12 times |
| Abs workout | 3 failure sets |
| Friday (legs and shoulders) | |
| Barbell Squats | 3 sets of 6 times |
| Leg press in the simulator | 2 sets of 18 reps |
| Seated calf raise | 3 sets of 15 times |
| Dumbbell raises | 2 sets of 12 times |
| Army press | 3 sets of 8 times |
| Stretching | 5 minutes |
After Friday, the body needs rest for 2 days. This type of training can be continued for several months, over time becoming familiar with the new principles of training.
Circuit training with machines for beginners
Circuit training in the gym is the best option for a beginner. Among the obvious advantages of such activities:
- the ability to master exercises from the point of view of the technicality of their implementation;
- gradual adjustment of mental-muscular coordination;
- high-quality preparation of muscles for more significant loads.
With this type of training, the fitness trainer usually adheres to the “big to small” principle. However, if you believe in practice, not every beginner has enough energy and physical endurance to work out other muscle groups after heavy exercises on the lower part.
The most favorable option for circuit training for a beginning athlete is as follows:
- After a five-minute warm-up, we completely perform the first exercise on the back muscles (in 2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions). Having completed one set, we rest. Then we proceed to chest exercises (2-3 sets of 12-15 repetitions). Then we move on to the shoulders and continue according to the same principle. This way you can train for the first two weeks.
- With the beginning of the third week, we add one more exercise for the main muscle groups (back, chest). Then we continue to adhere to the same principle: after performing 2 exercises on the back muscles (in 2-3 sets), we begin working on the chest. We don’t rush with the legs: we leave one previous exercise (squat or bench press). The same applies to small muscles - we perform one exercise each for biceps, triceps and shoulders.
Cardio workout for beginners
For a beginning athlete, it is important to perform a block of exercises that would allow evenly loading all areas of the body. This goal is perfectly achieved by doing aerobics and dancing. In the process of performing a specific element, you should maintain tension in those muscle groups that are currently tense - this will increase the effectiveness of the exercises.
A cardio training complex for a beginner may include the following exercises:
- Run in place. We grab our hips with our heels.
- Jumping (legs spread/closed). You can also use your hands, simulating the rotation of a jump rope.
- "Jumping jack" - wide jumps. At the same time we raise our hands.
- Running with high hips.
- "Mill".
- Leg-scissor jumps. We jump up and change legs in a forward and backward direction. We press our hands to the body.
- "Pendulum". The body is vertical to the floor, hands are pressed to the shoulders, one of the legs is supporting, the other is moved to the side. Alternately change the emphasis on the leg.
- Feet together, jump to the sides.
- Let's box.
- We squat deeply, our back is straight, we throw our arms out in front of us.
A beginner should give preference to such cardio training during the first two months. After this, you can connect running in the fresh air, running on sports simulators, cycling, exercise bike, jumping rope, etc.
How long to rest between sets
It is recommended to rest 90-120 seconds between sets. However, this is not a postulate! If, after performing the next exercise, your heart beats in your ears, you find it difficult to breathe, or your rapid pulse has not recovered within this allotted time, you can safely increase the duration of rest between approaches.
How to Make a Workout Program Work
To achieve this goal, a beginner should adhere to the following rules during training:
- We focus on the form of execution. First, we determine our working weight, which will allow us to perform the exercise in the proper form (technically). After confidently completing the entire volume of exercises, you can move on to a gradual progression of working weights.
- We perform all the sets and progress in loads. We are talking about volume-strength progress, which involves a consistent increase in load while maintaining the technique and numerical parameters of the exercise.
- We follow the plan and don’t experiment.
By following these three principles in the gym, a beginner can rightly count on good athletic results.
Do you need a trainer?
If it were not for the issue of price, most beginners would end up training in a gym with a personal trainer. There are several reasons for this and they are quite objective:
- training with a trainer gives beginners confidence. After all, many beginning athletes are shy, suffer from complexes, and experience a feeling of fear;
- the coach helps the beginner avoid unpleasant situations. Injury in the gym can be caused by an incorrect assessment of one’s own strength, violation of the technique of performing an exercise, or inability to use exercise equipment and equipment;
- The trainer is able to create an individual training program for the client. At the same time, the professional takes into account the beginner’s current level of physical fitness, his goals, wishes, and body characteristics;
- the coach, observing the client from the side, can point out to the novice athlete a mistake, teach the correct technique or make the necessary amendments to the program;
- according to statistics, with a coach, a beginner achieves good, sometimes excellent results much faster;
- a coach motivates a beginning athlete, sets him up for training, supports him, and prepares him for future success.
However, to answer the question “Do I need a coach?” Each aspiring athlete must independently weigh the pros and cons, take into account his recent relationship with the sport and evaluate his own internal state.
The following training programs for beginner athletes can serve as decent models when creating an individual program. The choice of exercises, number of repetitions, sets and pace of exercise are selected taking into account the individual characteristics of the body.
Regardless of the type of training and training regimen, it is important not to be guided by three basic principles aimed at mastering technique, progressing in working weights, following a plan and not experimenting. Such an approach will not only prevent the development of unpleasant situations, but also ensure the achievement of the set goal, no matter how unattainable it may seem.
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Timko Ilya- the lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>
Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. CMS in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category in weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.
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Date: 2014-03-13 Views: 726 024 Grade: 4.8
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People often come to me with the question: “Help me create workouts for myself.” I have a slightly negative attitude towards such amateur activities, but I understand that it was, is and will be. Since not everyone has money for a coach. And there are also people who fundamentally want to do everything themselves. And there are gyms where there simply is not a single trainer. Or there is not a single intelligent coach (which is not so uncommon). In general, be that as it may, it is quite possible for any person who has at least several months of training experience behind him to create his own personal plan. But if you are a complete beginner, then it will be much more difficult for you. After all, you don’t even know which muscles are trained by this or that exercise. Therefore, I recommend that such people use ready-made programs from this site. Well, for everyone else who wants to play the “be your own coach” game, let’s start slowly. And the first thing you must do:
I. Decide on the main goal of training
In total, training in the gym can pursue 5 main goals:
- Increased muscle mass and strength;
- Weight loss;
- Increased strength (without changing body weight);
- Relief (without changing body weight);
- Maintaining the achieved form.
II. Decide on the number of workouts per week
The number of workouts is determined by your goal and your capabilities (availability of free time, money and energy). If you just want to keep fit, then 2 workouts a week is enough. If you want to increase mass and/or strength, then it is advisable to do at least 3 workouts (although I know cases where people grew well even with 2 workouts). Well, when losing weight or getting toned, there should be at least 3 workouts. And ideally 4 - 5. But be that as it may, people, as a rule, are forced to rely on the availability of free time. Just don't deceive yourself. Soberly assess your capabilities and estimate how often you can visit the gym. After all, if you make a plan for 4 workouts a week, but only go 2-3 times, then you will have to redo the plan again.III. Determine the method of doing the exercises
Personally, I identify 6 methods of performing exercises:
- (suitable for increasing strength and/or mass);
- (suitable for mass growth, weight loss and relief);
- (suitable for weight loss);
- (suitable for weight loss and relief).
IV. Decide on a set of exercises
Write down all the exercises you want to do during your workouts. Moreover, it is better to immediately sort them by muscle groups. If you do not have enough experience, then problems may arise with this due to basic ignorance of anatomy and biomechanics. Well, as a hint, you can look at the article:. Or use MENU – EXERCISES. Where they are already sorted by body parts. The amount of exercise can vary greatly depending on your goals and amount of training. Let's say, if you train 2 times a week to stay in shape using a combined method, then 10 basic exercises (5 per workout) will be enough for you. If you are actively losing weight with supersets of 5 workouts per week, then the number of exercises can be 40 or even more. V. Spread exercises throughout your workouts
After you have written out all the exercises, you need to distribute them among your workouts. How to scatter depends on the goal. – 1 – 3 muscle groups per workout (depending on the number of workouts). No more. That is, you don’t need to try to pump all the muscles in every workout. As a hint, you can read: . Weight loss– on the contrary, all muscles are trained a little at each workout. Here your task is to load the whole body and expend as much energy as possible. Relief– it is possible to divide by type, both when gaining weight, and by type, as when losing weight. It depends on the method of performing the workout, on the characteristics of your body and on the focus of your diet. Form support– well, there could be any option. Depending on how you achieved this shape: through weight loss or through weight gain.VI. Determine the order of exercises
Next, you need to prescribe the order of performing the exercises, which also plays a big role. Especially when gaining weight. When losing weight - less, but still do not neglect this stage. When gaining mass and/or strength– you can put exercises in a block of 2–3 exercises one after another for one muscle group. Or you can alternate antagonist muscles (biceps - triceps, chest - back, etc.). In any case, at the end of the workout, you should maximally hammer exactly those muscles that you have planned for today. Weight loss– here the “block” is unnecessary and even harmful. You just need to alternate top and bottom. You can alternate antagonists. But, under no circumstances, not as a block. The load should jump from one muscle to another throughout the entire workout. This is the only way you can load your entire body. Relief– you can either block or alternate antagonist muscles. In some cases, alternating top-bottom is suitable. But this, in my opinion, is a little unsuitable for the terrain. - any option. Again, it depends on how you arrived at this form.VII. Determine the number of sets and reps
A very important parameter. After all, it directly affects. The higher the weight and the lower the number of repetitions, the lower the intensity of the training and the less. I usually distribute approaches (including warm-up) and repetitions like this: When gaining weight– 3 – 5 sets of 6 – 12 repetitions in basic exercises. And 3 - 4 sets of 10 - 15 repetitions in auxiliary exercises. With increasing strength- 4 – 5 sets of 2 – 6 repetitions in basic exercises. And 3 sets of 8 - 12 repetitions in auxiliary exercises. Weight loss– 2 - 4 sets of 12 - 20 repetitions everywhere. Relief– 2 – 4 sets of 12 – 15 repetitions everywhere. Maintaining the achieved form– 3 – 4 approaches. The number of repetitions depends on your previous goal.VIII. Plan to change the weight of the equipment during training
Well, the last stage is to determine how your weights and number of repetitions will change from workout to workout. In the case of maintaining shape, relief or losing weight, this is not so relevant (although it also matters). But if you want to increase muscle mass or strength, then this is a very important parameter. And here, alas, everything is so individual and unpredictable that I cannot give anything specific advice in absentia. Read the articles: and. There you can understand the basic principles of how this is all done.Conclusion
Yes, as you have seen for yourself, drawing up a training plan is a very difficult process with a lot of nuances and different options. I have created over 1000 training programs in my life. Although this is a very approximate figure. But I never make a plan for a person until I personally train him for at least a month without a program. Only after 1 – 2 months do I know more or less exactly what is more suitable for this or that person. If you have trained for at least several months, you also have some idea of what suits you best and what you want to do with your body next. Therefore, thoughtfully and in the order in which I just told you, draw up your next training program. Well, for those who don’t want to bother, I can create an individual training program.So, you want to significantly increase muscle mass and create ripped abdominals? Here is a step-by-step introduction to the iron game that will help you get started right. Don't expect miracles to happen overnight. Building a body takes time, concentration and consistency.
This simple and straightforward training program for beginners will gradually introduce you to the basics of bodybuilding and give you a solid platform for further development. The good news is that the first 6-12 months are where you will see the most significant results.
However, it is very important that you learn how to perform the exercises correctly right away and follow basic safety rules to ensure that you do not get injured when the load increases.
Training
Building a body takes time, concentration and consistency.
If you are a beginner, you may want to train more frequently than intermediate and advanced athletes. The reason is simple: when you have a lot of experience, you know how to strain your muscles more and can cause more damage that will take a long time to recover from. Beginners, in turn, have sore muscles, but they recover faster, since muscle damage is not so serious.
If the word "damage" makes you wince, don't worry. For a bodybuilder, moderate muscle damage is beneficial as it forces the body to recover and overcompensate (grow) a little to prepare for future training. This is the essence of bodybuilding - a constant cycle: one step back, two steps forward, which is repeated over and over again, week after week.
If you remember this, it becomes clear why rest and sleep are so important, since it is at this time that the body takes those very two steps forward.
So instead of training each muscle group once a week, you can start with two workouts a week and work your way up from there. Moreover, we are going to divide the body into two days: upper body except abs on the first day, lower body plus abs on the second day. Since we intend to train each muscle group twice a week, this means that we can arrange the first and second days on Monday and Tuesday, for example.
We then repeat Days 1 and 2 again on Thursday and Friday, leaving Wednesday and the weekend for rest and relaxation. Next week you start all over again on Monday, that is, the first day and so on.
We want to introduce you to the basics, so we'll focus mainly on classic exercises. Once we have mastered these simpler exercises, we move on to the next level with a new focus on more complex, multi-joint exercises. It's more important now to learn how to perform the exercises correctly and get the right feel for each exercise than to lift as much weight as possible.
With some exercises, like lat pulldowns and most dumbbell lateral raises, it's especially difficult to get the muscle to work if you're using too much weight. Start easy; choose a weight that you can lift correctly 10-12 times and increase the load as you master the technique. Track your workouts - write down the weights and number of repetitions in a notepad or in a special training diary so that you can refer to them later.
When performing exercises such as high pulldowns or dumbbell lateral raises, it can be especially difficult to get the desired muscle to work if you use too much weight.
Sample training program
Monday (top)
Hack squats
Tuesday (bottom)
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday (top)
Friday (bottom)
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
Diet
To maintain your new, more active lifestyle, you need to reconsider your daily diet. There's no one "perfect diet," but there are general guidelines you can follow whether you're a skinny teenager or overweight in your 40s.
Avoid junk food. Believe me, this is your most important step. Fast food, candy, soda, and other crap not only give you enough calories to turn you into a Michelin man, but they also fill you up with empty calories that keep you from getting the nutrition you really need!
This is a big mistake, as fiber is essential to keep your digestive system in shape. You need a stomach that can handle your new, more intense nutritional needs, so make it a habit to get fiber in every meal (except meals immediately after workouts).
The importance of water cannot be overstated. If you are dehydrated, you cannot function properly. Negative effects range from lethargy and fatigue to headaches and nervous breakdown. Make sure you drink enough water, not coffee or soda, throughout the day, even on non-workout days.
Try dividing your meals into several small portions
Many bodybuilders aim to drink around 4 liters of water per day, but you'll likely need to consider your body weight, climate and activity level.
Try dividing your meals into several small portions. This will help you stabilize your blood sugar levels and ensure a constant flow of nutrients into your body.
Avoid eating carbohydrates late at night. - This is the main source of energy for training, they work in much the same way as gasoline in a car.
However, unlike a car, you can't fill the tank full and leave it until the morning. Instead, large portions of carbohydrates overnight will be processed by the body and stored as body fat unless there is an immediate need for additional energy.
To continue the car analogy, in the morning you will have an almost empty tank, but you will have gained some fat. If you're craving a late-night snack, choose something that's all protein, since the protein won't be stored as fat and will provide additional building blocks while your body recovers, or sleeps.
Your goal now is to clean up your diet and establish the habit of writing down everything that goes into your body every day. We'll dive deeper into strategies for gaining or losing weight in the next level, but let's start by establishing some kind of starting point for ourselves.
First, keep a diet journal that you can use on a daily basis. This could be a section in your training diary, or a “digital assistant”, or a small notepad that you carry in your pocket.
In any case, it should have columns - when, what, calories. If you want to make your life easier later on, you can also separate columns for proteins, carbohydrates and fat.
Your next step is to start writing down everything you eat throughout the day. Look after yourself so as not to deceive yourself, if you ate a chocolate bar, write it down immediately so as not to “forget” about it later.
Manufacturers often try to make their products appear lower in calories by using tiny portions. Recalculate calories to match your actual serving size. It seems to me that anyone who honestly believes that there are only two servings in a half liter of juice is a strange person.
To count calories in unpackaged foods, such as fruits and home-cooked foods, buy a calorie counting book that gives approximate information based on the weight or volume of the food. Choose a book that takes into account the protein, fat, and carbohydrate content of different types of food.
Tracking your eating habits will help you resist the urge to eat unhealthy foods, simply because you are now forced to face the reality of how many calories each meal adds. Ignorance may indeed be bliss, but ignorance will not help you get a great body.
To continue to improve your diet, follow the basic recommendations outlined earlier in this section. Simply put, clean up your diet and establish new, healthy eating habits to prepare for a more advanced level. We present to your attention a clear diet plan for those who are active in the gym and want to build muscles.
Sample diet
1st meal
1 cup
5 proteins
1 banana
1 glass
2nd meal
1 serving
2 cups
1/2 cup
3rd meal
Muesli
1 bar
1 small apple
1.5 cups
4th meal
1 jar
1 glass
5th meal
Protein cocktail
1 glass
Supplements
Sports nutritional supplements can help you in your efforts. Proper use of supplements will not only provide you with all the necessary substances, but will also give you additional strength, speed of recovery and prevent injuries.
However, sorting through what seems like an endless list of supplements seems like an impossible task for experienced bodybuilders and downright daunting for newbies.
What works? What is just a bubble and marketing nonsense? And once you figure out what really works, which brand should you choose? Take advantage of a great deal from a company you've never heard of and risk disappointment, or choose a major brand and end up broke?
These are all serious questions and we will deal with them over time, but let's start simple. If you are a beginner, there are two supplements you should definitely have. In an ideal world, you wouldn't need this either, but in reality, it's hard to get everything you can from food alone.
I'm talking about the two main bodybuilding supplements: multivitamin/mineral tablets and extra protein.
Multivitamins/Minerals
This is the most basic and most important supplement in your arsenal. In order for your body to function optimally, it needs , and unless you spend a lot of time planning and preparing every meal of the day, making sure no nutrients are destroyed in the cooking process, you need to take additives.
It's not much fun, but if you are forced to choose only ONE supplement, then this should be your choice. Multivitamins/minerals can come in the form of syrup, tablets, capsules, or even a combination of tablets and capsules. The choice of supplement form is yours, but be careful with hard tablets.
Some tablets are so hard that they do not dissolve completely in the stomach and never provide 100% of the possible benefit. It makes sense to test hard tablets by soaking them in a warm (but not hot) vinegar solution for 30 minutes or so. If the tablet has dissolved or at least softened, it will be fine, but if it is still rock hard, you have probably purchased a counterfeit.
There are hundreds, if not thousands, of brands offering multivitamins/minerals. Choose a reasonable price from a reputable company. It is also important to find a supplement that contains all or almost all of the essential minerals and vitamins in the recommended daily dose.
You will find that manufacturers vary slightly in the composition of their products, but don't worry if you find a composition that is close to your mineral and vitamin needs. Take your multivitamin/mineral with breakfast to make sure you don't forget about it.
Protein supplements
The main purpose of consuming protein supplements is to provide your muscles with additional “building material”. As mentioned earlier, muscle tissue needs protein in order for it to repair and grow, so your diet must meet this increased protein requirement. However, it is often difficult to get enough protein from regular meals throughout the day.
This is where supplement protein comes into the picture. The most common form of protein supplement is a simple powder that you mix with milk or water in a mixer or blender, but you can also buy pre-made drinks and protein-rich sports bars (not to be confused with sugar-laden energy bars). You can even buy protein-fortified pasta and other foods. For now we will discuss regular powder.
There are three main types of protein powder, although the lines between them have blurred in recent years. Here are the basic formulas:
- : Powders with a high content of high-quality protein and carbohydrates. Very high in calories and suitable for naturally thin people who have problems gaining weight.
- Meal replacement drinks: a relatively balanced combination of proteins and carbohydrates with a moderate amount of calories. A convenient product for those who need to eat, but don't have time to prepare a real meal.
- Pure Protein Drinks: they contain no or almost no carbohydrates and consist entirely of proteins. Low calorie content; serving can contain 40 grams of protein and 200 calories or less, so it's a great choice for stockier people who don't want to add calories but still get the protein they need.
If you are thin and cannot get enough calories from regular food, buy it and try to consume it as much as possible between meals. As the name suggests, meal replacement drinks are great if you're constantly on the go and don't have time to prepare a real meal.
Last but not least, pure protein drinks can be consumed as a snack, to boost the protein content of your breakfast, or right before bed to help your body grow.
No matter what type of protein drink you buy, don't get into the habit of skipping meals and drinking a protein drink instead. Supplements are just that: supplements; Your main source of nutrition should be healthy, good quality food!
Transitioning to a new environment is always a challenge. There are concepts and unwritten rules that everyone except you takes for granted. Don't worry, you'll get the hang of it over time.
When you choose a gym, make sure you choose a gym that you feel comfortable with. Take your time - walk around the gym, look at the equipment, see how many people go to the gym, what kind of people come. Also make sure you have a short commute to the gym. If you have to spend 30 minutes commuting one way, chances are you'll start making excuses not to travel to your workouts.
If you're not sure what exercises to do, hire a personal trainer to make sure you're doing it right. The key to success and the absence of injuries is to master the correct technique; it is better to learn correctly right away than to relearn it later. Many gyms offer a couple of free sessions with a trainer, take advantage of this opportunity!
When you choose a gym, make sure you choose a gym that you feel comfortable in.
Learn gym etiquette. Let others use the machine between your two sets, wipe sweat off the machines, remove the plates when you're done, and don't chat with people while they're doing the exercise. Leave your pager and cell phone in your locker. And pay attention to personal hygiene - no one likes a guy who smells like an animal.
Make sure you get enough sleep. Most growth happens in your sleep, not in the gym, so don't deprive yourself of growth by skimping on sleep. Another obvious benefit of good sleep is that if you get enough sleep, you have more energy and can train better, which will increase your workout performance. On the contrary, a person who is chronically sleep-deprived is exhausted before he even steps into the gym. Such a person may even get injured due to lack of mental concentration.
Remember, your body doesn't care what day of the week it is, so adjust your schedule to suit your needs. One word of caution: try to exercise when you feel energized. Early risers usually have no problem with early workouts, but night owls are likely to benefit more from evening workouts.
If you're a beginner, your goal is to learn how to lift correctly, not a lot. In addition to doing things correctly, there are some safety rules you should follow to reduce your risk of injury now and in the future.
Hire a personal trainer or work out regularly with a friend so they can monitor whether you are putting yourself at risk of injury. There are several benefits - someone who knows you can understand when you do or don't need a helping hand, and last but not least, you don't have to go to the first person you come across who may have attention span issues.
Avoid overstraining your joints like the plague. Achieving a full range of motion during an exercise is correct, but overloading a joint beyond its natural capabilities is asking for trouble. In most cases, this is not even a conscious action.
A classic example is . We constantly see people who sit for just a couple of seconds after completing a set of exercises. Their thigh muscles are on fire, so they relax the muscles, take a few breaths and stand up. No harm done here, right? Wrong, the entire exercise puts a huge load on the knee joints without virtually any muscle support.
Exercise regularly with a friend so they can monitor whether you are putting yourself at risk of injury
Of course, it doesn't cause any direct pain, so people don't consider it a problem until the day they get to such a weight that something in the body breaks down. That's when the pain is more than enough. This applies to the elbows, wrists, shoulders and almost all joints.
If you perform calf presses on a classic leg press machine, always use the safety stop. They won't interfere with your calf work, but if your foot slips off the plate, you'll be pretty glad you did. Otherwise, several heavy discs with sharp metal edges will fall on you, and you can say goodbye to your kneecaps.
Learn to voluntarily contract your abdominal muscles and keep their middle part tense. This will help you stabilize your torso and avoid unnecessary strain on your back. Remember that staying injury-free is an important step towards long-term success. Make it a habit to always tense up when bending, pressing, or lifting weights, especially during overhead exercises such as the standing press.
Be sure to use proper lifting technique (back straight, knees bent, abdominal muscles tight) when removing and putting on the discs. Just because it's not an exercise doesn't mean you can ignore safety rules when handling 20kg plates. Also monitor disk capture. If your palms are sweaty, you risk dropping discs on your feet and breaking your toes if you don't dry your palms first.
Some people like to use a “monkey” grip, which is to hold the bar without gripping it with their thumb. This is a bad idea for two reasons. When you bench press, you are forced to tilt your arm back to prevent the bar from slipping out of your hand and decapitating you.
Unfortunately, this means that the bones in your forearm and hand will rub against each other, which can become quite painful if it becomes a habit. Secondly, there is a chance that a part of the barbell, which weighs over 80 kg, will hit your front teeth. This is quite a memorable event and it will leave a deep impression.
The right attitude
Work, family obligations, and plain old laziness are the pieces of life that will keep you away from your scheduled gym sessions. Don't get me wrong, your kids' school play is important, but there's a big difference between the rare exception and constantly missing practice when the gym falls down your list of priorities.
As has been said many times, focus and consistency are extremely important in the bodybuilding process, so I will share with you a few tips on how to properly tune your mind.
Your first step is to define your long-term goal as specifically as possible. “Being fit” is not a clear enough goal. What exactly do you need? Gain weight in the form of quality muscles? Get rid of fat? Exactly how much more or less is a kilogram? Increase your strength? In that case, how much?
You need to establish exactly what level you want to reach and how you will measure success. Be realistic about how long it will take you and write it down as a target date. If you're a beginner, it may be difficult to estimate this time, but try to anticipate and leave some slack for the estimated time frame.
Once you have determined the goal and time frame, set a few milestones, such as once a month, as milestones. This helps make the end goal less daunting, since increasing the load by 5 kg each month is quite realistic, while increasing the load by 40 kg by April may seem illusory and discouraging. For added motivation, you can give yourself a small reward each time you achieve your goal.
Concentration and consistency are important conditions for success in bodybuilding
Another important part of having the right attitude is positive thinking. Of course, it has become a cliché, but that doesn't make it any less true. If you start a diet and think you won't lose a kilo, what do you think will happen? Most likely, within a week you will be eating pizza and washing it down with beer. Fortunately, this also works in the opposite direction.
Arnold was an extremely successful athlete not only because of his grueling daily training, but also because he strived to win. In his mind he was already winning before he stepped on stage, and as history shows, that is exactly what happened time after time. You can use this technique to ensure that your daily life matches your plans.
At the beginning of each day, close your eyes and think about how you want to live it. One by one, imagine your healthy meals (picture yourself skipping donuts at a meeting), how you go to the gym, what you will do during your workout and how you will feel, and end with how you will go to bed on time .
The more details there are, the better. Repeat this exercise whenever you are tempted to put off your workout or otherwise deviate from your plan.
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