Here’s the situation…I’m 23, 6-1, about 175 pounds. I’ve worked out on and off for maybe 1 1/2 years, but never for that entire time consistently. I usually went 2 months then had to take a few weeks off and never really got onto a consistent schedule. Obviously I want to achieve that cover model look, but where to start? I’m not a beginner, not an expert…I was thinking 4 days a week? 2 Uppper, 2 Lower? Too much? Too little? not the right split? I need some advice!
The only one who can answer that question is you.
Do a search for Chris Shugart’s “My Big Fat Training Program Guide” parts 1 and 2.
Start by reading those, then pick one!
Asujbl,you have to be consistent with your nutrition and training.
To get the powerful look you have to grow at least 40 lbs. In order to avoid an excess of bodyfat this grow process may last about a couple of years. Therefore choose a proper bulking diet. Concerning programs, no hypertrophy programs will work unless you eat properly. Concentrate on the big compound lifts, forget direct arm work and isolation exercises. Muscles are built during recovery days. Therefore I may suggest a one day on/one day off training such as CW’s ABBH or De Franco’s “Westside for skinny bastards”
Hope that helps !
Luca
asujbl,
I will give you some good advice: Keep it simple! A good beginners program, for what you want to accomplish could be the following:
-
4 sets of Pull-ups
-
4 sets of Barbell Presses
-
4 sets of full squats
-
4 sets of various Push-ups
Perform the above three times per week. Make sure you are working hard on every set! Eat a great deal of quality food (6 meals per day) including 200 or so grams of protein per day.
Seems almost to basic huh? Try it for 6 weeks and see what happens!
I agree with ZEB. However, I would add a few sets of ab work.
[quote]ZEB wrote:
asujbl,
I will give you some good advice: Keep it simple! A good beginners program, for what you want to accomplish could be the following:
-
4 sets of Pull-ups
-
4 sets of Barbell Presses
-
4 sets of full squats
-
4 sets of various Push-ups
Perform the above three times per week. Make sure you are working hard on every set! Eat a great deal of quality food (6 meals per day) including 200 or so grams of protein per day.
Seems almost to basic huh? Try it for 6 weeks and see what happens![/quote]
What about posterior chain work? The deadlift is arguably the best lift for putting meat on your bones.
I would go with a M-W-F split:
Monday: Legs
A) Squat (varying stances)
5 sets x 5 reps
B) Front Squat
4 sets: 1 x 10, 1 x 5, 1 x 8, 1 x 4
C) Leg supplementary exercise (Step ups, lunges, reverse lunges, Glute ham raise)
Wednesday: Upper body Push
A) Bench Press
B) Shoulder Press
C) Dips
D) Push supplementary (pecs- flyes, delts- bent over lateral raises, delts- face pulls, triceps- nosebreakers)
Friday: Upper body Pull
A) Deadlift
B) Barbell Row
C) Pull ups
D) Pull supplementary ( chins, seated cable row, decline cable pullover, DB row to hip, biceps barbell curl)
ZEB and I obviously have different approaches, so just pick whatever looks more attractive to you-- or take the advice of my previous post and look at those two Shugart articles.
Good luck
RIT Jared
here is a good beginner program 3 days a week, just use the basics . do a push pull, monday. squats 5X5 bench 5x5 presses 4x12 bench dips 4x12. calf raise 4x12 – wed bentleg deadlift 5X5 rows 5x5 pull downs 4x12 curls 4x12 grip work ab work . fri do same as day one then next mon do day two this way you do whole body twice over 9 days alternating twice one week ,once the next, this will give a little more recovery by doing bentleg deadlift and squats on diffrent days your (core) legs and back get hit really 3 day a week most beginners dont like to do leg or back but that is the key to mass. let not get bench and curl crazy till you put on some weight first. tips on reps do 5x5 with the last 3 set with same weight as you add a little weight it will end up like this ( 100x5 100x5 100x 3) just stay at that weight till you get 5 on all three set then add alittle weight and start again on the 4x12 the last two set should use same weight . stick with this for at least 8 week and you will see that it work really well.
I have no problem substituting Dead lifts for Squats once or twice per week. My point is to keep it simple and direct. Far to many people try to complicate the process of adding muscle. “Lift it slow” “No, lift it fast” “Only workout once per week” No, one muscle group each day."
If I was a newbie starting out now, I too would be confused. It’s one of the most natural and easiest things in the world! Just work hard, be consistent and eat.
ZEB, that is indeed good advice. A year and a half ago, when I first got interested in training (I was 15), my newbie workout was very similar to what you recommended:
3 sets of chinups
3 sets of deadlifts
3 sets of squats
a bunch of different variations of pushups
and I didn’t really care about the tempo. I lifted at a comfortable speed - not ballistic, but not super slow.
I increased the sets to 4 the following week, and stuck with 4 sets for the following 7 weeks.
The gains were amazing!
EDT would be good.
Chad W’s Big Boy Basics would be good, or the ABBH program.
kilgor,
Dang right man! Nothing against magazines, or even web sites (wink) but they have to talk about something. You can pretty much go as far as you need to with the basics. And the basics have been around for a long long time.
I have always had great success with one of John Berardi’s programs - well thought out and planned. The programs are 12 weeks long and allow for variation to attack weaknesses.