Intro & A Few Questions

Training Beginners
1

First off I would like to say thankyou to this site and the posters. I`ve been lurking for about 2 months now reading every article and members posts about there struggles and successes. The information gained has been invaluable.

I decided to take steps to improve my physical appearance and health after two events, one I found a picture of myself when I was 15ish and I couldn�??t believe how ripped I used to be and how bad I had let myself go. And second I`m a machinist by trade and everyday I looked around at the older machinists and saw the same thing, huge forearms and massive guts. This was an unacceptable prospect.

Quick stats
6 weeks ago I was
height 5 10
age 28
Wt 236
bf 26% I believe thats cream.
I could only due 1-2 chin ups, about 4-6 dips and zero pullups I needed to use the assisting machine set at 80 pounds just to do one. 10 minutes on the treadmill made me dizzy and feeling sick.

Today
Wt down to about 218
15 chin ups, 40 dips and was able to do 2 pullups with out weight assistance. I can also jog about 2 miles now without needing CPR. Not a big deal to alot of people but means alot to me.

I do have a couple of questions,

Is V-8 juice a good way to get more vegetable servings or is it just a glass of red sugar?

I�??ve noticed over the last two weeks that during arm curls that my left forearm gets so tight that the pain becomes almost unbearable and it feels like my arm is locking up. Is this just a cramp/not enough oxygen to the muscle?

When doing barbell exercises my right arm is stronger, should I find a weight that both arms can do, or do more weight/reps with my right arm?

and finally unfortunately I do not have a spotter when I do free weights, so I`m not pushing as much weight as I can, for fear of being crushed. Can I compensate for this by more sets/reps?

thank you for your time.

2

V-8 is red sugar. Eat your veggies.

Get a spotter for the bench pressing.

You are probably overdoing the curls, especially if you are doing a lot of chin ups. Cut the volume and intensity for a week or 2.

What’s your whole program? You have mentioned chins, pullups, curls, dips and “free weights” which I interpret as bench press. That sounds a lot like the old beach muscle routine: arms & chest. If that’s all you are doing you will have problems later on.

Stu

3

Welcome and good job. Those are awesome gains in only 6 short weeks. Keep up the hard work.

Here’s my $0.02

I’d say V-8 is ok for the most part. I wouldn’t chug a gallon a day but mix it in with some real veggies and fruits and it should work fine.

As far as the curls goes I’d guess its may be you gripping it differently or muscle imbalance. Make sure youre doing it the same. One arm may be slightly stronger than the other (but I’d try to balance it out )

Try to do exercises where you may not need a spotter–such as safety bars for squats or military press or whatever exercise you may choose. When you think you need a spot, just ask. I ask a different guy every week for a spot at the end of my benching.

And the mixing sets/reps would depend on your goals. “Generally” its pretty true that less weight more volume is better for size and more weight less volume is better for strength. I’d say do 5-12 reps for mostly everything. You’ll get stronger and bigger. Like I said, just my opinion.