Introduction + Questions

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

Hello all, I’m Matt, 14 years old. I’ve been lurking for a few months and I finally got it together and am getting some free weights and a bench tomorrow for the best price (i.e. Free).

I’ve been working up on cleaning up my diet and stretching daily for the past week or two. Currently I’m 5’11 or 6’ and about 170lbs. I have a few questions for ya’ll.

First off I’m really not sure what to do about cardio, I shoot competitively and am looking to lower my heart rate at least 10BPM, my current resting heart rate is upper 50s, low 60sBPM.

At the same time however, I want to gain muscle and strength, and from what I understand I’d probably need to run a good bit to lower it that much. Of course this would take away from my gains, so what do I do to lower it?

I also am wondering if I should buy any protein supplement. I’m not sure if I can get the roughly 170g of protein I should be getting to get good gains. I have this feeling my dad would assume its steroids or something harmful of some sort.

Deadlifts, how to try and convince my dad of them? He has some back issues (albeit from a car accident) and is super sensitive about back preservation. Now don’t get me wrong, I do all I can to keep my back safe, I have a couple friends who have hurt their backs on one occasion or another from overzealous lifting.

Also, I am lacking in lower back strength, what would be the best route to go to get it up quickly so I can get to deadlifting ASAP.

And now, before you ask, here are my goals:

Lose fat + gain strength- I want to lose the fat I have left and then gain strength. I’m not so much on size, as the actual strength, size will come in time.

Forearms especially- As above, I shoot, and I currently do isometrics (holding a 3lb weight at arms length 'til I can’t), but that doesn’t target my forearms, which really prevent the shakage.

Endurance- I want to build some respectable endurance, but Im not sure how much running is “too much”, and starts changing muscle fiber types and losing strength size etc.

Here is the tentative plan I have set up for myself currently:

Monday- BP, Curls, Misc. Forearm exercises and tricep extensions

Tuesday- Deadlifts, Squats, Calf raises

Wednesday- Rows, abs(dragon flags, knee raises, I’ll figure out what works), uh some other ones for back, but I’m not sure at this point

Thursday- BP, Curls, Misc. Forearm exercises and tricep extensions

Friday- Deadlifts, Squats, Calf raises
Saturday- Rows, abs(dragon flags, knee raises, I’ll figure out what works), uh some other ones for back, but I’m not sure at this point

Sunday- Rest day

I suppose I want a critique on that, I hope I was clear in that.
Thanks,
Matt

2

Welcome!!

[quote]mattchew wrote:
Hello all, I’m Matt, 14 years old. I’ve been lurking for a few months and I finally got it together and am getting some free weights and a bench tomorrow for the best price (i.e. Free).

I’ve been working up on cleaning up my diet and stretching daily for the past week or two. Currently I’m 5’11 or 6’ and about 170lbs. I have a few questions for ya’ll.

First off I’m really not sure what to do about cardio, I shoot competitively and am looking to lower my heart rate at least 10BPM, my current resting heart rate is upper 50s, low 60sBPM.
[/quote]

HMM lowest ive got mine was low 50’s havent checked inm som,e time and that was from a nice mix of Heavy resistance training and LONG moderate cardio to be exact weighted waling/hiking and BREATH bro relax but go. Hevay resistance training does help as well though heavy DL’s squats etc get the HR UP sky high and will lower it resting in the long run.

Breathing and relaxing will be huge as well

Like I said above as well spinst etc really get that HR UP and then recover add that to resistance training and cardio that keeps HR boosted and you adaopt and it getys lowwer over long term will help Long moderate intensity.
mix in HIGH intensity with the resistance training and spirnt work etc.

[quote]
I also am wondering if I should buy any protein supplement. I’m not sure if I can get the roughly 170g of protein I should be getting to get good gains. I have this feeling my dad would assume its steroids or something harmful of some sort.[/quote]

if you cant reach your protein needs with food yes its another great food source and good whey to add protein.

[quote]
Deadlifts, how to try and convince my dad of them? He has some back issues (albeit from a car accident) and is super sensitive about back preservation. Now don’t get me wrong, I do all I can to keep my back safe, I have a couple friends who have hurt their backs on one occasion or another from overzealous lifting. [/quote]

If you do them corret and take your time going heavy they will strengthen the back mucle sopinme etc. But there is no gaurantee of no injkury its a chance you take. But id say more ppl hurt there back picking up there kids or groceries etc. Everyday stuff and those whom dont resistance train.

[quote]
Also, I am lacking in lower back strength, what would be the best route to go to get it up quickly so I can get to deadlifting ASAP. [/quote]

lower the loads and Dead lift, GM’s, sqauts, RDL’s Reverse hypers. OH stuff. pick up heavy things etc.

Make one day squat on day DL those are BIG exercise give them each a day do one heavy one lighter and alternate which is which week to week

change an upper push day one of the OH pressing dips etc dont realy only on BP.

Need chins pull ups verticle pulling.

I hope these session are breif man thats a LOT of working out may consider and upper lower split put your pushing and pulling on the same days if you are also going to be doing a lot of cardio.

What kind of set rep rest progressionetc are we looking at??

Hope that helps fire back,
Phill

3

Thank you again,

[quote]Phill wrote:
I hope these session are breif man thats a LOT of working out may consider and upper lower split put your pushing and pulling on the same days if you are also going to be doing a lot of cardio.
[/quote]

What I was looking at was about an hour a day. As I said it was just a quick plan, tryin to get it typed up so I wasn’t really tired before leaving to go and pick up the bench and weights. I’m still workin out the kinks, maybe move it down to 5 days a week(?), but first I’ve gotta get the things on the most agreeable days.

[quote]Phill wrote:
What kind of set rep rest progressionetc are we looking at??
[/quote]
Ah, I forgot to put that in there, 5x5 as I’m aiming for strength. Not all sure about rests, and by progression you mean like the first set is 100lbx5, then 110x5, along those lines? I really have no idea as far as that.

[quote]Phill wrote:
Make one day squat on day DL those are BIG exercise give them each a day do one heavy one lighter and alternate which is which week to week

change an upper push day one of the OH pressing dips etc dont realy only on BP.
[/quote]

I’m not only gonna do BP, I just couldnt think of the names and such of all the exercises. I’ll switch up with incline and decline, military press and sommore presses I can’t think of.

As far as verticle pulling, I was meaning to put that in on Sat., and Wed., but again I don’t know all the lingo. I lucked out though and the guy had a machine with a lat thing, being as how I can only do 1 or 2 chin ups.

[quote]Phill wrote:
Make one day squat on day DL those are BIG exercise give them each a day do one heavy one lighter and alternate which is which week to week
[/quote]

On these days could I do some smaller exercises, like calf raises, ab work, forearms, maybe neck etc?

Thanks,
Matt

4

[quote]mattchew wrote:
What I was looking at was about an hour a day. As I said it was just a quick plan, tryin to get it typed up so I wasn’t really tired before leaving to go and pick up the bench and weights. I’m still workin out the kinks, maybe move it down to 5 days a week(?), but first I’ve gotta get the things on the most agreeable days.
[/quote]

Keep it BIG and basic you can add on later.

[quote]

Ah, I forgot to put that in there, 5x5 as I’m aiming for strength. Not all sure about rests, and by progression you mean like the first set is 100lbx5, then 110x5, along those lines? I really have no idea as far as that.[/quote]

5x5 all the time??

Progression by how do you plan to progress like add weight each week?? add a rep whats your basic plan of progressing on this program??

I suggest timinmg your rest as well if you do a set one day and nail 5 reps and bnest time you get 7 but rested 30 seconds long that means well not much you rsted more.

OK

[quote]
As far as verticle pulling, I was meaning to put that in on Sat., and Wed., but again I don’t know all the lingo. I lucked out though and the guy had a machine with a lat thing, being as how I can only do 1 or 2 chin ups.

On these days could I do some smaller exercises, like calf raises, ab work, forearms, maybe neck etc?

Matt[/quote]

sure add that stuff after the real work is done

Phill

5

[quote]Phill wrote:
5x5 all the time??

Progression by how do you plan to progress like add weight each week?? add a rep whats your basic plan of progressing on this program??

I suggest timinmg your rest as well if you do a set one day and nail 5 reps and bnest time you get 7 but rested 30 seconds long that means well not much you rsted more.
[/quote]

I was planning on 5x5 'til my body adapts to it, then I’ll change up the exercises and rep/set numbers.

As far as progression I’m not sure, each week I’ll add as much as I can I suppose. Any suggestions on that as I have no idea for rep adding etc?

I will time my rests and sets, keeping the times consistent, or switching if speed progresses.
Thanks,
Matt

6

Cool sounds good there is so much on progression id suggest reading prob some things, programs etc By Chad Waterbury he goes into varied ways to progress quite a bit I am sure has at leats one article just on that subject

Phill

7

[quote]mattchew wrote:
I also am wondering if I should buy any protein supplement. I’m not sure if I can get the roughly 170g of protein I should be getting to get good gains. I have this feeling my dad would assume its steroids or something harmful of some sort.[/quote]

Cottage cheese if you can’t get your pop to buy whey protein. But if you give him a lot of info on whey protein, he’d see it’s not steroids.

I’ve had two back surgeries. If I had actually made those muscles stronger (as well as all the supporting musculature), I may not have had the injuries. Also, I severely strained my lower back brushing my teeth. True. Right after that, I decided to start strengthening my lower back. Since then, I have had no back injuries - roughly two years.

And all this time, I’ve been dead lifting. Start with the bar. Add a couple 25 pound plates. Get to doing reps of ten, twelve, multiple sets. Wide grip, wide stance. Look for videos that show proper form. This is important. You can start dead lifting right away. Just do low weights at first to learn form.

If you gain muscle, your fat will look less.

Dead lifting will give you grip strength.

As for workout routine, keep it simple. Try a full body workout routine first. Three or four times a week. After a few weeks, go to a split. After a few weeks, compare notes on the two different approaches to working out. That means write a workout log book. How many sets and reps. Even write down what you ate right before you train.

After looking at your results, decide which routine to use. 5x5 is good, so is 3x10 and 10x3. If I was going to suggest five exercises… bench, squat, dead lift, pull ups and overhead press. Money lifts. You don’t need to do any support / accessory work now. These alone will give you really good newb gains. Since you’ll be starting out light, you can even superset these to save time.

8

[quote]kroby wrote:
Cottage cheese if you can’t get your pop to buy whey protein. But if you give him a lot of info on whey protein, he’d see it’s not steroids.
[/quote]

I’m gonna try that, I was being slightly sarcastic because the other day when I was explaining to him some of the stuff I wanted to do he blurts out asking if I’m looking for steroids and how they’re bad. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I’ll need to get some as it’ll be hard to do get as much as I should without getting kinda expensive with meat.

I’ve been messing around a bit, working on my form, with maybe 30 pounds on the bar. I am definitely gonna have to go light for awhile, cause my lower back is weak weak weak, least it seems to be.

Yea, but it is there. I’m not gonna go crazy trying to lose it, but I’d like it gone by early April(spring break trip to Italy). Keep in mind, I don’t have a lot, most people think I’m just “beastly”, of course thats by 9th grade standards…

Hmmm, thanks I hadn’t really given a full body routine much thought… but I was planning on having a log. I suppose I should get working on figuring out a routine.

Thanks,

9

Here?s a new schedule, I?m thinking about changing it from weekly to a month schedule. And should I spread out squat and deadlift more somehow, or were you suggesting alternating a squat and deadlift week?

Monday- Squat, Calf raise, abs
Tuesday- Deadlift, shrugs, barbell Rows
Wednesday- BP, lat pull down,
Thursday-Squat, calf raise, shrugs, abs
Friday-Deadlift, lat pull down,
Saturday-BP, Barbell Rows, abs
Sunday-Rest, relaxation, and stretching

I decided to change from a full body to split because it seems to me (please correct if I?m mistaken) that 5 or 6 days a week would make more headway on my fat loss goal. Or would the full body help get me adapted to weights and that?s why you chose it first?

And my future full body routine, it?s based on a routine by Chad Waterbury ( http://www.T-Nation.com/findArticle.do?article=04-073-training ):

Week 1
3 sets, 5 reps, Straight sets
60s rest

Workout 1-
Exercises- Back Squat, Flat BP, Curls, Lat Pull Down, Calf Raises

Workout 2-
Exercises- Flat BP, Front squat, Curls, Lat pull down, Calf raises

Workout 3-
Exercises- Back Squat, Flat BP, Curls, Lat Pull Down, Calf raises

Week 2
3 sets, 5 reps, straight sets
60s rest
Workout 1-dumbbell Rows, Deadlift, Triceps extensions, Power cleans, Shrugs

Workout 2- Dumbbell Rows, Triceps extension, shrugs, deadlift, Power Cleans

Workout 3- Deadlift, Shrugs, Power Cleans, triceps extensions, Dumbbell Rows.

Week 3
4 sets, 5 reps, straight sets, 60s rest
Workout 1- Back Squat, Decline BP, Curls, Lat Pull Down, Calf Raises

4 sets, 8 reps, Straight Sets
Workout 2- Decline BP, Lat Pull Down, Hack Squats, Curls, Calf Raises

3 sets, 12 reps, Straight sets, 90s rest
Workout 3- Lat Pull Down, Decline BP, Calf Raises, Curls, Front Squat

Week 4
4 sets, 5 reps, Straight sets, 60s rest
Workout 1- Dumbbell rows, Shrugs, Deadlift, Triceps extensions, Military Press

4 Sets, 8 reps, Straight sets, 60s rest
Workout 2- Triceps Extensions, Military Press, Good Mornings, Shrugs

3 sets, 12 reps, Straight sets, 90s rest
Workout 3- Military Press, Deadlifts, Dumbbell rows, shrugs