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TRAINING TIPS FOR BEGINNER’S
ARE YOU A “BEGINNER”?
A beginner can be classified as someone who has never touched a weight, may have lifted for a while,
but has taken a substantial amount of time off, or has not consistently trained over the last six months.
If you happen to fall into any of these categories, pay close attention, because the following information
will be detrimental to the start of your training program.
As a beginner, one of the most common mis -
takes is doing too much. Because beginners
often make good gains quickly, many fall into
the trap of thinking that more is better. This may
be true later in the training equation, but not for
the novice. Some of the most common injuries
occur as a result of taking on too much, too
soon.
One of the questions most frequently asked is,
“How much weight should I use?” Determin -
ing the weight for each exercise will vary from
person to person. The weight for each exercise
will be lifted in sets and repetitions. Repetition
is defined as one execution of any exercise. A
set is a combination of any number of repeti -
tions of one exercise.
Experimentation at each exercise station is a
good technique for determining the starting
weight for an individual. Take the chest press
exercise for example. Performing this exercise
with a weight that can be pressed 30 times with
ease will not help you achieve any particular
goals. Adding the appropriate amount of weight
that will allow you to perform a maximum of 8
to 12 repetitions will help you obtain the results
you desire.
On the other hand, if you put too much weight
on the press bar and press it 4 or 5 times,
then common sense will tell you to reduce the
weight, wait a few minutes, then try again.
Remember, never sacrifice perfect form just
for the sake of lifting heavier weight. This is a
sure-fire, one-way trip down the road to injury.
Making muscles work hard, with proper form is
the name of the game.
Now that you understand how to test each sta -
tion for your starting amount of resistance, you
should know which muscles to train first. Train -
ing the large muscles groups first, such as your
chest, legs, and back, should be done before
training your small muscle groups like the arms,
shoulders, and calves.
Starting with the large muscle groups will help
you achieve and maintain quicker gains. The
large muscles groups will require more stimula-
tion and a higher intensity level than the smaller
muscle groups. Training your arms with all-out
intensity and training your chest immediately
afterwards will not leave you with enough en-
ergy necessary to properly stimulate the muscle
fibers in your chest. Moreover, because the
triceps are required in chest press movements,
your arm muscles will fail much more quickly
than your chest muscles, which will also hold
back your chest training.
As a beginner, you will find that your gains will
come quickly. The excitement and enthusiasm
that comes with these gains may cause you
to spend even more time on your gym. Take
it easy! Remember, just as too little exercise
won’t stimulate muscle growth...too much
exercise won’t either.
You need to give your body plenty of rest, es -
pecially if you’re still sore from the last workout.
This will keep you fresh and growing stronger.
NEVER TRAIN A BODY PART THAT IS STILL
SORE FROM THE PREVIOUS WORKOUT.
Performing some flexibility exercises is a good
way to keep the blood flowing through the sore
area, but do not train these muscles again until
you are feeling recovered.
Speaking of soreness, there is something else
that you, as a beginner, should be aware of:
If you work out - your muscles will get sore.
The majority of muscle soreness comes from
microtears and a build up of lactic acid in the
muscle fibers. This is the result of intense
exercise. Muscle soreness can become a
problem when the body is pushed too fast and
too quickly. As a beginner, tendons, ligaments,
joints and tissues have not yet developed the
ability necessary to recover from high intensity
exercise. A general warm up of stretching and
light calisthenics prior to exercise can possibly
reduce the amount of post-exercise muscle
soreness. A good cool down of stretching and
cardio work may also decrease muscle sore-
ness.
Now that we have laid a good foundation of
the “do’s and don’ts”, let’s get into something
a little more specific. The Beginner’s Strength
Training Program. One of the best beginner’s
programs is the three-days-a-week routine. For
example, do a whole-body workout on Monday,
Wednesday and Friday. Use the other days for
rest and recuperation. As previously discussed,
you want to start with the large muscle groups
first, then move on to the small muscle groups.
Perform one exercise per muscle group that
consists of 2 or 3 sets of 8 to 12 repetitions.
Follow this routine for at least six to eight
weeks in order for your body to establish the
proper stimulation for growth.
One or two exercises per muscle group may
not sound like enough to produce any results,
but if you’re a beginner - it most definitely will.
As you continue to train and your body adapts
to your exercise routine and recuperative de-
mands you place upon it, you’ll be able to add
more sets and exercises to your routine.
Another point that is highly recommended is
the assistance of a personal trainer. Through
the use of a personal trainer you can learn the
mechanics and techniques of exercise, how to
use proper form to avoid injury and details on
proper nutrition. A good trainer will also provide
MOTIVATION.
When choosing a personal trainer, here are
some tips: Choose an individual that is certified
through an accredited association. This is a
good way to ensure that he or she is qualified
to give you what you need. Also, take a look
at what kind of shape they are in. If you want
to be in great shape, look for a trainer who is in
great shape. They will know what it takes to get
results. Here are a few recommended organiza-
tions:
• National Strength & Conditioning
(719) 632-6722
• American College of Sports Medicine
(317) 637-9200
• National Academy of Sports Medicine
(312) 929-5101
Sample Workout Routine When
Training For STRENGTH
Exercises Reps Sets
Leg Press / Squat 6 to 10 3 or 4
Leg Extension 8 to 12 2 or 3
Leg Curl 8 to 12 2 or 3
Calf Raise 8 to 12 2 or 3
Bench /
Chest Press 6 to 10 2 or 3
Incline Press 8 to 12 2 or 3
Incline Pec Fly 8 to 12 2 or 3
Lat Pulldown 8 to 12 2 or 3
Seated Row 8 to 12 2 or 3
Military Press 8 to 12 2 or 3
Upright Row 8 to 12 2 or 3
Bicep Curl 8 to 12 2 or 3
Tricep Pressdown 8 to 12 2 or 3
Tricep Extension 8 to 12 2 or 3
Resistance
Ab Crunch 20 to 30 2 or 3
Resistance
Oblique Crunch 20 to 30 2 or 3
Rest period between sets should be
about 60 to 90 seconds.
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