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Author Topic:   beginner who needs help!
danielson
Amateur Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 4)
posted July 22, 2000 09:27 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for danielson     Edit/Delete Message
Hi, Im 18 and fairly healthy have a BMI or whatever its called of 20.7 so not to fat either (i cycle a lot). I have tried a lot of excercises to tone my abdominal muscles up to little or no avail. This might just be my imagination but I can see on my abdnominal muscle area an 8 pack, but is virtually impossible to see (the areas of skin seem to be very slightly lighter than the rest of the tummy area (i am very dark skinned) with hardly noticible 'risings' or bumps across the stomach area. However with many of probably unproductive ab 'crunches' and some wierd german thing I heard called 'pilates' (which involved basically ab crunches with more twisting and a tennis ball?!?!) I have not seen any change. Can you recommend any excercise that might help. I have seen those cradle frame things where you rock too and fro in an ab crunch movement. Would you reccomend this?

Also on a different note I have a lot of fat underneath the upperchest nipple area, and while not being so extreme as to make me look like I have d-cup breasts, I am very eager to know if there are any excercises that can help me lose this (as out of all the bad features on my body i consider this to be the worst).

Finally I have trying to build up by biceps and triceps and do 10-15 minutes with a 4kg dumbell each night on each arm.

As you can probably tell from above I have no idea what any bodybuilding 'jargon' or abbreviations are, so find it hard to decipher other messages, and don't even know what "sets" are. I know i have asked a lot of what is probably impossible, but if you can reply, can you phrase it in a way that a 18 year old with the bodybuilding knowledge of a door-knob can understand. I have a lot of time on my hands for the next 2 months, and after that I will still have a lot of time on my hands, so am very eager to exercise and stuff. thanx!

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BK
Amateur Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 39)
posted July 23, 2000 05:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for BK   Click Here to Email BK     Edit/Delete Message
Get some books... beginner books. Once you learn the basics, then start to worry about details. I'd say, satrt with some basic strength training, do a little studying and go from there. I could tell you lots, but I hate typing too much. Good luck.

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mystic_hormones
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 189)
posted July 23, 2000 08:48 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for mystic_hormones   Click Here to Email mystic_hormones     Edit/Delete Message
reps are the number of lifts you do in a set.

a set consists of reps and many people who bodybuild don't really exceed 12.

body builder-BB

BB do about 3 or 4 working sets which means you go to failure(the point where you cannot lift any longer on a specific weight).

Stay away from negative, forced, high reps(30+) for about a year

Don't believe you need to shock the muscles into groth. you are already if you start lifting. wait a good year and a half before shocking.

Supplements are head games. just stay with caffeine(ephedra) for energy and protein after a workout.

Eat right.

if you plan to work out your whole body split it into at least 3 days a week with a day of rest between each.

now your routine.
this is just to get the feel.
do all of this on the same day for a month then start the 3 day a week thing and ditch this routine. only go once a week or every 6 days.

do 3 sets 1 with no weight about 20 reps the next with enough weight you would be able to do 20 with before failure at 10 reps then the last a 10 rep set to failure.
do this with

smith machine squats
flat bench presses
machine flyes
deadlifts(not stiff legged)
over head presses
cambered bar bicep curls
wide grip pull downs
rope pushdowns


that should do the trick for a beginner. look on the web for instructions on these excercises. the abs can wait. these will help you build a foundation. welcome to elite fitness and keep away from a guy named brumans2. continue to post with ?s

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...And the crowd goes wild!!!

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danielson
Amateur Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 4)
posted July 23, 2000 09:55 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for danielson     Edit/Delete Message
thanks very much for the replies, i finally know what people at the gym are talking about when they say 2 sets with 8 reps and stuff like that.

I am interested two know just 2 small things though.

A lot of people have said rest between workouts (i.e. days break) My woprkouts so far have yet to be 'intensive' , but is it better for muscles growth and nerves and stuff like that if you do take the break.

Less importantly does a rowing machine excercise biceps, triceps, leg muscles, chest and abs- thats probably a really stupid question but i just really wanted to know.

More importantly just wanted again to thank those that replied I found the advice very enlighting, and also appreciated the stay away warning (even if i have absolutely no idea why?!?!?) THANX AND bye

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mystic_hormones
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 189)
posted July 24, 2000 01:18 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for mystic_hormones   Click Here to Email mystic_hormones     Edit/Delete Message
only work your bodyparts once a week. go intense. Rows work the lats.

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...And the crowd goes wild!!!

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YellowD98
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 263)
posted July 24, 2000 02:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YellowD98     Edit/Delete Message
I used to be in your shoes. I was very skinny (not saying you are exactly), had no idea what bodybuilding was or what it had to offer a scrawny little kid like me. Basically, this is how I got started.

Read EVERYTHING you can get your hands on. I recommend reading Arnold's bodybuilding for men or even Weider's fully pictoral bodybuilding manual. They are both broken down into newbie, intermediate, and advanced steps. Weider has tons of information in it, lots of info. Also, there are literally thousands of internet pages about natural bodybuilding.

Next, see if you can buy or get someone to buy you a cheap free weights set and bench. FREE weights are KING! Machines and crap are good, but everyone should start on free weights in my opinion. I only use machines after I have done by free weight routine. Its also a lot easier and convenient to work out at home, rather than have to go the gym. When I first started I was embarrassed about trying to work out with others. Lifting at home gave me a solid foundation and kept me motivated. For under 300 bucks you can get a nice set.

If you're wanting to develop decent muscular development and strength gains, you must do HIGH weight LOW rep excercises. This is exactly the opposite of cycling or most any other aerobic activity. This is especially true for your arms, legs, chest and back. Push yourself to lift as much weight as you can with proper form.

About your abs, try sticking with basic sit-ups, crunches and hanging leg raises. Doing quite a few high reps every other day will rip your abs right out of your tummy. Ab machines are pieces of shit, that won't do squat. Your own body weight and support provide the best excercises.


For your chest, it sounds like you have a mild case of gyno (man tits). Its probably of genetic predisposition that gives you a little fat on your nipples. If you can increase the mass in your chest muscles, and then reduce your body fat through constant aerobics, which you seem to already do, you can probably eliminate or at least minimize them naturally. At worst case, you can have them surgically removed, but there is no drug that can cure pre-existing gyno.

And by working your arms with a fixed weight every night for what sounds like a pretty extended period of time, you won't develop much muscle at all. You need to increase weight and focus on specific excercises geared towards your goal.

Im sure that after you investigate you might find that you have an interest in weight lifting to not only strengthen your arms and abs, but your entire body as well. Cycling and aerobics can help you burn fat and keep your heart going, but resistance training is the only way to build a strong physique.

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ethertek
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 107)
posted July 24, 2000 02:37 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ethertek     Edit/Delete Message
As BK said....buy some books on bodybuilding.....The Arnold Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding is a good one. Knowledge is the most important thing when weight lifting.

Also for your first year....or at least first 6 months....compound movements!!!

By that I mean: Bench press, Squat, Behind-Neck Press, Barbell Curl, Deadlift, and Bent over Rowing.

If you eat enough protein and do these exercises along with some others you will be well on your way.

BTW...try not to get addicted to the machines and cables at the gym...free weights are the way to go!

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YellowD98
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 263)
posted July 24, 2000 02:44 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for YellowD98     Edit/Delete Message
Also, rest is relative to your excercises and again, your goal. Know what you want to get out of what you're doing. If your just starting out, I recommend doing a full body routine every other day for a few months with light (but still challenging) weights. This will build you a solid foundation. Then begin working your muscles twice a week, and finally down to once a week. You will know the difference between a heavy work out and a not so heavy one. Your body will let you know how much rest it needs and whether or not its ready to be worked again.

And rows work your lats and upper back mostly. Secondary stresses on tris and shoulders

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danielson
Amateur Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 4)
posted July 24, 2000 04:33 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for danielson     Edit/Delete Message
thank you all very much. Im starting to see how you build muscle now, its all anaerobic, less excercise with more weight, as opposed to the cycle for an hour crap I did (though at least it means i can frequent McDonalds more often). As for the free weights, i've toyed with the idea a lot, but i think i'll get them. I to sometimes don't like to excercise in the gym. This site is actually pretty damn cool. Porn, pro-wrestlers and good advice...... cool.

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Beezers
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 130)
posted July 24, 2000 04:52 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Beezers   Click Here to Email Beezers     Edit/Delete Message
Join a gym bro. Then you have a wide selection to work with and it will be cheaper than buying your own equipment. There is no better feeling or encouragement than going to the gym. It becomes your home away from home. Plus you can see and meet people who know what they are doing and can help you. Learn all you can learn.

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YellowD98
Pro Bodybuilder
(Total posts: 263)
posted July 24, 2000 09:21 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for YellowD98     Edit/Delete Message
Elitefitness is the best around. Welcome. You will never regret getting your own weight set as long as you use it. The money you invest in it will more than pay off in a years time (in time saved, gym expenses payed, and overall conveniance). There is just too many distractions going on in the gym, and its often difficult for someone who has just started to grasp the exact principle behind certain machines. I started all by myself in the garage, sometimes with a friend. Its really all about personal preference... and yes, FREE weights are KING!

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