Confused Noob

[Cantthinkof1dam]

Ok so i used to strength train when i was in high school and the program was excellent. I was gaining strength and was feeling great. I then stopped for a while but am now back in the gym. I have been looking for a good program to follow but i cant seem to get it. I am currently just lifting heavy and doing less reps in each set and want full body workouts as i did in high school. I want to gain muscle mass, i'm a lean guy so fat is no prob.

 

[joe d]

Ok so i used to strength train when i was in high school and the program was excellent. I was gaining strength and was feeling great. I then stopped for a while but am now back in the gym. I have been looking for a good program to follow but i cant seem to get it. I am currently just lifting heavy and doing less reps in each set and want full body workouts as i did in high school. I want to gain muscle mass, i'm a lean guy so fat is no prob.

this is the best new lifter start program i have ever seen. my reason is it is so simple anyone can follow it yet its also verry effective for the beginner. i suggest you give this program a couple months then venture on from there

How to gain muscle mass over the summer with 20 rep squats

 

[future]

Not a bad site. Hayward has basically taken Stuart McRoberts book BRAWN and made it his own program.

 

[joe d]

it really isnt bad. i love the simple but complete programs like that. im not a trainer but i feal like one. people and their questions it gets rediculous sometimes even at resteraunts and other non gym places. any way i have been telling people squats and milk for months now and i see the ones that really do it growing verry well.

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

dam that deff looks intense. I am currently doing a 5x5 routine for bench but squatting i have been using the machine cause i'm too nervous to squat again since i dont have a spotter. I always squatted much much more than i benched though.
I'm mainly looking for a plan where i know what exercises to do and how many reps since i feel like i end up doing the same exercises each day. Last day at the gym which was yesterday was pretty nice though, instead of the machines i used free weights more and i still feel the lactic acid burn except for my abs and lats; i guess i didnt push hard enough. I'm also going to start taking mesomorph since i feel weak some days and some days i feel great. Some days i feel the burn but some days i feel like i did something wrong...like not feeling my lats..i always beast it with lats.

 

[joe d]

you will figure all that stuff out. just work on 1 thing at a time and be patient.

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

sounds like i am rushing things huh lol
I'll be starting the squats and milk program next time i go to the gym. Deff seems like its the way to go from what i am reading and hearing. Only thing is i got to find my max and at what weight to do the 20 reps with then from there keep adding weight.

 

[ExtraMile]

+1 if i wasnt bothered about numbers i would be on 20rep squats for sure

also take note of the diet at the bottom its simple and easy to follow and will work well with a n00b who's used to eating 3 square meals a day...

 

[joe d]

just pick a number you are comfortable with and go ass to the floor. keep good form and go from there. if the weight was to low then add more than 5 lbs the next time. dont look for your max just start low.

 

[ExtraMile]

just pick a number you are comfortable with and go ass to the floor. keep good form and go from there. if the weight was to low then add more than 5 lbs the next time. dont look for your max just start low.

i always read to start with a 10-12 rep weight.

i do 20 rep squats now what helps is think of it as 4 sets of 5. after each mini set of 5 just stand there and take a few breaths. on your last set of 5 you will likely have to do this on every rep.

wait i got a good read about how to force yourself to get all 20 reps...

20 Rep Breathing Squats Routine - 20 Rep Squat Program

 

[future]

Benching with no spotter is far more dangerous than squatting with no spotter.

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

well diet isnt a prob, i already took care of that part when i told my self i want to get back in the gym. I'm taking 1 scoop of whey with almost every meal and 2 scoops before and right after my work out. I'm eating about 5-6 times a day depending on my mood though but most of the time i am eating and eating right, no junk food.
Also after doing the 20 rep squat, dips and all that should i continue to bench how i am benching (with a spotter now of course or use the machine with hooks) and continue my 5x5 routine? I feel like there should be more to it lol. I feel like the whole 20 rep squat and 3 circuit thing will take less than 60mins...

 

[ExtraMile]

well diet isnt a prob, i already took care of that part when i told my self i want to get back in the gym. I'm taking 1 scoop of whey with almost every meal and 2 scoops before and right after my work out. I'm eating about 5-6 times a day depending on my mood though but most of the time i am eating and eating right, no junk food.
Also after doing the 20 rep squat, dips and all that should i continue to bench how i am benching (with a spotter now of course or use the machine with hooks) and continue my 5x5 routine? I feel like there should be more to it lol. I feel like the whole 20 rep squat and 3 circuit thing will take less than 60mins...

no the 20 rep squat ROUTINE is a ROUTINE not an add on for your current problem. It also had the nickname "squats and milk" which is why you should follow the diet on that page. taking 8 scoops of whey a day isnt what im talking about i mean lots of calories from whole foods and lots of MILK!

 

[joe d]

no the 20 rep squat ROUTINE is a ROUTINE not an add on for your current problem. It also had the nickname "squats and milk" which is why you should follow the diet on that page. taking 8 scoops of whey a day isnt what im talking about i mean lots of calories from whole foods and lots of MILK!

exactly. this program was laid out by a professional. it is tested tried and true. i have seen it work on every new guy that i got to see actually following it. it is intense if you make it intense. you dont need hours a day in the gym to grow. i spend a total of 2.5 hours at the gym per wk. but i eat all day and night long, sleap 2 separate 5 hour sessons, strech 30minutes, masage 20minutes every day. my point is the actual training is the simplest part. you have to do your growing in the rest of the time so why put so much time in the gym. that 20 rep squat at the right weight is going to kick your ass then you have to do the rest of it. if you do it right you will be exausted by the end.

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

Gotcha, sounds like i am putting too much thought in this. I was googling trying to find some before and after pics of people who have been on this program but couldnt find none. That would be nice just to see the results physically but from what i am reading i see people gaining any where from 15-20lbs or more within 4-8weeks, thats crazy.

 

[joe d]

Gotcha, sounds like i am putting too much thought in this. I was googling trying to find some before and after pics of people who have been on this program but couldnt find none. That would be nice just to see the results physically but from what i am reading i see people gaining any where from 15-20lbs or more within 4-8weeks, thats crazy.

just pick a program and give it your all. in the end that is what matters. once you plan a detailed diet show it to us.

just keep it simple. confusing routines keep you confused longer.

 

[spk55]

joe d
you seem to be pretty smart in this area. would a guy thats skinny, but super fit benifit from this? i mean a kenyan looking runner(not quite that thin, but a typical distance runner that lifted his whole life for his sport) thin wrists, cut, but thin. would a guy like this benifit, or is his genetics of being small boned and thin wrists telling him, he may put on a few pounds but looking like even the thinnest of a natural bodybuilder may be a bit far ftched? my buddy that is an animal runner wants to get into the weight training game to put on a few pounds, but always says he wont gain cause of his genetics..dudes skinny, but a different look of skinny. up at the pool when he is there he looks like a very skinny frank zane or bruce lee. he asks if giving up his passion will be worth it. your opinion.?
now, with his work out background, if he works as hard as he run trains, he will be a bear.. but will the body transfer to his 6'145# frame to 6" 160# with the same cut look/??i told him to try it, but he's a bit worried he'll loose all his running form by lifting and wont gain a bit. then his running will suffer when he goes back to it..he does train with bench presses and military press and curls and deads for his running and he told me he goes super all out on those but not an ounce of weight gain. i told him he is burning too many calories running, but he keeps saying and showing me his wrists saying these small bones will only make the bi's and tri's so big..
i dont know what to tell him anymore. he has been injured a lot latley, and is looking for a new challenge
thanks

 

[joe d]

eat more run less. the mass building is about tearing your muscles down quickly then giving them all they need to recover and build bigger and stronger. that is where rest and food come in. if you run a marathon every other day and spend 3 hours training on the other days your not going to get to big. your friend will need to slow it down and pack in the protein and calories. lots of whole milk throughout the day would be a huge help. yes this program could help him. he will need to go with heavier weight than he is used to. regardless of what kind of program he follows he needs to stick to the heavy lifts squats, deads, dips, weighted chins, bench ect to thicken up and he must eat more calories than he burns,

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

eat more run less. the mass building is about tearing your muscles down quickly then giving them all they need to recover and build bigger and stronger. that is where rest and food come in. if you run a marathon every other day and spend 3 hours training on the other days your not going to get to big. your friend will need to slow it down and pack in the protein and calories. lots of whole milk throughout the day would be a huge help. yes this program could help him. he will need to go with heavier weight than he is used to. regardless of what kind of program he follows he needs to stick to the heavy lifts squats, deads, dips, weighted chins, bench ect to thicken up and he must eat more calories than he burns,

Thats the key right there. As for my diet plan...i really dont have one its mainly w/e is being cooked i eat unless i am doing the cooking...mainly rice, fish, red meat, stuff along those lines. I just try to take in a lot of calories like mentioned above; more than i burn. Breakfast i eat pancakes with a glass of milk and whey protein i'm not a morning person so its hard to eat in the morn even though i still do. Then prob couple hrs later i'm back in the kitchen cooking scrambled eggs with beans, salsa, cheese and w/e sounds good with it then for the rest of the meals its w/e is there to eat but avoiding junk food.

 

[spk55]

joe d
my buddy knows as well as you and i the impotrance of diet. hell, he is an amazing runner/athlets. common sense on the diet part. he was mainly asking me my opinion on his build. he is skinny, like i said with small bones.. so doing heavy dips and pushpresses and squats and seads my only make him stronger and maybe put on a bit of size as per his thinking, he is so small bones his muscles will only get so big. thisis a question i dint have an answer for. will a really skinny fit runner gain some serious weight, meaning 15-20 pounds and have 14" arms, not 11" arms, are is he at a genetic disadvantage..
thanks
his diet is like your and my diet. i know as he does, and like we spoke he has to give up burning 1000 calories a workout. he knows that but is just afraind his progress is going to be zero to none cause of his bone structure.
thanks

 

[ExtraMile]

Thats the key right there. As for my diet plan...i really dont have one its mainly w/e is being cooked i eat unless i am doing the cooking...mainly rice, fish, red meat, stuff along those lines. I just try to take in a lot of calories like mentioned above; more than i burn. Breakfast i eat pancakes with a glass of milk and whey protein i'm not a morning person so its hard to eat in the morn even though i still do. Then prob couple hrs later i'm back in the kitchen cooking scrambled eggs with beans, salsa, cheese and w/e sounds good with it then for the rest of the meals its w/e is there to eat but avoiding junk food.

theres a diet on the 20 rep squat page that is simple and easy to follow, you could even add in some chicken breast and red meat

 

[joe d]

his bone structure will not prevent him from gaining size. more food than he is eating will make him grow. no one can predict how many inches his bi's will get, but they most definately can get bigger

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

theres a diet on the 20 rep squat page that is simple and easy to follow, you could even add in some chicken breast and red meat

yea thats what i had in mind, to modify that diet a little meaning adding other foods and stick to that so i actually know what i am doing and not just eating.

 

[Cantthinkof1dam]

So i started the "milk and squat" program. Its tough but deff doable. I can't feel my legs right now and i need to work on my form, i'm going low enough but i feel like i'm not sticking my ass out enough when going down so the pressure is going to my back but other than that i felt good in the gym . BTW I appreciate the guidance here, i registed on BB.com but i was getting somewhat of a run around and was getting confused on what to do.