q's about lifting for the first time

[Djames]

Hey all. My friend wants to start lifting, and I like to think of myself as being fairly knowledgeable about lifting. I'm 17 and he's 16. I've been lifting for 3 years and I was taught by my swimming coach, and I also lift for MMA. Anyway, he got word from his cousin that before you lift at the gym for the first time, you should do exercises at home that don't isolate muscles but rather help you find out what the "ache" feels like at a more gradual pace; like push ups, sit-ups dips squats etc.. He also says that if you go straight to the gym, even if you have a teacher telling you correct form, that you could screw up your form because you didn't give your muscles a "foundation". I happen to have just jumped into lifting at the gym, and I was taught correct form, and I feel like I've made great progress. He doesn't trust me really because his cousin got this information from some Arnold schwarzenegger book. I don't see anything wrong with going to the gym, being taught correct form and using light weights at the beginning to start off. So, I'd like to know from you guys if what he says to do at home first is necessary or helps you at all, or is it ok to go into the gym if you have never seriously lifted before. Sorry for the lengthy post. Thanks in advance!

 

[TSO]

Read the stickies above, there are a lot of fully broken down programs. IMO, you need to do a program based on compound movements. Isolation movements are for people who already have a strong base and need to make minor changes.

Oh, and don't read M&F and magazines like that, they will only confuse a young lifter in what you should be doing.

 

[Mercere]

What do you mean "I also lift for MMA." ? Do you lift for MMA or for another reason?

 

[Creepusmaximus]

Read the stickies above, there are a lot of fully broken down programs. IMO, you need to do a program based on compound movements. Isolation movements are for people who already have a strong base and need to make minor changes.

Oh, and don't read M&F and magazines like that, they will only confuse a young lifter in what you should be doing.

I second that. Go for the compound moves. Don't get caught up in some weird program.

 

[mad dipz]

Hey all. My friend wants to start lifting, and I like to think of myself as being fairly knowledgeable about lifting. I'm 17 and he's 16. I've been lifting for 3 years and I was taught by my swimming coach, and I also lift for MMA. Anyway, he got word from his cousin that before you lift at the gym for the first time, you should do exercises at home that don't isolate muscles but rather help you find out what the "ache" feels like at a more gradual pace; like push ups, sit-ups dips squats etc.. He also says that if you go straight to the gym, even if you have a teacher telling you correct form, that you could screw up your form because you didn't give your muscles a "foundation". I happen to have just jumped into lifting at the gym, and I was taught correct form, and I feel like I've made great progress. He doesn't trust me really because his cousin got this information from some Arnold schwarzenegger book. I don't see anything wrong with going to the gym, being taught correct form and using light weights at the beginning to start off. So, I'd like to know from you guys if what he says to do at home first is necessary or helps you at all, or is it ok to go into the gym if you have never seriously lifted before. Sorry for the lengthy post. Thanks in advance!

Whether he does bodyweight exercises like pushups, he's still going to feel an ache if he's just starting out. All the soreness is after your first workout is your muscles adapting to the new stress. After a week or two it will go away. He's going to be much better off building a foundation using weighted compound movements with a teacher teaching him correct form. Hell, just buy him Starting Strength by Mark Rippetoe, a must-read for beginners. IMO Heavy Squats and milk will build a better foundation than pushups, situps, etc.


Tell your friend's cousin that he's a bitch.