Training A Beginner

[Tom Treutlein]

I'm not going to give the whole background on the situation. I just want to know how to get someone with no training experience to complete:

50 push-ups with proper form
10 strict pull-ups
100 sit-ups
25 parallel dips

I figure, since it's all bodyweight, that training every other day would be ideal. Should I just have them work to failure each day for one set until their max repitions reach these numbers?

Edit: Also, what about getting them to run a 7:00 minute mile, roughly? Running should probably be done on ground-up woodchips or grass, correct? A track coach at my school advised against running on concrete or the road, due to the hard impact.

 

[super_rice]

definately, or if you can access a proper track at a high school or university or something.

what about back extentions, body weight squats? or one legged squats? those would definately help with overall athletic ability

might take a while though, since you said this someone has no experience whatsoever

 

[Lord_Suston]

Why not have them do

Day 1
Run .5 miles at fast pace before workout and after
3x10 push-ups with leg up on chair or bench
3x10 dips

Day 2
Run 1.5 miles at medium pace
3x3 strict pull-ups
3x15 sit-ups

Work up in reps and distance. This is for that type of training

 

[bignate73]

I'm not going to give the whole background on the situation. I just want to know how to get someone with no training experience to complete:

50 push-ups with proper form
10 strict pull-ups
100 sit-ups
25 parallel dips

I figure, since it's all bodyweight, that training every other day would be ideal. Should I just have them work to failure each day for one set until their max repitions reach these numbers?

Edit: Also, what about getting them to run a 7:00 minute mile, roughly? Running should probably be done on ground-up woodchips or grass, correct? A track coach at my school advised against running on concrete or the road, due to the hard impact.

assess his current strength.
max pushups
any attempt at pullups
teach situp form and then see how many
attempt dips or bench dips

then:
see what he is really weak on. and prioritize it.

for pushups, how to progress if very weak.
timed holds in the up position, any chance you can get to build up stabilizing strength. start with half pushups and work your way down. use pauses on the halfs and then 3/4 way down pauses etc. this is how i got my 40something year old mom/housewife/schoolteacher doing full pushups. and she was heavy.

pullups:
timed holds in the up position, half way down, and negatives. work lat pulldowns also, with under and overhand grips. if fairly decent on pullups; throw them in as a rest. "go do 2 perfect pullups and come back." build volume over the course of the workout.

situps:
situps, low reps, high frequency through the workout. build up volume.

dips: start with bench dips.

again, its all about progression. i'm a big advocate in baby steps. i wont do the traditional 3 sets to failure and hope it works. i like to do multiple sets breaking up the workout, breaking up the fatigue too. a set of pushups submaximal effort, go do 3 pullups, come back do situps. main thing is to track progress and push for more each time. not necessarily more reps, maybe drop back the reps and give some weight to the situps, or pulldowns, or deeper pushups etc. get creative and innovative. use progressive overload principles, pyramid schemes etc.

email me the specifics if you'd like, i can work out a sample template that would be interesting and fun.

as for running....you're on you own there. i HATE to run, and thus, have no inclination in learning how to do it better or farther or faster. hehehe.

 

[Carmen]

assess his current strength.
max pushups
any attempt at pullups
teach situp form and then see how many
attempt dips or bench dips

then:
see what he is really weak on. and prioritize it.

i agree with the above.
the best way to get good at something, whether its running, pushups, or squatting, is to do them.
tell him/her to get plenty of rest time, and find their weakness and improve it.

 

[Allon]

He should do 3 sets of each exersize on body weight if he wants to see improvement. I really don't think if he does 1 set of pushups to failure that he will get much better at them, I would go for 2-3 sets at bodyweight almost to failure EOD or E3Days.

 

[Debaser]

I read a good pullup routine on the HST forum somewhere.

Do bodyweight pullups to failure, in good form. Rest 1 minute, then do as many more as you can. Then 30 seconds later, repeat. Then 15 seconds, do one last set. Essentially a rest-pause set.

Do this three times a day, 6 days a week for a month. Switch grips between supinated and pronated (and neutral if possible).

 

[Allon]

I read a good pullup routine on the HST forum somewhere.

Do bodyweight pullups to failure, in good form. Rest 1 minute, then do as many more as you can. Then 30 seconds later, repeat. Then 15 seconds, do one last set. Essentially a rest-pause set.

Do this three times a day, 6 days a week for a month. Switch grips between supinated and pronated (and neutral if possible).

Sounds like a recipe for carpal tunnel sundrome.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

How do you figure?

 

[Allon]

Pullups are harder on the wrists than they are on the back and Bi's. doing 4 sets twice a day to failure 6 days a week, LOL, is a recipe for overtraining, ligament damage, inflamation of the tendons, joints etc...

 

[Tom Treutlein]

There are too many variables to just say it will lead to overtraining, especially in more developed athletes.

You're not going to develop carpal tunnel syndrome from doing pullups to failure multiple times a week. I've done this before and never had problems, so try it out first, before saying anything.

 

[Allon]

Well, once I did pull ups nearly every days and I ended up hurting my wirst. It stayed that way for months. It wasn't carpal tunnel even though the PT said that what I was explaining it felt like sounded like carpel, anyway, I think people should do pull downs until they can get 5 easy reps of pull ups with bodyweight. Regarding experienced athletes it is different, yes.

 

[Debaser]

Well, once I did pull ups nearly every days and I ended up hurting my wirst. It stayed that way for months. It wasn't carpal tunnel even though the PT said that what I was explaining it felt like sounded like carpel, anyway, I think people should do pull downs until they can get 5 easy reps of pull ups with bodyweight. Regarding experienced athletes it is different, yes.

I'm sorry, but your line of thinking is incorrect.

If you hurt your wrist it was the result of a postural dysfunction at a more proximal joint, such as the elbow, which in turn is influenced by your shoulder position. Repetetive strain on a dysfunctional joint results in scar tissue formation and nerve entrapment, and, in this case, wrist pain.

What is far more likely is that you have shoulders that are hinged forward and internally rotated due to tight internal rotators, pecs and other muscles. In turn, your external rotators, not to mention quite a few other muscles, are weak and inhibited.

Pullups are a natural function movement for the body. If you hurt your wrists, it was because a dysfunctional body was doing them.

 

[Allon]

Ok, maybe.

Training to failure 4 sets, twice a day, 6 days a week with pullups is asking for trouble, especially for a beginner.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Debaser, speaking of natural movements for the body, did you not say that upright rows were a bad idea?

I'd like to know what popular gym exercises people use are actually harmful or unnatural.