New..looking for basic start

Hogs106

New member
I'm 20 years old. 5'10 150lbs. I never lifted in a gym but recently joined. I'm tired of being skinny and weak. I dont have very much muscle. I went today but felt out of place because i didnt know what to do. I did some curls and ran on the tred. Any advice about what i should do. I'm trying to gain weight and muscle.
UPDATE 1-20-07

Been Lifting 3 times a week since last post Nov.1st. I'm at 165lbs. 15 lbs in 2 months 20 days. I'm bulking and using the 5x5 in the gym. Lifts have been going up slowly. Didnt get a personal trainer and still thinking about it. Short way to my goal, but it wont happen over night.
 
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maybe a personal trainer to get you started...so you can learn proper form. Find a friend that lifts if you can and work with him/her.

you could pick up Arnold encyclopedia of bodybuilding..that has tons of information to get you started.
 
na you dont need a personal trainer if you discovered this site. serch the training forum, esp some of the stickied stuff...they have tons of routines that you could chose from. find one that suits your goals that you want to acomplish. also, you could post a workout journal and have people critique stuff that you do...
 
evansss said:
na you dont need a personal trainer if you discovered this site. serch the training forum, esp some of the stickied stuff...they have tons of routines that you could chose from. find one that suits your goals that you want to acomplish. also, you could post a workout journal and have people critique stuff that you do...

Yeh, it's great to get a handful or different workout routines...but he doesn't know what proper form is or maybe how to do most of the lifts. He needs someone, in person, to help him get started...either a trainer or possibly a friend that lifts
 
Thanks for the help. I found a lot of great stuff on this web site. I don't have anyone to go to the gym with because all my friends have to work all day and thats when i have time to go. I might get a personal trainer, but hope i dont have to because of costs.
 
I would get a trainer to get you started. You are going to waste a lot of time if you try and learn from the internet right off the bat with no workout knowledge.

Get someone to show you around the gym, how to use the machines and weights, then go from there. Once you get comfortable in the gym, then we can start suggesting programs for you.

What type of gym did you join? Maybe you can take some pics of the equipment inside, so we can see what you have to work with.
 
I joined a YMCA near my house. It has free weights, tri cept,chest,back machines, tred mills, stair stepper, benches incline and flat. squat racks leg curl machine, ab machines, curl bars. Im guessing pretty much everything i need just dont know where to begin from the number of sets and reps to what machines on what days. I'm also trying to eat a bulk diet. does that affect what things i should be doing?
 
Give us some background...

Have you ever worked out before?
Do/Did you play any sports?
What are your goals?
 
I played freshmen football. I also played hockey since i was 3 years old till 18 years old. I never worked out till freshman year and only worked what the coach put on board. Bench, Squat, Dead ligt, Clings, Curls with dumb bells. Thats about it though. 3 sets of ten for everything. thats what my coach wanted. After that I quit because i didnt get to play and all the other guys were bigger and better. Hockey I played till the end of highschool. I am now 2 years out of high school and have been lazy since.I thought if i just sat around the house and ate that I would get bigger, but that hasn't been working. My Goal weight is in the 220lb range. I know thats a Huge gain but thats where i want to be. I'm willing to try anything to get to this weight.
 
Hogs106 said:
I played freshmen football. I also played hockey since i was 3 years old till 18 years old. I never worked out till freshman year and only worked what the coach put on board. Bench, Squat, Dead ligt, Clings, Curls with dumb bells. Thats about it though. 3 sets of ten for everything. thats what my coach wanted. After that I quit because i didnt get to play and all the other guys were bigger and better. Hockey I played till the end of highschool. I am now 2 years out of high school and have been lazy since.I thought if i just sat around the house and ate that I would get bigger, but that hasn't been working. My Goal weight is in the 220lb range. I know thats a Huge gain but thats where i want to be. I'm willing to try anything to get to this weight.

so you've already been through basic types of exercises....shit i didnt get a trainer when i started, just used an old ass book i found in my house with pictures to guide me thru...i mean you can go the trainer route, but as a trainer myself, i know that alot of these guys dont know much. you'll be able to have sombody to watch your form which is very important however but again the cost is a big factor. i know trainers in my area are at least 80/hour if not more. . . and the good ones will be upwards of 100+
 
Those are the backbone to any decent routine. Focus your workouts around those and you are off to a good start.

How many days per week do you want/ are you able to go to the gym?
 
However many days i need to. This is my main goal so im putting it first. How many days is the best?
 
try starting with a 2day on-1-2 days off...rest is very important in the growing aand recovery process. Since you already know how to do the basic mass building exercises..i'd work off those. I might even, if i were you...spend one day doing nothing but bench...maybe 8-12 sets of 8-12 reps...then the next day, do the same thing with deadlifts...and one more day for squats. I'd do this for a week or two...and watch what other guys are doing...then add an exercise to the current lifting routine and divide up the work load between the two exercises. This way, you can track you progress of what you know, and start experimenting with other exercises slowly to break you into the groove. For starting...i'd stay away from machines...they are too easy to use and keep you from developing those important stabilizing muscles. I'd also try and stick with the big movements similar to the ones you know as opposed to doing a bunch of dumbbell curls (instead do barbell curls)...That's where i'd start
 
Aczech said:
. I might even, if i were you...spend one day doing nothing but bench...maybe 8-12 sets of 8-12 reps...then the next day, do the same thing with deadlifts...and one more day for squats.

not a great idea.
 
evansss said:
not a great idea.

Why not man? I worked on a ship when i started lifting...all i did was floor press, deadlift and squat from a book i find. I worked on prefect form and within a month of being off the ship and working out on land...my deadlifts were awesome and i packed on some meat just doing the basic lifts. I think i gained almost ten pounds in a few months time without any supplements of any sort other than pbj sandwiches and ship food.
 
I'm 20 years old. 5'10 150lbs. I never lifted in a gym but recently joined. I'm tired of being skinny and weak. I dont have very much muscle. I went today but felt out of place because i didnt know what to do. I did some curls and ran on the tred. Any advice about what i should do. I'm trying to gain weight and muscle.
UPDATE 1-20-07

Been Lifting 3 times a week since last post Nov.1st. I'm at 165lbs. 15 lbs in 2 months 20 days. I'm bulking and using the 5x5 in the gym. Lifts have been going up slowly. Didnt get a personal trainer and still thinking about it. Short way to my goal, but it wont happen over night.
 
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