From: wagner@kuhub.cc.ukans.edu
Newsgroups: misc.fitness
Subject: My plan Re:Beginner Program
Date: 7 Jan 93 00:57:37 CST
Organization: University of Kansas Academic Computing Services

In article <003695s.215.726361166@axe.acadiau.ca>, 003695s@axe.acadiau.ca (STEPHANE ANDRE SAVOIE) writes:
>   Well, as it must be obvious by the subject line, I'm a beginner who needs 
> a program.  I figure I can go down to our well-equiped gym about 4 times per 
> week.  My main goad is to gain weight, where the main problem is that I'm 
> allergic to eggs and asthmatic (although not seriously so).  I'm a 5'8" 125 
> pound male.  You figure it out.
>   So, anyone know a good beginner program?
> ---Steph


	Well, this is a plan that I use with some success. I have been lifting
for about 5 months and have gained about 10-15 lbs of muscle (only an
estimation taking into consideration loss of fat due to exercise.) 

	Frequency:	4 days/week
	Length:		2 hours/exercise day
	Warmup:		20 min on some type of aerobic machine
	Schedule:	M Upper T Lower W relax T Upper F Lower Sat/Sun Relax

				Upper Body Day

	Warmup!
	Bench Press:	5 sets / 12 reps increasing weight
	Pec Deck:	5 sets / 12 reps 1st light rest normal
	Lat Pulldowns:	5 sets / 12 reps 1st slightly lighter rest normal
	Tricep Pushdown:5 sets / 12 reps 1st light last heavy@8 reps
	Rows:		5 sets / 12 reps increasing weight
	Curls:		5 sets / 12 reps 1st light rest normal
	Reverse Sittups:3 sets / 12 reps use weight if desired
	Ab Crunches:	3 sets / 25 reps same weight


				Lower Body Day

	Warmup!
	Hamstring Curl:	5 sets / 12 reps 1st light last heavy@8 reps
     	Quad Curl:	5 sets / 12 reps 1st light
	Deltoid Press:	5 sets / 10 reps 1st light last heavy@8 reps
	Calf Curls:	5 sets / 12 reps 1st light rest normal
	Squats:		5 sets / increasing weight


	If you follow:
	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thu	Fri	Sat	Sun
	Upper	Lower	Off	Upper	Lower	Off	Off

	then you will have plenty of time for the different groups to recover,
which is the most important part of lifting for weight gains. The muscle only
grow when they are healing. If you overdue it they will not get a chance to
heal. This will not only not give them a chance to grow, but it may even cause
them to shrink, or worse yet be damaged.

	I use machines for all of my exercises because I am yet to find a
lifting partner who I can depend on to come 4days/week. Everyone needs
consistancy for a program, to work. I use Universal machines.

	Bench Press for the chest and triceps.

	Pek Dek is the machine that you sit down on and squieze the padded arms
in front of you. For chest.

	Lat Pulldowns are the machine where sit on the floor and pull the bar
attached to a cable down to the back of your neck. Use a wide grip. For
laterals along the sides of you rib cage, and for the upper back.

	Tricep Pushdowns are the same machine as the lat pulldown except you
stand up an grab the same bar with a close grip and press down keeping your
elbows near your sides, don't let them climb up. For triceps.

	Rows are performed while seated at a machine that has a short bar
connected to a cable that you use a shoulder wide grip on and pull back and
forth with smooth slow strokes. Be careful on this one. Quick jerky motions
can throw your back out easily. This exercise is for your back mostly. The
arms play some part also. Use a long stroke going forward far but bending your
back just far enough tho touch the bar to your navel. Think of rowing a boat
when doing this one. It is the same motion. For back and arms.

	Curls can be done on various machines or with single dumbells. Choose
the machine or whatever that you feel most comfortable with. Do not overload
the weight on this one as you can easily damage your elbows. For biceps.

	Reverse situps can be done by hanging vertically with your face to the
floor. Sitbackwards as high as possible. If you wish to use a weight hold it
against your chest. For glutes and lower back.

	Crunches are overglorified sittups. I use a machine that keeps a
consistant weight on me.(via a cable attached to two rings I hold while sitting
in the machine and sitting up forward) The machine is like a chair that you sit
in and do situps. Concentrate on your lowere abs. For abdominals.

	Hamstring curls are on a machine you lie flat face down on and curl
with your legs. You pull the padded bar up to your butt. Do not neglect this
area! For hamstrings.

	Quad curls are the same as hamstring curls but you sit up and curl
forward with your quadriceps. For quadriceps.

	Deltoid press is where you sit on a stool and press a bar from behind
your head up. This one is very hard at first. For deltoids. (shoulders)

	Calf curls can be done many ways. The way I use is to use the squat
machine and stand up with the weight on me, and my feet on the edge of a steady
object in order to elevate me. Slowly move youself up and down with your
calfes. Stretch them out extremely well for at least 5 minutes before doing
this one. They are very easily damaged. For calfes.

	Squats :-( are performed by placing a weight on your shoulders and
lifting the weight with you legs, back, and just about everything else up. This
one hurts like hell. Few if anyone likes to do squats, even though they are the
best exercise for gaining mass in the legs and back. Do not lock out the knees
on either this or the calf raises unless you enjoy knee and hip surgery!!! For
legs and back.
 	
	The schedule hits all of the major areas. The best way to lift is to
involve large groups of muscles (ex: back, entire legs, entire arms.) If you
put too much stress on an individual muscle then you are probably also putting
too much strain on the joint that supports that muscle. Use caution!!!

	Muscles need about 2-3 days to heal before you should target them
again. The lower day is much more demanding on you because it involves larger
muscles and follows the upper day. Force yourself to plow through the squats.
Noone like them but they must be done. In fact leg days suck! (Hurt like hell,
mentally!)

	When you first start you will be very sore. This is normal for a
beginner. Although you should not be in pain, just sore. (Yes there is a
difference, believe it or not!:-) You will not be nearly as sore after about
2-3 weeks of the program. So don't skip days or quit!!!!!!!!!!!!

	Always use slow smooth controled motions when performing any of these
excercises. If you do not then you are not getting the most benefit out of your
sets. Out of control exercises can cause much damage to joints and muscles.
Never use more weight than you are capable of. This is difficult when all of
those "big" guy are using 500lbs for their one armed curls and you are using
5lbs. DON'T TRY TO IMPRESS!!!! This can only get you injured.

	Never miss a day. Of course this is impossible, but every day you miss
will take a week or two to make up. If you are pressed for time cut down to 3
sets each. 

	Never cut out the warmup. This is where you get your body's blood
flowing and your muscle warmed up. Skip the warm up and you will get little
done. Plus it helps control those secret fat deposits only you will know about.
You need to keep you heart rate at about 60%-70% of it's max for the 20 minutes
to really do any good.

	The time it will take is only an estimation for me. I take breaks long
enough for me to be able to do my next set. You will feel when you are ready to
move to the next exercise.

	DRINK TONS OF WATER!!! I cannot stress anough how important it is to
drink as much water as possible. Dehydration is the main reason I poop out
early when I do (which only happens when you first begin or if you are coming
back after a break.) 

	Also stop eating trash. Read the fat and carbo contents of everything
you eat. Stay away from foods high in fat, they will bog you down and make you
gain fat. Eat lots of protien and carbs to ensure that you get the energy
needed to go to the Gym. Also start taking a multi-vitamin everyday. 

	The most important thing to remember though is to stick with it. Laying
of for a few days will become addictive. You must always go. You should notice
changes in about a 5 weeks. You will notice muscle growth in about 10 weeks.
Everyone else will notice in about 4 months. Yes, it is a long process.Those
pictures of muscle bound titans are people who have been lifting for around
ten-twenty years. It isn't overnight. DON'T QUIT!

	For more inspiration buy one the "muscle" books in the book store. Once
you read a little about it you will better understand how. Also after going to
the gym for a few weeks you will begin to "feel" what works and what doesn't.
Follow those "feelings." Use the force, Luke. You will know what I mean.





	I am not a professional or a doctor, so do not hold anything in this
posting as God's law on bodybuilding. These are just what I use. If you don't
like what I say then don't use it. Get creative, but be very careful. 

	Of course, consult a doctor before you start any program. Sometimes
there are health risks hiding that could sneak up and bite you when you least
expect it.


					Happy Lifting.


WHAT!!! One more set? A    R    G    H    !   !   !   !   !