Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

JelloStorm

JelloStorm

Gunny Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Feb 23, 2010
1,409
4
43
Northeast Pennsylvania
#1
First of all, I'm a pussy. I admit it.

I recently bought a 20lb dumbbell set and have been working on curls and working the biceps and triceps, but I've for too long sat behind a keyboard and monitor for 8 paid hours a day.

I'm sure most of you guys can probably bench me, but I'm a stick and admit it, but at least I'm doing something about it.

Was looking at curl bars tonight at Walmart and they have some Goulds (sp?) Gym ones for $35 and then the weights. I can probably bench 90lbs dead weight but that may be pushing it.

Any advice from the guys that lift? I have a few buddies who have been recently feeding me supplements and protein shakes to help me bulk up.

I'm 185 and 5' 10" so I can't expect much with my frame.
 
#2
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

185lbs and 5'10?
Are you fat? or Big bones?

Before I started training, I was 150lbs for 5'10. I was skinny as shit.

I'm now 176lbs, lean and muscular. I could not bench a single plate at first. I was using 25lbs plates.... I'm now benching 2 plates (225lbs) with ease.

Don't give up and you will have results to be prouds off.

 
#3
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

If youre parked behind a desk all day I recommend every time you use the can knock out 50 push ups to start.
If you get a lunch go for a walk and watch every meal
diet is super important as far as working out at home
I did but its tough so I joined a gym you want a bench swing by its yours. Im no expert but were about the same size and I can tell ya whats worked for me .
 
#4
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

Yeah instead of fastfood every day I grab a side salad and a baked potato and try to cut carbs and calories.

I drink a lot of beer so I have somewhat of a beer gut. I'm not horribly out of shape, like some hardcore MMO games, but I realize that to lug my guns and shit up a mountain, I kinda need to get in better shape. And honestly, I feel great when my arms feel like jello after an hour of lifting some weights so it's kinda nice.
 
#5
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

This is a good beginner's guide, though it does revolve around mostly losing weight, not gaining it. Nonetheless I think it's worth a look.

http://www.liamrosen.com/fitness.html

The key to bulking up is to eat more calories than your body can burn and forcing your body to turn those extra calories into muscle.

You can work all your muscle groups practically with just a bench and some dumb-bells but you want to make sure to work all your muscle groups equally, not just your arms, as this will cause muscle imbalance and potential health problems down the line.

You want to increase how much weight you can lift each week, a 2-5% increase would be good. One thing I learned from my football playing days, you might want to hold off on it though, is to incrementally increase the weight you lift in between sets. So say you're doing curls, instead of doing three sets of 20 lbs, do three sets, one at 15 lbs, one at 20 lbs and the last one at 25 lbs. I've found this helps a lot.

Also, I've noticed it's important when you're doing a specific workout, say curls again, that you shouldn't be able to finish the last rep of the last set because it should be so hard. You should gear your workout to achieve that burn at the end of each workout where your muscles are just totally spent. If you do this, you should see a steady 5% weekly increase in the weight you can lift as opposed to 1-2% if you were to finish your last sets with ease.

The key to any fitness endeavor is consistency, persistence and diligence. No pain, no gain.
 
#6
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

Go slow, work up weights at enough of a pace to make it challenging. Just make sure you "strengthen" connective tissue as you go along. Coming back from an ACL repair a couple years ago I rushed to get back to my previous max weights. Ultimately my connective tissue couldn't handle the load and had another tear shortly after. Be positive and motivated and you'll get to your goals.
 
#7
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Chadwick122689</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Go slow</div></div>

+1 After two ACL replacements and a shoulder reconstruction you need to know your limits.

You'll also need to decide what you are lifting for. Mass and bulk (more weight, less reps) or toning (less weight, more reps). Protein shakes and supplements are probably unnecessary right now. They have their place, but when you are just starting out you probably don't need them. Get a routine that keeps you interested in going back and you'll get results.
 
#8
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

I don't approve of curl bars for beginners.

If you want to get strong you need to look at something like Squats, Deadlifts, Powercleans and other compound lifts push press etc.

Don't waste your time doing bodybuilder workouts until you're at a point where you're really strong, but want to achieve some type of look. That's all you're doing with curls is making your biceps look big, strength improvement with something like that is minimal.

All that said way to go stay motivated and get ripped!
 
#9
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

Listen to what CW said. At this point in the game, you need to build strength, which comes before size. Doing curls & tricep extensions is a waste of your time, IMHO. Squats, dead lifts, bench press & shoulder press are all examples of some serious strength lifts.

However, doing ANYTHING in the gym is a complete waste without good form. I would guess that about 80% of guys I see in the gym have some degree of poor form. Now don't get me wrong, I don't know everything about lifting by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know some things. Full range of motion and using an amount of weight that you can handle while targeting the intended muscle group are two of the most commonly f*cked up things I see. Most guys' egos are bigger than their muscles, and I think that is a big problem in the gym.

Find someone that knows the PROPER way to lift and learn from them (read: not everyone in a particular gym will fit into this category!). As an example, I think that cleans are a fantastic exercise, but I don't know how to do them so I don't because done improperly, they are a waste and can be pretty dangerous.

Good luck & stay motivated. Everyone starts somewhere. You may not be the biggest guy in the gym, but you're also not the smallest - you're in that middle section with ALL the rest of us
grin.gif
.
 
#10
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J-Ham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">However, doing ANYTHING in the gym is a complete waste without good form. I would guess that about 80% of guys I see in the gym have some degree of poor form. Now don't get me wrong, I don't know everything about lifting by any stretch of the imagination, but I do know some things. Full range of motion and using an amount of weight that you can handle while targeting the intended muscle group are two of the most commonly f*cked up things I see. Most guys' egos are bigger than their muscles, and I think that is a big problem in the gym.

Find someone that knows the PROPER way to lift and learn from them (read: not everyone in a particular gym will fit into this category!). As an example, I think that cleans are a fantastic exercise, but I don't know how to do them so I don't because done improperly, they are a waste and can be pretty dangerous.

</div></div>

Couldn't be truer. The form is so much more important to develope than pushing heavy iron. I spent months and months developing good form for squats(lower bar) until I really upped the weight. Good form will be conducive to rapid strength gains for certain.

Of course, I just went to a professional coach who turned me off of low bar squats entirely so now I'm kind of starting from scratch, but I get to start learnin the new form with around 1.25x bodyweight so that's ok
laugh.gif
Feels like starting from scratch though.


Just try to remember op, fitness is more of a mindset than an activity. You struggle with discipline to maintain a healthy diet at first, and eventually it becomes your routine, and then just merely a way of life. The same goes for regular exercise.

Build a good foundation and the rest will come much more easily, and trust me the rewards are so worth it. Before long shitty food will make you sick when you give in to the cravings and eat it. You'll lose your taste for junk, and you'll feel like you can conquer the world when you get out of bed in the morning.

You could never buy that feeling.
 
#11
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COURAGEWOLF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before long shitty food will make you sick when you give in to the cravings and eat it. You'll lose your taste for junk, and you'll feel like you can conquer the world when you get out of bed in the morning.</div></div>
CW, my girlfriend began competing in figure comps last year. After her first show (and 4 months of pretty severe dieting), we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse to celebrate. She ordered the biggest burger they had and was as happy as a school-girl when the waitress brought it to the table. I think she finished about half of it, not due to a lack of appetite, but due to a lack of desire to eat that much fat & grease. She just couldn't do it. However, she did enjoy 2 huge margaritas
grin.gif
(which she definitely earned).
 
#12
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J-Ham</div><div class="ubbcode-body"><div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: COURAGEWOLF</div><div class="ubbcode-body">Before long shitty food will make you sick when you give in to the cravings and eat it. You'll lose your taste for junk, and you'll feel like you can conquer the world when you get out of bed in the morning.</div></div>
CW, my girlfriend began competing in figure comps last year. After her first show (and 4 months of pretty severe dieting), we went out to eat at Texas Roadhouse to celebrate. She ordered the biggest burger they had and was as happy as a school-girl when the waitress brought it to the table. I think she finished about half of it, not due to a lack of appetite, but due to a lack of desire to eat that much fat & grease. She just couldn't do it. However, she did enjoy 2 huge margaritas
grin.gif
(which she definitely earned). </div></div>

You could always post pics with the face blurred out and exif data removed to motivate everyone
laugh.gif


Hahaha
 
#14
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: J-Ham</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I applaud your effort, but I don't see that happening. She's all mine, get your own
grin.gif
. </div></div>

Haha couldn't resist. I've posted pics of my wife on here, but I'm pretty sure that thread is dead
laugh.gif
 
#17
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deadnbrkn84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">CW where do you work out at and shoot at? I'm in Portland also. </div></div>

For the next 6 months or so Foster fitness. My brother and I are saving money for a Pendlay set, and will be trading the gym for a garage platform at that point.

We're primarily doing squats powercleans pullups and deadlifts so paying for a gym is pretty negligible expense in the long run
smile.gif


As far as shooting, I usually go to TCGC, or Browns, I'm probably going to get a membership at Estacada though since they've got the 1k.

Howabout you?
 
#19
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

I lift at 24hr hollywood and shoot at TCGC. I just got my membership there 3 weeks ago. As far as the house of pain shit, my friend works for them as a writer and does all the shows so he throws me stuff now and then. I didn't know Estacada had a 1k.... my friend has a membership there (I'm assuming you mean Estacada rod and gun) and I've never seen anything but the pistol and the 100yrd? Let alone a 1k. Where is that at?
 
#20
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: deadnbrkn84</div><div class="ubbcode-body">I lift at 24hr hollywood and shoot at TCGC. I just got my membership there 3 weeks ago. As far as the house of pain shit, my friend works for them as a writer and does all the shows so he throws me stuff now and then. I didn't know Estacada had a 1k.... my friend has a membership there (I'm assuming you mean Estacada rod and gun) and I've never seen anything but the pistol and the 100yrd? Let alone a 1k. Where is that at? </div></div>

Sorry not the rod and rifle club, but Douglas Ridge. There's a number of forum members here that shoot out there that are pretty accomplished on the thousand yard line.

Haha I was thinking the track racing team House of pain. Nevermind then it wouldn't been a small world thing if that was the case. Jump around!

TCGC is pretty great. I used to go to the practical rifle events all the time down there but it's been a while. I'll definitely start doing that again soon though I'll be at their FEbruary sniper match so long as I don't have some other garbage going on.

Douglas ridge is where the Oregon Sniper challenge is held every year.

Foster Fitness is no 24hour it's kind of ghetto to some extent. However, it's a small gym so if we want to carry our own bumper plates in, or chalk up they don't care. They've got a great Jiu Jitsu coach there and all kinds of ripped metal heads so it kind of feels like home.

We see the owner and trainers at the strip club up the street sometimes hahaha.
 
#21
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

Oh yeah that's Fuller's gym, I met that guy. Nice guy. Definitely the type of place you can chalk up at and go to town. Speaking of up the street.... Good ol' Devils Point. Spent some time there myself
wink.gif
I heard that Douglas Ridge was having some legal issues at the moment from someone at TCGC, (dont know how true that is). Supposedly they kicked someone off the board and out of spite he reported all the "illegal" things they were doing and not keeping certain things up to code etc. (again, dont know how true it is). Anyway I live right by all this stuff on 70th and Division, what about you?
 
#22
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

Im sure its been said but its worth saying again. When you lift, focus on perfect form. It really isolates the muscles. Also, work the negative side to. Example, when you curl control the weights back down, dont just let your arms fall down every time. Stretch. Start your day of with some mild stretches and end it that way. After you run do some good stretches since your muscles are warmed up. Work on getting your heart used to the workouts so when you do lift hard and run fast your heart is beating as fast as it normally would have. I am all about being super strong without being super big. Im 5 "7" and 184. I would like to be 190lbs lean ideally and still run 3 miles in 18 min.
If you want to get there you can. I cut out fast food. I will eat Cliff bars instead if I have to. Its not worth it. Enjoy the results and keep a log. Knowing where your at in the progress scale is huge mentally.
 
#23
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: Fox_111</div><div class="ubbcode-body">185lbs and 5'10?
Are you fat? or Big bones?

Before I started training, I was 150lbs for 5'10. I was skinny as shit.

I'm now 176lbs, lean and muscular. I could not bench a single plate at first. I was using 25lbs plates.... I'm now benching 2 plates (225lbs) with ease.

Don't give up and you will have results to be prouds off.

</div></div>

Haha. Im 5'11 and the last time I was 185 I was a sophomore in high school. I played high school lacrosse and we had a demanding physical regiment starting our sophomore year. I went up to 198 and 6.5% body fat as a senior. Now that I started power lifting and a football like lifting program I'm at 230. Am I fat? NO.

Muscle weights more then fat.....
 
#24
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

I think your off to a good start by admiting that your weak. What I mean by that is like others have said, form is everything. I see alot of guys come into the gym and think there alot stronger than they are so they try to use to much weight and kill there form. You can watch them do dumbbell curls and they sling there arms to get the dumbell up.

Take your time and stick with it. My advice would be to join a gym and find a buddy to work out with. You can help encourge one another and keep each other motivated. When I first started going to the gym one 45 lb weight on each side was about all I could bench press for 3 sets of 10 and my max was maybe 175. Now my max is 360 lbs.

There was another guy who came in the same time everyday as I did so we started working out together. It made alot of difference when I started having someone spot for me.

People always laugh at us when were working out together becouse he is 5' 7" and weighs 132. Im 6' 4" and weigh 250 lbs (no im not fat.

Good luck, take your time and stick with it. Your on the right track.
 
#25
Re: Started lifting. Get ready to laugh!

I know where you are coming from man. I am only 5'8 and 140lbs currently and just getting into working out again. Just remember to take it slow. Gains don't happen in 2 days, and you will only hurt yourself and hinder progress by trying to lift more than you can. I would definitely supplement with protein as well.

This is what I currently do:
I do split parts throughout the week
I also do 10/8/6 reps for 3 sets

Mon&Thurs
Chest & Biceps:
Bench Press
Incline Press
Decline Press
Cable Cross-overs
Preacher Curl
Standing Barbell curl
Cable Curl
Pull-ups

Tues&Fri
Triceps & Back:
Tricep Overhead Press
Cable Pull-Down
Close-Grip Bench Press
Wide-Grip Row
Close-Grip Row
Bent-Over Row

Wed&Sat/Sun
Legs & Shoulders:
Squats
Deadlift
Calf Raises (Machine for 3 sets and 3 sets on Smith rack)
Leg Press
Lunges
Leg Curls
Military Press
Shoulder Press (seated with dumbbells)
Upright Row
Lat Raises

I do abs every day I work out as well. I did almost this same thing freshman year in college, and gained a good 12 lbs of muscle in a few months. Hopefully this helps
 
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