Q: What
exercise should I do for (insert body part here)? I don't know how to do
(insert exercise here).
A: Generally
speaking, new lifters can benefit more from a full-body routine done multiple
times per week, and based around compound movements. Advanced lifters, who have
the strength, intensity, and mind-muscle connection to handle higher workloads
need more recovery time and so will benefit from a multi-day split. Try this as
a starting point:
0-18 months
lifting: Full-body routine done 3 times per week based around compound
movements.
18-36 months
lifting: Upper Body / Lower Body or Push / Pull split done twice per week (4
lifting days)
36+ months lifting:
3 or 4 day split routine
Q: I want to work out
intelligently and make steady progress. How should I proceed?
A:
- Do some research
and select your routine (see thread listed above as a starting point).
- If you've
selected Starting Strength, HST, or some other established routine, follow it
exactly for a least the first time through.
- Keep a journal
detailing each exercise, how many reps you completed, and what weights you used.
- Each week, focus
on making "progression" from the previous week.
.....Example: If you were
supposed to bench press 180 lbs for 3 sets of 8, then note in your log what you
did.
.....If you did 180x8, 180x8, 180x5 (you couldn't complete the last set of 8),
then the next week try to complete all three sets of 8.
.....Once you have hit 180x8, 180x8, 180x8, then add 5-10 lbs. the next week.
- Every 6 weeks or
so, de-load by dropping all your weights by 50% or take a week off entirely.
The following week, pick up where you left off. This lets you recover from
accumulated fatigue of your muscles and central nervous system.
- Be honest with
yourself. If you can't complete a rep with good form, then don't count it.
Don't add weight if it only means you're compromising your form. You're only
cheating yourself, not impressing anyone else.
Q: What's the difference
between Compound and Isolation exercises and which should I do?
A: Compound
exercises work multiple muscle groups at once (Example: squat, deadlift, bench
press). Isolation exercises work a single muscle or muscle group. (Example:
preacher curls, leg extensions, tricep pressdowns). Try to use compound
exercises as the core of your routine to add mass, and then add specific
isolation exercises to further your specific goals. A common mistake by
beginners is to ignore the majority of the compound exercises and focus too
much on isolation exercises for their "mirror" muscles (biceps, abs,
etc.).
Q: Why are squats and
deadlifts recommended so often?
A: Compound
movements, which work multiple muscle groups at the same time, promote overall
strength and hypertrophy and are very efficient in terms of gym-time. Squats
and Deadlifts are the ones most beginners shy away from since they can be
"intimidating", but they are very beneficial. The primary compound
lifts are:
- Squats
- Deadlifts
- Bench Press
- Rows (barbell,
t-bar, etc.)
- Pullups, Chinups,
& Dips
- Military Press /
Seated Overhead Press
You can and will get big by doing these exercises.
Please learn and use good form on these exercises!
Q: How many sets and reps
should I do of each exercise?
A: There is no
perfect answer, and there is a place for a great variety of set and rep ranges.
Different people and different muscle types respond to different stimulus, so
you should experiment to see what works for you. However, general guidelines
are as follows:
Do 3-5 sets of 4-6
reps to build strength
Do 3-4 sets of 8-10
reps for hypertrophy
Do 4-5 sets of
12-15+ reps for muscular endurance
Your best bet is to
vary your set and rep ranges, since the above is not any sort of
"absolute". You will gain some degree of size and strength by
following the rule of progression with any rep range.
Q: How long should I rest
between sets?
A: This depends on
your goals and the exercise in question. Whatever rest period you choose, try
to keep it constant week to week. This will help you ensure strength gains are not
just the result of longer and longer rest periods. Very generally:
90-120 seconds for
heavy, compound exercises
60-90 seconds for
heavy isolation exercises or medium compound exercises
30-60 seconds for
medium or light weight endurance type sets
Adjust these based
on your own needs once you gain experience.
Q: Is (insert exercise here)
necessary?
A: No. No exercise
is necessary.
Q: I've been working out
regularly and am getting stronger, but I'm not getting any bigger.
A: Eat more.
Seriously.
Q: I've plateaued on (insert
exercise here) what should I do?
A: If you've been
stuck on at a certain weight on a certain exercise for 3-4 weeks in a row then
try this:
- Take a week off,
either entirely or of any work on the muscle group in question.
- Drop your weight
about 20% from where you were stuck
- Each week add
back 5-10 lbs to your lift until you've reached and exceeded your sticking
point.
- Also make sure
you are eating enough and resting enough.
Q: How do I get visible abs?
A: You have to drop
your body fat to see your abs. Forget about mindless repetitions of crunches.
You can't spot reduce fat, you have to drop your overall fat level through
proper nutrition.
Q: What do I do if I can't
do a pullup/chinup (or only a few)?
A: Set a chair under
your pullup bar and place one foot on the chair. As you do a pullup, assist
yourself with your leg just enough to enable you to do the exercise. After you
reach the top, stop using your leg and lower yourself with only your arms (this
is a negative). Repeat. Lat pulldowns will also help, but are not a complete
substitute for practicing with the chair and negatives.
Q: Should I train to
Failure? What does that mean, anyway?
A: Training to
failure means performing an exercise until you cannot physically complete
another repetition. There are many different takes on training to failure.
Generally, this technique works better for advanced lifters, and when used
selectively. It is not necessary to train to failure to grow. If you are
training a muscle group multiple times per week (such as on a multi-day
full-body routine), you will be better stopping 1-2 reps shy of failure and
focusing more on progressing your weight and reps week-to-week. Leave failure
training to those who are advanced enough to know if it works for them.
Q: What's all this stuff
about "Overtraining"?
A: When you train
too often, at too high of an intensity, and don't allow enough recovery time,
you can enter a state called Overtraining. You've essentially over-taxed your
system and need to take a break to recover. Symptoms include: stalling out on
your progression, no desire to train, illness, fatigue, etc.
If you think you're
overtraining...don't worry - you're probably not.
If you still think you're overtraining...don't
worry - you're probably not.
If you still, still think you're overtraining and are too
tired to even worry about it - maybe you are. Deload.
Q: I may have an injury.
(State nature of injury). What should I do?
A: Give it some
rest, ask your mother, or see a doctor. Nobody can diagnose you over the
internet and you're likely to hurt yourself further by listening to bad advice.
DISCLAIMER: Many people have made
strength and size gains with almost any type of program, split, rep range,
program frequency, etc. Nothing is absolute, and no strategy is perfect for
everyone. Don't be afraid to research, ask questions, and experiment to
determine what's right for you.
