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1 Corinthians 6:19
What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
Newbie's Guide to Developing Strength & Size
By Troy"
Awwsum" Pearsall
Most neophytes don't
know how to get started in bodybuilding they
spend many years doing the wrong things before
they learn what exactly the right things are. In
this article I will address one of the mistakes
the newbie's make and give a simple antidote to
the problem of developing strength and size as a
bodybuilder.
I think before we go any further its important
to understand that strength training for a
bodybuilder is not the same as for other
athletes. A bodybuilder must develop strength
while building muscle size, shape and endurance,
and on many occasions these goals are exclusive
of each other. So let's start this discussion
with how to choose the correct weight.
What
does your trainer mean when he says light weight
or moderate or heavy? How do you know by the
weight what rep count you should use? I try to
simplify this all too confusing problem in just
a few lines.
Everyone get confused about what is heavy
weight, what is moderate weight and what is
light weight. I will try clear this up for you
right now. Heavy weight is any amount that is so
heavy that on your first set you can only
complete 6 to 8 reps. I think it goes to reason
that on your second and third set you will not
be able to complete as many.
Moderate weight is any amount that is so heavy
that on your first set you can only complete 8-
12 reps. Of course less on the following sets
Light weight is any amount that is so heavy that
on your first set you can only complete 15-25
reps
Now there is one more thing that I want to
address that is strength. understand this, just
because you are getting bigger does not mean you
are getting stronger; however, if you are
getting stronger you are getting bigger even if
you can't see the size increase! Finally, train
to get stronger, but not for strength, if you
understand the principles of the Progressive
Resistance System this will make more sense |
Disclaimer |
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The four days per week workout The four days per
week is called a split routine, because the body
is split into four sections Unlike a lot of
trainers I think there is a relationship between
growth and total amount of sets completed in a
week's time. On the three day routine you had 9
set for chest, back and quads, and six set for
shoulders. In this routine the weekly sets will
range between 12 and 16 per body part.
In no way do I advocate the High Intensity
Training (HIT) methods that you'll find in all
over the internet. I don't deny how well it
works; I just feel much of the injury throughout
my career has come as a result of working out
with too much intensity. Age and wisdom has
taught me to the never to even advocate the
negative or forced reps for any reason I
personally call them injury reps! But let move
on to what I think will work. |
Some important things
to understand about this routine
1. Workouts are never longer than 1 hour!
Never!
2. Dips are done with no weight, except "bench dips"
if you have a partner
3. "Max" represents the most you can do correctly(
never do forced reps)
4. Unless I specify dumbbells, use only barbells for
the exercises
5. Shoulder press are done to the front of the chest
not behind the neck
See article my
article on shoulder injuries
6. Lat pull downs are done at shoulder width never
wider and only to the front of the chest.
7. Seated row are done either on a seated row
machine or on seated on a low cable row machine. If
doing them on a low cable row machine lean forward
only enough to full extend your arms keep lower back
arched. Never let the shoulders roll forward
for that "extra stretch" Pull back as far as
you can with arms and then use muscles in upper back
to roll shoulders rearward for complete contraction.
8. Barbell curls are done in smoothly never jerky or
fast. The bar should never appear to stop either at
the top or bottom positions
9. Leg press are done with full range of motion your
calf should touch your hamstring at the stretched
position.
10. Leg curls should be contracted until heel
touches you butt.
11. Seated calf raises this exercise is harder than
it appears. Calf should get a full stretch at the
bottom of the movement, and completely contracted at
the top.
12. Warm up and cool down with about 10 t 15 minutes
of stationary bike or ski machine. I only do low or
no impact aerobics, never run, never stairs, never
treadmill, of course you must do what works best for
you!
13. Stretch only after you have completed the
workout and only for the muscles worked that day.
Workout 1 Monday
Dips 4 set of 8-12 reps
Bench press 4 set of 8-12 reps
Dumbbell Shoulder Press 4 set of 8-12 reps
Shoulder Shrugs 4 set of 8-12 reps
Workout 2 Tuesday
Pull Ups 4sets of 6-8 Reps
Lat pull downs 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Seated Rows 4 sets of 8-12 reps Seated Calf
Raises 4 sets of 15-25 reps
Workout 3 Thursday (after one day rest)
Hack Squats 4 sets of 15-25 reps Leg Press 4sets
of 15-25 reps
Leg Curls 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Standing Calf Raises 4 sets of 15-25 reps
Workout 4 Friday
Barbell Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps Dumbbell
Curls 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Bench Dips 4 sets of 8-12 Reps
Close Grip Bench Press 4 sets of 8-12 reps
Next
what to do when you have 6 months to a year in
training experience
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