If you are looking to get into weight training but not to sure how to go about doing it, these basic steps should get you going. Even the more advanced trainee may get some useful tips from this!
A: Begin by sticking to the basics:
Basic exercises, basic routine, with a basic safe rep / set scheme. If you have no injuries or chronic postural problems, you should start off your programme by practising the movements of your exercises with just your body weight or a light stick for the first few weeks. How many weeks depends on how often you practise and how neurologically efficient you are.
You want to use exercises such as squats, dead lifts, rows, pulls, dips, bench press, overhead press and arm curls. You can look these exercises up on YouTube. Start off by doing higher reps and less sets at the beginning.
So, for example, for the first month you could use 15-20 reps of 2-3 sets using your body weight.
By the second month you could use 12-15 reps for 3 sets using a 60% load.
By the third month you could use 10-12 reps for 3-4 sets using a 70% load.
Use a moderate 2-0-2 tempo (speed of movement) for all three months, and work up from there.
B: Practice better eating habits:
Cut out, or at least reduce your intake of junk foods, sodas, sugary cereals, refined foods and microwave dinners. Get into the habit of eating organic food as much as possible, and eating what’s right for you (metabolic typing finds this out for you), which is what I do.
Also, be prepared for an increase in your appetite, and take on the responsibility to satisfy it.
Start drinking more pure water in the correct amount for your body weight.
As an example, an 80kg person would need 2.64 litres of water a day (minimum). I work it out like this: 80kg×0.033 =2.64.
C: Have clear-cut training goals:
For example:
- I will be 5kg heavier by 31th of December 2015.
- I’ll have a 170kg deadlift by the 30th of July.
Get into the habit of recording your workouts with a diary of some sort; I have been doing this for the last five years or so. It helps me to have more focus and gives my workouts more purpose, as I’m trying to “out do” myself at every workout by lifting more or doing more reps, etc.
With these three simple steps you will be on your way to making decent gains in the gym, and getting rid of the frustrations of not making any progress. I know, I have been there!