3 Main tips for beginners

[gerry.]

im not sure if you remember the conversation we had regarding your max lifts on the big 3.Im basing my assumption that you barely train them based on the numbers you said.they are beginner numbers or you barely train it.
im not a top lifter nor a guru nor do i look that great but its pretty obvious that you put your efforts in elsewhere.

im merely stating an opinion.you train a different way.
would i advise someone who was beginning to train like that?.no..i wouldnt.but i would of course assess the persons age,and physical capability.

also i realise as serious bodybuilders develop and compete,they may want to drop the compound movements for aesthetic reasons.thats after they have built up a base though.right?

 

[Jungnaut]

C'mon if you're an absolute beginner you can train any way you like, even mimic a chimpanzee but with dumbells in your hand and still get some 'gainz'. That beautiful, noobie effect. But it sure as hell won't last very long (6 months?) until eventually, a more structured approach based on compound lifts would be needed for progress - with some isolation/single joint movements thrown in to target specific weaknesses.

 

[spartacus]

I've never like the full body approach and put on on 30kgs over the yeas with the split.
I don't believe it makes that much difference.

I agree with that; should not make much difference which way you do it as both enable progress assuming fundamentals right (intensity, rest and nutrition).

 

[Rugby88]

Train for your goal - the whole only train compound movements 3 days a week etc is pretty much reverse bro-science haha - Yes I believe a beginner should start out basic and branch off into other things BUT saying that as I mentioned train towards your goal....always try and include the 3/4 main lifts as much as possible but they are not going to make or break your results....

As a beginner consistency, volume, intensity, diet is the key - not the bench, squad, deadlift.....even though I think they should be include into most training programs or at least variations of - as I said they will not make or break you....

 

[spartacus]

Train for your goal - the whole only train compound movements 3 days a week etc is pretty much reverse bro-science haha - Yes I believe a beginner should start out basic and branch off into other things BUT saying that as I mentioned train towards your goal....always try and include the 3/4 main lifts as much as possible but they are not going to make or break your results....

As a beginner consistency, volume, intensity, diet is the key - not the bench, squad, deadlift.....even though I think they should be include into most training programs or at least variations of - as I said they will not make or break you....

This 100%.

My opinion, looking back on 35 years of observation, smartest trainer I ever saw in bb terms was Gary Lewer. Could not give a fuck about big three exercises. He trained light, intense, and one of the best bbs Australia has ever produced.

Other top bbs, however, are consumed by the heavy weights mindset, and will always tell you how strong they are in the big two at least, bench and squats.

 

[Grunta]

This 100%.

My opinion, looking back on 35 years of observation, smartest trainer I ever saw in bb terms was Gary Lewer. Could not give a fuck about big three exercises. He trained light, intense, and one of the best bbs Australia has ever produced.

Other top bbs, however, are consumed by the heavy weights mindset, and will always tell you how strong they are in the big two at least, bench and squats.

Boom..
My friend trained Sonny Schmidt, same story, Sonny never worried about big lifts, loved the peckdeck and isolation exercises and the kunce was a world calss BBer.
Many here use the term "lift", I dont, rather than using the muscle to lift the weight, I use the weight to train the muscle.
Still get strong, I still bench and squat reps with 3 plates on each side of the bar, but it was not my primary goal.

 

[gerry.]

Boom..
My friend trained Sonny Schmidt, same story, Sonny never worried about big lifts, loved the peckdeck and isolation exercises and the kunce was a world calss BBer.
Many here use the term "lift", I dont, rather than using the muscle to lift the weight, I use the weight to train the muscle.
Still get strong, I still bench and squat reps with 3 plates on each side of the bar, but it was not my primary goal.

Sonny was an islander tho and those guys have great genetics for bodybuilding.The ones that ive seen and been around have big legs naturally.while the little half caste here has to spend countless hours torturing myself in the squat rack to get anything.they could probably walk past the gym on their way to kfc and put on muscle mass.

 

[Grunta]

Sonny was an islander tho and those guys have great genetics for bodybuilding.The ones that ive seen and been around have big legs naturally.while the little half caste here has to spend countless hours torturing myself in the squat rack to get anything.they could probably walk past the gym on their way to kfc and put on muscle mass.

Also had good asthetics, small waist, wrists and ankles, looked good.

 

[gerry.]

Train for your goal - the whole only train compound movements 3 days a week etc is pretty much reverse bro-science haha - Yes I believe a beginner should start out basic and branch off into other things BUT saying that as I mentioned train towards your goal....always try and include the 3/4 main lifts as much as possible but they are not going to make or break your results....

As a beginner consistency, volume, intensity, diet is the key - not the bench, squad, deadlift.....even though I think they should be include into most training programs or at least variations of - as I said they will not make or break you....

well you are big and pretty strong so what you say holds weight.

also what ive found when ive had my training interrupted,once i had compound lifting in my routine,i can recover what ive lost faster.muscle memory is quicker.
i used to just do isolation movements when i started weight training again.i only started squatting a few years ago,i certainly noticed the difference with the stop start nature of my routine.

 

[spartacus]

I saw sonny squat 7 plates at findlays. The best and strictest squat I ever saw, completely controlled on way down and with perfect form.

Findlays plates were 18.3kg each, as lost rubber edges, so works out to be 276kg.


But, you are right, don't think sonny was ever hat bothered about heavy weights, although he did at times train heavy with Chris Ross.

Grunta, are you Chris Ross?

 

[gerry.]

This 100%.

My opinion, looking back on 35 years of observation, smartest trainer I ever saw in bb terms was Gary Lewer. Could not give a fuck about big three exercises. He trained light, intense, and one of the best bbs Australia has ever produced.

Other top bbs, however, are consumed by the heavy weights mindset, and will always tell you how strong they are in the big two at least, bench and squats.

i have to google this man.

i saw this little jacked guy doing bodyweight only exercises at the gym the other day.he was short but looked like he had a good physique.lol he said lifting weights was a waste of time.

that was the end of that conversation.

 

[spartacus]

don't get me wrong, Lewer trained hard, but form was very strict.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eLUifwNdKio

 

[Goosey]

Te pectorrrals don't do the work in a barbell bench press

 

[spartacus]

First time I saw sonny, when he was much smaller, I told one Mr Australia I just saw a guy who could place top 6 in Olympia as he had an incredible structure.

Of course, the little mr Australia could only say to me sonny 'is shit'.

That as the day I lost all respect for the mr Australia and his bullshit. Just a jealous prick.

anyway, I was proven right. Sonny got top 6 in the O. If his upper body thickness had matched his legs, he would have been top 3.

 

[Grunta]

Grunta, are you Chris Ross?

No not me, mate.
My friend and training partner Big Franky as he is known, traind Sonny.

 

[spartacus]

Grunta, did you ever train at findlays or roccos' gym in Collingwood?

 

[Grunta]

Grunta, did you ever train at findlays or roccos' gym in Collingwood?

Yes mate, started at roccos for a brief period before he made some bad investments and move to caulfield.
Fark we're going back in history here mate, you this fuken old too?

 

[spartacus]

yes, I was there in 1988 and 1989, I am 53 now.

Roccos was a great gym.

Adrian kink was there, my best mate Dave Elliott met him there.

Was big Frank the guy who could bench 4-5 plates, and also a bouncer at esplanade. This Frank was quiet and friendly, but a tough guy.

 

[Grunta]

yes, I was there in 1988 and 1989, I am 53 now.

Roccos was a great gym.

Adrian kink was there, my best mate Dave Elliott met him there.

Was big Frank the guy who could bench 4-5 plates, and also a bouncer at esplanade. This Frank was quiet and friendly, but a tough guy.

Fuck me, its a small world, Yep, that's Frank.
We could bore the shit out of these kunce on here forever, with stories how great the good old days were.

 

[steveP]

Really curious about the first one - avoid isolation exercises. Now, if you want to get huge, I understand.

But what about if your aim is simply to add some shape? For example, if a reasonably skinny guy just focuses on biceps, pecs and maybe the tops of shoulders - wouldn't that make a noticeable difference?

OK, you're not going to get MASSIVE, but wouldn't that require less volume, less food and less time?

Asking for a friend...

Focus on getting strong when you're beginning. If you just focus on arms or chest, you will make yourself look proportionally weird. I see it all the time in the gym. The same guys come in and train arms every second day, and nothing else. And their arm size is average at best. If you focus on making your entire body strong, each muscle group will grow on its own.

Like others have said, after 6-12 months you will need a more structured plan, but until then, you will make some good gains doing a full body or half body workout each training session.

I would be doing the main compound lifts once a week, and then do isolation exercises after once the muscle is a bit fatigued.