Tonight will be my first night at the gym to finally hit the weights (everyone hear rtestes cheering!!!). Given all the reading I have done on different exercises, etc, I am still not sure about what my 3 day split should include and what exercises I should do on each day.

My weightlifting days will are Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday. All lifting will be done in the PM after work (I do cardio in the AM). Below are the machines available to me in the gym at my apartment complex. There is also an adjustable chair/bench and a dumbell rack (2lb-60lb). There are no other free weights except for the dumbells.

Lat Machine
Seated Row Machine (vertical and horizontal grip)
Seated Bench Press Machine (vertical and horizontal grip)
Seated Military Press Machine (vertical and horizontal grip)
Leg Extension Machine
Leg Press Machine

I am looking for some help putting together a 3 day split workout program given the above that is available to me.

Thanks!

Pug

Since lifting is new to you, I would start with a full body workout for a few weeks/months. Something along the lines of:

Dumbbell chest press (on the flat bench)
Seated military press (palms facing out)
Seated rows
Lat pulldowns
Any dumbbell tricep exercise like kickbacks or overheard extensions
Dumbbell curls
Leg press

I would aim for 3 sets of each exercise, anywhere from 6-12 reps.

Last night I went to the gym and did the following:

Seated Military Press - 3 sets: 12x, 10x 8x
Seated Bench Press - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Lat Pull Down (closer grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Lat Pull Down (wider grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Seated Rows (vertical grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Seated Rows (horizontal grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x

I could feel the workout in my arms A LOT. I thought maybe I was using too much arm for some of them. I went slow and used light weight (although it was heavier than I expected!). I focused on form but I was really tense since it was my first time lifting weights since sophomore year of high school (way back in 1996!). My arms are sore already, not aching sore, but a nice burn sore. I am not sure if I did everything too fast or what, but it only took me 20 minutes to go through everything above. I rested for like 1 minute between exercises and 30 seconds between sets, if that.

Comments? Feedback? Suggestions? I am new to lifting so any response would be welcomed!

Sounds like you got a good start there. As you get more experience, you'll learn more about what to expect from your body. I think you are wise to focus on form at the beginning. Learn how each motion should go, and do it in a controlled manner. Don't watch other people, many people don't know what they are doing and they injure themselves because their form is terrible.

One suggestion I might offer. I see that for each of your exercises, you started with 12 reps, then 10, then 8. Those numbers look good, but they are too consistant. To be most effective, you need to push your muscles to failure -- that means that you keep lifting until you cannot lift at all, anymore -- always with good form. I would guess that you did not hit failure on that 8th rep each time. Probably, you just did 12, then 10, then 8 because those are nice round numbers. Does this makes sense?

Also, I would suggest for a beginner, you increase your reps for a short time. This is not necessary, but it might help if you are concerned about bad form. Increase your reps to about 15-18 for each set. The third set should put you into failure by the 18th rep. If you do 18, 18, 18, increase weight next time. With higher reps, you are less likely to make mistakes from bad form. Then, as your body learns the motions, and you understand how your body reacts, you can increase the weight so that you are doing fewer reps, quicker failure.

Good work, so far. Welcome to the world of lifting. I think you'll see a big difference in your body as you do. I think you'll like it, eventually, if not now. You will learn to love the pain.

Read through this link, great advice for beginers IMO.

http://www.ast-ss.com/training/getting_started/getting_started.asp?part=1&page=4

It gives you a good base that you can build on. You may not be able to do all the exercises listed but can find varations.

Last night I went to the gym and did the following:

Seated Military Press - 3 sets: 12x, 10x 8x
Seated Bench Press - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Lat Pull Down (closer grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Lat Pull Down (wider grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Seated Rows (vertical grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x
Seated Rows (horizontal grip) - 3 sets: 12x, 10x, 8x

I could feel the workout in my arms A LOT. I thought maybe I was using too much arm for some of them. I went slow and used light weight (although it was heavier than I expected!). I focused on form but I was really tense since it was my first time lifting weights since sophomore year of high school (way back in 1996!). My arms are sore already, not aching sore, but a nice burn sore. I am not sure if I did everything too fast or what, but it only took me 20 minutes to go through everything above. I rested for like 1 minute between exercises and 30 seconds between sets, if that.

Comments? Feedback? Suggestions? I am new to lifting so any response would be welcomed!

Rows, pulldowns need to have you try to bring your shoulder blades together to focus on the lats, your arms are hooks, your lats do the work.

I am glad to see you are doing the weights, I don't talk splits or high volume very much. Less can be better, you can work hard, but you can't work long and hard. But you will get plenty of help.

Ok, so tonight is weight lifting night #2. I am still pretty sore from Tuesday's lift. I am pretty sure what the answer is, but I want to ask anyway...

Even though I am still pretty sore I should still lift right? Just let my body get used to it and it won't be so bad over time?

Also, should I go to exhaustion on every set or just the final set?

Thanks!

Pugger

You're sore because your body is learning to deal with the stress. It will pass after a couple more workouts.

Don't do anything that actually hurts, but a little discomfort and soreness when you first start lifting is pretty normal.

(And if you quit for 3 months and go back - it happens again :o ... not that I am the expert on quitting/restarting or anything...)

Usually it lasts about a week on me.


You're going to get people correcting you about the exhaustion/failure terminology. Failure is when you simply can't lift the weight anymore in good form. (Positive failure) Some people go beyond this by starting out by cheating the weight up - and then really focusing on controling the negative part of the rep - until you simply can't do that anymore either. (Negative failure)

Exhaustion is usually what you should feel when its all said and done and you're leaving the gym..... :)

Seriously though - starting out - I'd say shoot for positive failure every set. You'll get the feel for rtestes' less-is-more as you go on.

You're sore because your body is learning to deal with the stress. It will pass after a couple more workouts.

Don't do anything that actually hurts, but a little discomfort and soreness when you first start lifting is pretty normal.

(And if you quit for 3 months and go back - it happens again :o ... not that I am the expert on quitting/restarting or anything...)

Usually it lasts about a week on me.


You're going to get people correcting you about the exhaustion/failure terminology. Failure is when you simply can't lift the weight anymore in good form. (Positive failure) Some people go beyond this by starting out by cheating the weight up - and then really focusing on controling the negative part of the rep - until you simply can't do that anymore either. (Negative failure)

Exhaustion is usually what you should feel when its all said and done and you're leaving the gym..... :)

Seriously though - starting out - I'd say shoot for positive failure every set. You'll get the feel for rtestes' less-is-more as you go on.

Thanks man :tu:

I am not hurting, just very sore.... especially my triceps. and my lats. and inside of my elbow where the bicep thins out and connects to all the other good stuff in the arm bend area. I am sure I will get used to it... the feeling reminds me of how I felt after double and triple sessions in football practice back in high school (in August!!).

how do you feel about "super slow"? Where you take about 10 seconds for the positive rep and 5 seconds for a negative rep? It was explained in detail in the book recommended by rtestes "A flat stomach ASAP".

Just curious...

Pug

how do you feel about "super slow"? Where you take about 10 seconds for the positive rep and 5 seconds for a negative rep? It was explained in detail in the book recommended by rtestes "A flat stomach ASAP".

Just curious...

Maybe for ab exercises? :confused:

I've never heard of or seen someone performing reps even remotely that slow. Doesn't sound very efficient to me. Of course this is said without trying it, but I know I never would.

I've never heard of or seen someone performing reps even remotely that slow. Doesn't sound very efficient to me. Of course this is said without trying it, but I know I never would.

Darden threw the concept in mainly for bodyweight exercises. When you extend time under load, you increase intensity. Try doing a set of curls using 10 lbs less than your normal setload to feel it. In that book, he try to show people could workout with the the best of equipment.

The superslow concept has many supporters and some good study results. The worst thing about it, is trying to relearn what we have always done relatively fast reps. It fits in with HIT, with its one set per exercise.