Good Home Weight Training Program?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

if you got the room, invest in a power rack as soon as you can. you can get cheaper ones for under 300 bucks, and they'll be fine. the better ones are rated for more weight, but we got guys at my gym using our cheap one with 600lbs without incident. its not the smartest thing to do, but my point is that it will safely hold what you'll be moving for a very long time.

you might be able to find a squat stand cheaper, and it will take up far less room, but the rack is really nice if you got the room for it. plus you can bench in it as well saving space.

[edit]

few random ebay links just to give you an idea:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Body-Solid-P...1%7C240%3A1318

this is the one we actually have in our gym - 329 but no bench or any attachments: http://cgi.ebay.com/Phys-X-Power-Cag...1%7C240%3A1318

obviously you can save yourself shipping by buying local, but i just wanted to at least give you an image in your head and an idea of dimensions in case you've never used a power rack before.

one last note DO NOT GET A SMITH MACHINE. ever. you'd be ahead to just kick yourself in the d1ck for reps.

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

also here are some programs i just sent to my buddy:

this is the program i start all new guys on. its an awesome, short, direct, simple, effective program that will build a really good base. if youre going to do some reading, read about this program first. i just provided the others because i already had something typed up, and you might want to refer to them later. also another great book to consider is starting strength by mark ripttoe. this program is taken from that book, and the technique breakdowns for the lifts are extensive. also - use youtube - ripptoe has got some great videos out there. and i also have a really really good squat technique video i can link you to. its about an hour long though.

starting strength
link to great write up on it: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=998224

meat and taters of it:

Workout A
3x5 Squat
3x5 Bench Press
1x5 Deadlift

Workout B
3x5 Squat
3x5 Standing military press
3x5 Power cleans
You train on 3 nonconsecutive days per week.

So week 1 might look like:
Monday - Workout A
Wednesday - Workout B
Friday - Workout A

Week 2:
Monday - Workout B
Wednesday - Workout A
Friday - Workout B

=====================================

5x5 is another great program - i've had huge gains with this.

5x5 - intermediate
http://www.geocities.com/elitemadcow...Linear_5x5.htm

================================================== ========

squats and milk / super squats
20 rep squat program im doing now:
http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/irontamer5.htm

Squat: 1x20
Pullovers: 1x20
Stiff-legged deadlift: 1x15
Pullovers: 1x20
Bench press: 2-3 x 10
Bent row: 2-3x15
Military press: 2-3 x 12

================================================== ========

sheiko
sheiko routines (these are more geared toward straight powerlifting - very hardcore, brutal 2 - 3 hour routines - also the reps and sets are listed backwards for some reason)
http://www.ampedtraining.com/joomla/...-routines.html

[Lucas]

wow thanks for that list up and the links GDA!

Since im a total noob, im going to read what you linked, but i'll probably just for the sake of being a total noob, go with the program you listed out here.

It seems like a great place to start.

I kind of felt like i was driving blind. didnt really have any direction for myself as far as a routine went.

I knew you guys would do a brother right

Thanks for helping me get started!

[Lucas]

that site is awesome. it explains everything so clearly.

[iron_leg_dave]

that site is awesome. it explains everything so clearly.

For sure, that is is a killer site. Also, when you are youtubing, check out that dude "scooby" all of his videos are geared to working out at home and he is fully legit. He advocates the dumbell flies over benching, but also does dumbell presses.

People have a lot of opinions on the chest in general, so what I did, was take the big three, dips, pushups and pullups and put them all into my chest workout which is three times a week now and includes the dumbell flies and presses.

Maybe because one of my biggest influences in kung fu is a marine and he always says "situps, pushups, pullups, dips, squats". Either way, I have always had a hard chest from the various hand positions of pushups, but until I combined dips, chin ups and pushups (all of them wieghted and the pushups on an incline) I never saw real growth. Literally, the first day that I finished my last set of dipping being reintroduced, before I added weight, the inside of my pecks were massively swollen and they had never been before.

That's all personal opinions and shared experiece. My only humbly real advice is this: work your forearms from the get go. Not only are these some very important muscles to us that do kung fu, but a lot of people will get pretty built up, then realize at they look wierd because they have lady wrists and have to train their forearms to catch up meanwhile feeling self conscious.

[golgo]

if you got the room, invest in a power rack as soon as you can. you can get cheaper ones for under 300 bucks, and they'll be fine. the better ones are rated for more weight, but we got guys at my gym using our cheap one with 600lbs without incident. its not the smartest thing to do, but my point is that it will safely hold what you'll be moving for a very long time.

you might be able to find a squat stand cheaper, and it will take up far less room, but the rack is really nice if you got the room for it. plus you can bench in it as well saving space.

[edit]

few random ebay links just to give you an idea:
http://cgi.ebay.com/New-Body-Solid-P...1%7C240%3A1318

this is the one we actually have in our gym - 329 but no bench or any attachments: http://cgi.ebay.com/Phys-X-Power-Cag...1%7C240%3A1318

obviously you can save yourself shipping by buying local, but i just wanted to at least give you an image in your head and an idea of dimensions in case you've never used a power rack before.

one last note DO NOT GET A SMITH MACHINE. ever. you'd be ahead to just kick yourself in the d1ck for reps.

I am actually getting ready to buy that same poweline power cage

[Mr Punch]

In reality you don't really need to do anything other than:
Squats
Chins/pull ups
standing Overhead presses

Those 3 hit pretty much everything you need to hit.

I would add deads. It's the perfect opposite number for squats. Then you have core push and pull, and overhead push and pull = better balance.

[Mr Punch]

Not arguing with GDA or anything (he's a midget but he's way stronger than me! And has way more weights experience) but for starters I prefer NROL to Rippetoe's workouts. Rippetoe's good too, but NROL makes it easier to design your own w/os and vary the ones you're doing, so it'll raise your boredom threshold.

That w/o looks pretty tough for a beginner. NROL is tough for a beginner but it uses more break-in exercises to prepare your muscles for the horror of the full squat and dead onslaught. Plus, that w/o looks a little push heavy to me. What's the thinking behind that GDA?

[GunnedDownAtrocity]

Not arguing with GDA or anything (he's a midget but he's way stronger than me! And has way more weights experience) but for starters I prefer NROL to Rippetoe's workouts. Rippetoe's good too, but NROL makes it easier to design your own w/os and vary the ones you're doing, so it'll raise your boredom threshold.

That w/o looks pretty tough for a beginner. NROL is tough for a beginner but it uses more break-in exercises to prepare your muscles for the horror of the full squat and dead onslaught. Plus, that w/o looks a little push heavy to me. What's the thinking behind that GDA?

ill have to look into NROL . . . i admit complete ignorance on the subject.

also i forgot to mention that the powercleans can be replaced with rows. they are easier to learn on your own than powercleans (imo), and it balances the push pull perfectly.

push: bench, overhead presses
pull: deadlift, rows
plus squat every workout
(powercleans are technically a pull to, but obviously more dynamic)

the main focus of the program is an efficient approach to milking newbie gains for all they are worth. to keep it simple, avoid drowning the athlete in a plethora of exercises, and develope a base strength with the most compound movements available. i believe the idea is that developing a decent amount of strength right from the get go will make future workouts more lucrative - the athlete will be moving more weight with the other exercises and have added stability while learning new movements. far too often personal trainers will put 15lb dumbelss in the new trainers hands and have them pumping out some ugly ass curls until their arms are limp like suffocated babies. instead, if the trainer insits that the athlete be able to squat, pull, and push some decent weight right from the start they'll be in a better position to do some curls that will actually be worthwhile when and if the time comes.

[Mr Punch]

Makes sense. I wonder about starting both workouts with the squat though when the only natural and equivalent opposite move is the dead. Sure the clean is a pull, but a different dynamic and goal to the dead, surely?

NROL is just a cool book. Although it's mostly written by Lou Schuler, Alwyn Cosgrove did the workouts and the writing style is very similar. Check out Cosgrove's site: if you don't like his style or what he's saying you won't like the book.

[Lucas]

So ive been looking at form on youtube and decided to start with Bill Starr's:

Squat 5x5
Bench 5x5
Barbell Row 5x5

with pullups and situps. i started with my streatching routine, one form 3 times (1 slow, 1 normal, 1 fast) and some quick bag work to get warmed up.

since im totally new to this and doing this alone I started real light. I'm just planning on following this program to start until i develop a sense of what i'm doing. i was going to start with an empty bar and add the weight during the sets like i had seen suggested in several places, to get form correct, but instead i decided to just go with light weights to give a little UMPH! i dont think im completely retarded and feel that i generally have a good grasp of things, so i figured a bit of weight wont do me wrong as long as im paying attention and do my homework.

was light enough not to tax me and kick my ass totally, but enough to make me feel it.

im kind of excited to see where im at in a few months, once i get it all figured out and really know where im at with weight.

[Lucas]

next is the:

Squat 4x5
Incline or Military 4x5
Deadlift 4x5


then:

Squat 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
Bench 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
Barbell Row 4x5, 1x3, 1x8

with the assistance suggested in his write up.

the only thing is, for the first day routine it was suggested to do 'hypers'

im not exactly sure what this is referring to. I've done some searches and it seems like these are where you extend your torso into the air and do like sit ups or what not. not sure exactly. i can put the barbell on my feet and extend myself off the side of my bench to do these. is this what im looking to do for 'hypers' ?

[sanjuro_ronin]

next is the:

Squat 4x5
Incline or Military 4x5
Deadlift 4x5


then:

Squat 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
Bench 4x5, 1x3, 1x8
Barbell Row 4x5, 1x3, 1x8

with the assistance suggested in his write up.

the only thing is, for the first day routine it was suggested to do 'hypers'

im not exactly sure what this is referring to. I've done some searches and it seems like these are where you extend your torso into the air and do like sit ups or what not. not sure exactly. i can put the barbell on my feet and extend myself off the side of my bench to do these. is this what im looking to do for 'hypers' ?

Hyper-extensions for the lower back, think reverse sit ups, done on your stomach.

[Lucas]

Ahh. ok.

so should i do these on the floor or is it better to balance on my bench and hold some weights in my hands then extend.

[Mr Punch]

You can't do hypers on the floor.