Beginner needing advice

[david1981]

Hello, I've been trying to get in better shape, ive been exercising now for around a month. I'm 42 yrs old and needing some advice. I do a lot of my exercises by starting out heavy for example ill start curling 80pds for 3 sets of 10, then I'll drop weight to 50 pds for 3 sets of 15, then I'll drop weight to 30 pds and do 3 sets of 25. Now when I get to my last set of 30pds once I get to like to 7 on each set man it's burning and I just keep going till I finish my sets, is this the right way to build muscle? I do this basically on all my exercises, I start heavy and just keep dropping weight until I pretty much can't lift one more time till failure pretty much. Any help will be great. Thanks.

 

[Rottenrogue]

Hello, I've been trying to get in better shape, ive been exercising now for around a month. I'm 42 yrs old and needing some advice. I do a lot of my exercises by starting out heavy for example ill start curling 80pds for 3 sets of 10, then I'll drop weight to 50 pds for 3 sets of 15, then I'll drop weight to 30 pds and do 3 sets of 25. Now when I get to my last set of 30pds once I get to like to 7 on each set man it's burning and I just keep going till I finish my sets, is this the right way to build muscle? I do this basically on all my exercises, I start heavy and just keep dropping weight until I pretty much can't lift one more time till failure pretty much. Any help will be great. Thanks.

I do the opposite. I work up to my heaviest sets.
What does your overall training protocol look like ?

 

[Halo]

I do the opposite. I work up to my heaviest sets.
What does your overall training protocol look like ?

I’m with RR I have done drop sets in the past, but that’s after I worked up and then push the muscle over the cliff on the way down. I’m interested to see the answer to her question as well.

 

[david1981]

I do the opposite. I work up to my heaviest sets.
What does your overall training protocol look like ?

My training as of right now ain't organized as it should be, from working full time plus other duties it's hard to have a set schedule but as of right now I work out say 3 days then take a day off. Right now I've eliminated junk food, processed food and have cut my caffeine intake down big time. I take 2 supplements in creatine hcl and wheybolic protien. One day I'll work say strictly arms from shoulders down, next day I'll work chest and abs, then a day that I try to focus on lower body workouts, then I'll take a day off. Atleast one time a week I workout 2 times in a day, I'll have my regular workout but later that night one of my kids will workout some and I'll go with him and workout some. That's pretty much we're I'm at as of right now. I've been working out a month and gained 7 pds so far.... hoping it's good pds . I'm just hoping that when I do workout I'm doing it right in trying to get stronger and build muscle. Don't know if it matters but I take about 2 minute breaks between my sets as well.

 

[CesarIM]

You always want to warm up . Go light initially then try a pyramid type of workout . More reps lighter weight. Add lbs and decrease the reps then go in reverse. Been doing that for 40 + yrs with success

 

[david1981]

You always want to warm up . Go light initially then try a pyramid type of workout . More reps lighter weight. Add lbs and decrease the reps then go in reverse. Been doing that for 40 + yrs with success

Will definitely give it a try. On lighter weight should I increase my reps? If so how many should I go for? Right now when I get to the lighter weight I'm doing 3 sets of 25 and its a struggle but we get them.

 

[Wallyd]

I always pyramid the weight up and the reps taper down.

I mainly do a 4 day split.
Chest & biceps
Legs
Delts & triceps
Back & traps.
I don’t usually schedule rest days because things just come up that may require you to take a day off.
Hope this helps!

 

[Halo]

Will definitely give it a try. On lighter weight should I increase my reps? If so how many should I go for? Right now when I get to the lighter weight I'm doing 3 sets of 25 and its a struggle but we get them.

I think you’re doing a lot of things right you’re getting workouts when you can. You’re splitting muscle groups so you’re not hitting the same groups too much so that you can’t recover you sound like you’re heading in the right direction with your eating keep doing that always a larger percentage of gains than most people imagine. Realized that almost all workout routines will work for a period of time depending on what your goals are so be on the lookout for what you wanna try when your work out plateaus and you want to shift things up and again keeping an eye on the horizon for what your actual goal in the gym is and how the work that you’re doing is aiding you towards that goal

 

[david1981]

I think you’re doing a lot of things right you’re getting workouts when you can. You’re splitting muscle groups so you’re not hitting the same groups too much so that you can’t recover you sound like you’re heading in the right direction with your eating keep doing that always a larger percentage of gains than most people imagine. Realized that almost all workout routines will work for a period of time depending on what your goals are so be on the lookout for what you wanna try when your work out plateaus and you want to shift things up and again keeping an eye on the horizon for what your actual goal in the gym is and how the work that you’re doing is aiding you towards that goal

Thanks. I've noticed on bench starting out at a lower weight I was able to bench more as I added weight then just starting out heavy of what I thought I could lift, I was actually able to increase It by 30 pds. On curling I feel I get more out of starting heavy and working down and then just pushing them reps in as much as possible.

 

[genetic freak]

When it comes to training, most people will hit 60% of their potential. There are so many things I could say on here about your training split, reps, sets, etc..., but it would take forever, I would end up missing something and stuff would get lost in context. My suggestion, hire a REPUTABLE coach/trainer in your local area for just one month to show you how to set up a mesocycle, microcycle and how to train properly. A couple hundred dollars now will pay you back tenfold over a year. If you cannot find a coach/trainer, ask one of the monsters at the gym if you can train with them for one session. I have people do it all the time. One guy jumped in with me yesterday and I have a lady jumping into train legs with me tomorrow (her funeral, but she already knows what she is getting into).

 

[DieYoungStrong]

Like others said - get a coach or watch the larger humans at your gym to see what they're doing.

80% of it is just being consistent once you learn the basics - every well known program works if you work it. Some just work better then others.

Just get there, work hard, don't become a program hopper, and you will be fine.