Beginner routine

[Deeko]

Trident, why did you post here if you don't want to listen to anyone? You posted here explicitly asking for advice. People are giving it to you. People that know a lot more about this than you, and who are a lot more experienced in the gym/kitchen than you.

You might not like the answers but, these are the very simple truths of the matter:

1) You CAN eat more. You might have to slowly build your way up to it, but you can. You are not the only person that's ever had a hard time gaining weight. I was 5'7" 125 when I graduated high school, jlee (with whom you're arguing and saying he doesn't get it) has a thread on here about how he is also very skinny and trying to gain weight.

2) The best exercises for you to do are the core compound lifts - squat, deadlift, bench, press, etc. Yes, they take time to learn, but you don't need someone in the gym to critique your form. Thousands of other people learn to properly do these lifts without in-person assistance.

 

[jlee]

You will never get it. I don't get hungry, period. I don't feel stomach pains, I don't feel cravings for food, and I definitely don't like the taste of almost every food out there. Only time that ever happens is when I am at 110lbs and about to keel over and die. After 120lbs or so, I just stop feeling any sensation for food. If I just try to cram my face... I'll just poop it out, in a very unhappy way. It doesn't matter how healthy the food or unhealthy... It will all come out the same way.

I'm done explaining this. You don't get it because you've never experienced it.

I'm not paying for a personal trainer btw.

At a former 6' 135lb, I damn well get it. Suck it up or stop bitching.

 

[coreyb]

I'm the same way, if I didn't try to eat I would only eat like 2 small meals a day...but somehow I went from 160 to 220. how? by not being a little girl

 

[MetalMat]

I like the starting strength method, in fact I really like it. The only problem I have is the fact that access to the power rack at the gym I go to is limited at best and starting strength relies pretty much on this. Thus I stick to a split routine but I do include the Squats a Deadlifts on leg days. Try to stick with free weights as much as possible

If I had my own power rack at home I would most def stick with starting strength.

 

[rasczak]

best bet for you would be to just hit the gym 3 days a week with the program being suggested. see how it works, you don't need to go heavy, squatting and deadlifting the bar alone will be what you work on until your form is good.

otherwise, with so many concerns heath wise it would best if you spoke to your doctor about your concerns with physical exertion and how it would affect your physically. if he gives you the OK, then by all means start working out, if he gives you the red light, then ask him for alternatives.

 

[Pantlegz]

Squats and deadlifts require good form. Since I probably won't have anyone there to help me with my form... I'm probably going to pass on those.

Start light(bar only), watch videos and watch your self in the mirrors. There is no excuse to not learn to do VERY simple exercises. If you're not abel to get it down after a few days in the gym talk to a personal trainer there. That or pay attention to who's doing squats and seem to have good form based on the videos you watch and ask them to check your form, it's really not all that hard.

Getting big doesn't happen over night and it won't happen just because you want to, it takes hard work and dedication. Might as well get used to it now or not even waste your time.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Start light(bar only), watch videos and watch your self in the mirrors. There is no excuse to not learn to do VERY simple exercises. If you're not abel to get it down after a few days in the gym talk to a personal trainer there. That or pay attention to who's doing squats and seem to have good form based on the videos you watch and ask them to check your form, it's really not all that hard.

Getting big doesn't happen over night and it won't happen just because you want to, it takes hard work and dedication. Might as well get used to it now or not even waste your time.

I wouldn't call squats and deadlifts easy, and looking in mirrors is more likely to ruin your form than help you fix it.

 

[Pantlegz]

I wouldn't call squats and deadlifts easy, and looking in mirrors is more likely to ruin your form than help you fix it.

They're no where near as complex as some exercises, olympic lifts, but still they're simple one motion exercises. And at that low of a weight there's nothing wrong with checking your form in the mirror. as long as you're looking straight ahead your back will be straight anyway so as long as you can check out your form without moving you head you'll be ok. I'll still do this on occassion just because something feels off.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

Of course they aren't as difficult as many Olympic lifts, but that perception is precisely the reason why so many people do them incorrectly. I definitely would not call them one motion exercises.

 

[jlee]

They're no where near as complex as some exercises, olympic lifts, but still they're simple one motion exercises. And at that low of a weight there's nothing wrong with checking your form in the mirror. as long as you're looking straight ahead your back will be straight anyway so as long as you can check out your form without moving you head you'll be ok. I'll still do this on occassion just because something feels off.

Except to do a proper squat, you're not looking straight forward to where you'd see yourself in the mirror.. 😛

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

BS thread.

TridenT, work your way up to drinking a gallon of whole milk a day. If I did, so can you.

 

[Pantlegz]

Except to do a proper squat, you're not looking straight forward to where you'd see yourself in the mirror.. 😛

really? where do you suggest I look?

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-technique-fix-common-problems/

about 3/4 the way down 🙂

 

[CoinOperatedBoy]

really? where do you suggest I look?

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-technique-fix-common-problems/

about 3/4 the way down 🙂

"Forward," meaning that your neck should be neutral, which will probably put your focal point on the ground about 6 feet in front of you as you squat, depending on the bar position and the angle of your back. In Starting Strength, Rippetoe visualizes this by having a trainee hold a tennis ball underneath his chin to maintain the proper head position. Looking into a mirror that's straight in front of you will probably cause your neck to hyperextend.

 

[roguerower]

Hmm, you should try going to the gym for full body work. If you don't want to do squats? Fine, find a machine that will do a similar movement.

1) Work out your legs until you're weak and can barely walk
2) Bench until you're sore
3) Do lat pull downs, pullups, and rows until your back is dead and your arms are useless

Let's see what your appetite says after that.

IF you still never get hungry, then it looks like your body is never going grow much, unless you force the food down every few hours even when you're not at all hungry.

This guy here knows what he's talking about but I'd change some things up...

1. Figure out a running routine, something to get your aerobic system in gear. At 120# you probably don't have jack shit going for you and that's why you "don't get hungry". Get something basic going, i.e. 1 mile walk warm-up, 2 mile slow run, 1 mile walk cool-down.

2. Since you can't seem to ask anyone for help (really ask, not your pathetic "oh my life sucks but I'm a twit and won't take anyone's advice"), you probably want to exchange benching for pushups. Regular, wide-arm, military. Max em out until your arms feel like jello. Then go cry in a corner and when you've stopped being a pussy, do another set.

3. Pullups are BEAST!!! No wonder the Marine Corps requires them for their PFT. If you can do 20 in a row, that's pretty damn good. You are literally lifting your entire body with your back. Rows are great. Take it from a college rower.

If you can't seem to find the motivation to do any of this, go find your Concept2 Ergometer (rowing machine), ask someone how to PROPERLY use it (you don't get shit out of it if you don't do it properly, same as everything), and proceed to kick your ass. If you want, I can give you the workout I gave my rowers for summer training. It will leave you a quivering mess in the corner.

If you can't handle the gym, cough up the $120 and buy P90x. Great program for someone starting out who doesn't have any self-discipline.

Clear enough?

 

[brikis98]

really? where do you suggest I look?

http://stronglifts.com/how-to-squat-with-proper-technique-fix-common-problems/

about 3/4 the way down 🙂

In almost all weight lifting exercises, including the squat, the neck should be kept in a neutral position - that is, in a straight line with the spine. If you are doing low bar back squats, then at the bottom of the squat, the torso ends up inclined far forward; in order for the neck to remain neutral, you end up looking at the ground at a spot ~6 feet in front of you. In a high bar back squat and front squat, the torso is much more upright, so you end up looking more or less straight ahead. See this image for reference.

Having said all that, looking in a mirror is a generally a bad idea. A very important aspect of training with free weights is to develop proprioception: that is, balance, coordination, muscle control, and a sense of where your body is in space. You should be able to feel where you are in a squat and not rely on a mirror for this. In fact, since mirrors only show you the body from one angle, they are very deceptive. What might look like a full depth squat from the front could be rather high when seen from the side. If you have trouble "feeling" where your body is, ask another person for feedback or record a video of yourself doing the lift. Use the mirror only if you have no other options and use it with the goal of getting feedback to develop your proprioception - don't become reliant on it.

 

[Pantlegz]

In almost all weight lifting exercises, including the squat, the neck should be kept in a neutral position - that is, in a straight line with the spine. If you are doing low bar back squats, then at the bottom of the squat, the torso ends up inclined far forward; in order for the neck to remain neutral, you end up looking at the ground at a spot ~6 feet in front of you. In a high bar back squat and front squat, the torso is much more upright, so you end up looking more or less straight ahead. See this image for reference.

Having said all that, looking in a mirror is a generally a bad idea. A very important aspect of training with free weights is to develop proprioception: that is, balance, coordination, muscle control, and a sense of where your body is in space. You should be able to feel where you are in a squat and not rely on a mirror for this. In fact, since mirrors only show you the body from one angle, they are very deceptive. What might look like a full depth squat from the front could be rather high when seen from the side. If you have trouble "feeling" where your body is, ask another person for feedback or record a video of yourself doing the lift. Use the mirror only if you have no other options and use it with the goal of getting feedback to develop your proprioception - don't become reliant on it.

I guess I always do high bar back squats so I'm used to being able to look in the mirror. if you're just using the bar with no weight to learn proper form you shouldn't have to worry about checking your form in the mirror. I can easily tell if I'm below parallel but I've got monster thighs so that might help a little. I wouldn't suggest using it all the time and after a while you will get a feel for it. But I always check the mirror if something feels off 99% of the time it is but sometimes it's just in my head.

 

[Cerpin Taxt]

The award for The Most Self-Defeating Attitude goes to...