benchpressing questions...

[Amused]

Originally posted by: jman19
<blockquote>quote:
<hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>Amused</b></i>
<blockquote>quote:
<hr><i>Originally posted by: <b>homestarmy</b></i>
Well maybe I'll try the incline, they weren't bad. I can't remember whether I tried them the other way or not... I'll give em a try monday though.<BR><BR>Man being able to lift on my breaks is great!<BR><BR>Oh yeah, repping about 100-120lbs haha! But I did do it a total of like 70 times the other day. I'm not looking to get a big chest, just to get 'cut' I think the word is. I just want to stay about the same size but be solid. Is lifting small amounts and more reps the right way to do that?<hr></blockquote>

High reps don't make you "cut." "Cut" is simply a term for low body fat. All the lifting in the world and all the reps in the world will not reduce your body fat to the point that you are "cut."

Cut comes from diet and cardio. Muscle size comes from weight lifting.<hr></blockquote>

Poor Amused... I feel like you have to dispel this myth in almost every workout thread <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-tongue.gif" border="0">

I wanted to ask you, though, which exercises are best for each muscle group, at least for a newbie. Checking out a lot of fitness sites reveals MANY different exercises for each group, making it kind of difficult to determine which are best for beginners and which are for more experienced lifters.

The basics, of course. Presses for the chest, rows and pulldowns for the back, sit-ups and roman chairs for the core and squats and presses for the legs.

The only seconday exericices I would worry about for a beginner are MINIMAL bicep curls, tricep extensions and a little more intensive calf exercises (standing AND seated)

There are many different ways to do these basics so you can change up regularly to stop mind and muscle boredom and to bring new gains.

If you look at the link above, it tells you which exercise is basic, and wich is secondary. You'll notice all the basics are the simple compound exercises, and the secondary exercises are more isolation ones. Even though they show many different ways to do the basics, you'll note the MOVEMENT is the same. Just the machines or benches change.

 

[Amused]

Originally posted by: Gurck
While Amused is dead-on about doing it to exhaustion to see real results, do be careful, especially when benching. Not long ago a 17 y/o kid died when benching alone; he asphyxiated when he couldn't get the bar off his neck. Only 135 pounds too <img src="i/expressions/face-icon-small-sad.gif" border="0"> If you have a like-minded friend it's 10x better, you provide safety &amp; motivation for each other.

Yeah, it's always good to have a spot, or safety bars. If you can't have either, use a smith machine.

I cracked a rib setting 255lbs on my chest after a set. I let it down very slow and just let it rest there and SNAP.

Now I do not lift without a squat pad on the bar and a spotter.