To create the body you dream of, just going to the gym is not enough. You need good basic training that will form the foundation for future achievements!
You purchased a gym membership, bought excellent sneakers and sportswear, and when you came to the gym, you realized that this is not enough - you need a training program in the gym with detailed instructions.
Without a clear understanding of what needs to be done, all these components are not worth a penny.
To achieve the best results, you need a so-called basic training program, which will include a set of specific exercises aimed at working specific muscles.
It is called basic because it is what creates the foundation for the development of your muscles, forms the base.
Create your own or choose a training program to pump up muscles?
Why is it so important to have clear leadership? The fact is that if you exercise haphazardly, some muscles will not receive additional load, while others may be overtrained. Ultimately, this will not lead to the result you originally expected. So it turns out that having a specific training program for beginner bodybuilders will allow you to confidently move towards your goal.
So, focus on the goal first. What do you want to achieve?
- Lose weight
- Gain weight
- Buy a sculpted body
In fact, the last goal involves a combination of the two previous ones: in order to provide yourself with relief, you need to lose extra pounds and build up muscles. If you are a beginner, it will be difficult for you to choose the right program on your own, and even more difficult to follow it.
Notes
Hyperextension. Previously, during the two months of the first stage, we performed this exercise without weights. The lower back muscles have already become accustomed to such a load and most likely no longer react to it. This indicates that it is time to use additional weight in the exercise. The most convenient way for this purpose is a barbell disc, which you need to throw behind your head and hold on your shoulder blades.
Bars. Everything here is purely individual, but if you can do push-ups on the uneven bars more than 10 times, there is no point in doing it 15, 20, or more times, since you will be training endurance, and gaining weight for men involves slightly different manipulations. What to do? Take a belt, a chain, and do push-ups with weights, but as before - no more than 8-10 times. Where to begin? Hang a 2.5 kg disc on your belt. Still doing more than 10 times? Weigh 5 kg. Choose a weight for 8-10 reps.
Pull-ups. The same story as with dips. If you can do more than 10 pull-ups, hang a weight on your belt. Start the same way, for example with 2.5 kg. Adapt the weights according to the same principle - select the weight for the given number of repetitions. In this case, it is necessary to select the weight so that at the 8th, 9th repetition you already feel tired and tense, and the final repetition goes through strength.
Deadlift. As you noticed, in the first cycle it is absent, since we train our back on the same day as our legs and it is undesirable to perform two heavy basic exercises on the same day. Moreover, during the first cycle, using hyperextensions, you will sufficiently work the lumbar muscles, which are involved when performing deadlifts, without which, in turn, a training program for gaining muscle mass for a man would be incomplete.
Full body gym program for beginners
Deadlift in a power rack
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Lower back Equipment: Barbell
Bench press with a wide grip lying on a horizontal bench
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Chest Equipment: Barbell
Quick squats with a barbell
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Quadriceps Equipment: Barbell
Dips
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Triceps Equipment: Body weight
Standing Dumbbell Press
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Shoulders Equipment: Dumbbells
Standing biceps curl with EZ bar
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Biceps Equipment: Barbell with EZ bar
Incline leg raises (reverse crunches)
- 3 sets of 12-15 reps
- Body part: Press Equipment: Body weight
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Between circles, pause for 3-5 minutes, between exercises - no more than 30 seconds. Take a breath, take a walk, the main thing is not to let your body cool down. Alternatively, this program can be performed in a traditional format, performing the exercises one after the other.
After finishing your workout, do a cool-down. Once you start training according to this program, train regularly, and the results will not be long in coming!
How to competently continue working on your body further and create a split training program?
We recommend distributing your workouts throughout the week in the following areas, taking into account the specifics of the split training rules:
- Chest and Back Workouts
- Leg workouts
- Shoulders and Arms Workouts
We offer you the following examples of such weekly training programs.
Exercise technique
You can rewrite it and start training on it right away if you have just started working out in the gym or have been training for less than half a year. We kindly ask you to learn the CORRECT technique for performing each exercise. In terms of one article, I won’t be able to talk about all the intricacies of the correct technique, even a couple of exercises. In addition, it is worth looking at them visually or live. I recommend using the Internet; YouTube is full of videos on how to perform certain exercises correctly.
I especially recommend taking seriously such exercises as: bench press, barbell squat, deadlift. Since they are basic exercises and it is extremely easy to get injured. Ask any athlete, everyone has their own story about an injury or injury to a gym mate. In 95% of cases they got it in basic exercises. Training in the gym must be done safely, otherwise it will not be building the body of your dreams, but the destruction of the existing one...
What should also be included in your training program?
It is extremely important to complement your work in the gym with fitness activities outside of it. For beginning athletes, we recommend considering the following topics in addition to your current strength training selections.
Isometric exercises are an ideal complement to strength training. Isometric complexes are a special system of exercises that allows you to strengthen the muscle frame, increase strength and improve athletic performance without grueling hours of training in the gym.
Formation of general (aerobic) endurance. The main components of general endurance are the capabilities of the aerobic energy supply system, functional and biomechanical economization. It is necessary to work on it in the same way as your strength characteristics for the harmonious development of your functionality.
Recovery stretching after exercise helps our muscles strengthen and grow. This is the key to our flexibility, correct posture and good health. High-quality stretching after training is also necessary to prevent injuries, thanks to it your muscles become flexible and elastic.
And a flexible body gives you more opportunities, it will be easier for you to perform strength exercises, and there will be fewer injuries during falls or accidental unnatural movements. Your muscles will be able to stretch and not be injured as a result.
Exercises to develop stabilizer muscles. The development of stabilizer muscles makes the work of the motor muscles for strength work more effective, and their underdevelopment, on the contrary, imposes limitations. If they are weak, then the motor muscles cannot contract at full power. Include at least one workout for stabilizing muscles in your weekly cycle.
So a combination of strength and active recovery days might look like this for you:
| Day 1 | Strength 1 at 70% effort | In the hall |
| Day 2 | Isometrics + Cardio 20 minutes, Stretching | House, Street |
| Day 3 | Strength 2 at 60% effort | In the hall |
| Day 4 | Stabilizers + Cardio 20 minutes, Stretching | House, Street |
| Day 5 | Strength 3 at 80% effort | In the hall |
| Day 6 | Isometrics + Cardio 30-40 minutes, Stretching | House, Street |
| Day 7 | Active recreation: trekking, swimming, yoga | Street |
Sports nutrition - proteins, creatines, BCAA, amino acids - will help speed up the process of body transformation towards a given goal. These supplements are specially designed for athletes and fitness-active people of different fitness levels. Such drugs are completely safe, and their effectiveness has already been proven.
Features of the training process
In this article you will find professional recommendations and be able to make your own decision. This will allow you to get a clear picture of what you can achieve and in what ways.
Next, pay attention to your gender. Training programs for novice male bodybuilders and for women will have their own characteristics, even if they are aimed at the same goal and working out the same muscle groups. The main difference lies in the intensity, weight, and available variations of the exercise.
Personalization
Each person is unique and each has their own strengths, and this applies not only to character, thinking, but also to genetic potential. Some people's legs begin to grow quickly, some have wide shoulders, some are thin, some have a body, some are lean. Everyone has their own genetic potential. You've probably seen people like this in the gym; one muscle group stands out well, while the other is barely visible. If you don’t adjust your training program to suit yourself, you will have the same situation. Develop your weaknesses. Let's say you have narrow shoulders, focus on them, your training in the gym should start with this muscle group. If your chest is growing quickly, well and good, start training it once every two weeks, inserting your lagging muscle group. It is worth developing the whole body harmoniously, and not what “comes easily”.
Use this program and tips for “upgrading” and your workout in the gym will be extremely productive, and your body will very quickly transform and get as close as possible to the body you dream of. I also want to repeat that nutrition plays a huge role in bodybuilding, it is as important as training, because at a construction site you cannot build a house without bricks, and here too. As a result, if you don’t have the material to build new muscles, why did you “hire workers” (go and train). Therefore, I strongly recommend reading the articles on nutrition for weight gain on this site, where you will find everything you need to know. With this, I say goodbye to you and wish you good mass gain.
Oh yeah, a couple of workout tips for those who want to lose weight.
- Don't stop doing basic exercises, they help produce testosterone, which in turn will help you burn excess fat.
- You can do one more exercise than when gaining weight and reduce the weight by 10-20%, but increase the number of repetitions to 15. But you should not do this in basic exercises.
- Add to your regular workout - cardio training for 30 - 40 minutes at the end of the workout will be enough. (running, brisk walking, exercise bike, etc.)
Otherwise, the training will be identical, but with nutrition you need to change everything radically, training in the gym is a very important aspect of building the body, but without good nutrition, training can become useless, and sometimes even harm the body. That's why we've written and made available to the public on our website many useful articles on nutrition that will give you the right amount of information for proper nutrition while taking into account intense training. Train smart and always learn new things!
Back in the hall. How to return to training after a break?
If you have mustered your will, signed up for classes, bought a membership, and even come to the gym after a long break, I ask you to use your head. The risk of getting injured and forgetting about training again for a long time is very high. Please read this article so that you don’t have to read the rest later in the hospital.
So, you want to get back in shape quickly. There is a great temptation to start from the level where you stopped last time, that is, to resume the loads that were familiar at that time. You shouldn't give in to him. After a long absence, serious loads can result in injuries or such fatigue and muscle pain that in the next week you will find 1000 and another excuse not to return to the gym.
Start regaining your previous shape gradually. Let your body adapt to increased activity, strengthen connective tissues and restore working potential. How - read on.
Curb your expectations
Accept the fact that at first you will be upset by how weak you have become during the break. The less achievements you expect, the less upset you will be when you cannot lift the usual weight or fall off the treadmill in the second minute. Because the fewer such disappointments there are, the greater the chance that you will return to the gym and not score again.
Determine the recovery period
It depends on how much you missed. If you haven't gone to the gym for 5-7 days, the loss of muscle mass will be insignificant. But if you were there for 2 weeks, a month, a year, the recovery period will be much longer.
In general, you can set a rule for yourself in case of a long absence. The recovery period should be twice as long as no training. That is, if the absence lasted two weeks, you will have to gradually restore your usual training intensity over the course of a month.
Practice like you're a beginner
In fact, your progress will be noticeably faster than that of beginners, so don’t worry too much about starting from scratch again. At the same time, you will motivate real beginners.
Reduce initial load
Take on 50–60% of what you could before the break. Increase the intensity of your workouts gradually so as not to injure your muscles. It’s better that you do just one more push-up with each session than skip a workout because of unbearable pain.
Take your time with the program
Perhaps you will immediately remember which program you followed before, and out of habit you will try to go through it from beginning to end. There is no need for this. Monitor your well-being - if you realize that you can’t handle some of the approaches or exercises, forget about them until your next visit to the gym, and choose a suitable new one or a trainer with whom you are ready to train.
If you have had an injury
If the reason for the break in classes is not laziness or being overwhelmed at work, but an injury, give the body time to recover. How to determine how much is needed? And like this:
Wait until you are sure that the injury has passed. And then wait another week. Perform one set of each exercise - this will help smoothly restore damaged muscles.
For example, if your shoulders hurt, do one set of bench presses. Next time, try one set of shoulder presses and see if it feels like it’s worth continuing, or if it’s too early. With such a system, you will know which exercises and how many approaches can aggravate an injury, and you will be able to structure your workouts so as not to harm yourself.
Follow these guidelines and remember: getting back into shape after a long absence from the gym is a marathon, not a sprint.
Afterword
As for the number of approaches: while the weights are small, you can perform one warm-up approach before the working weight. A working weight is a weight with which you can perform a given number of repetitions. For example, if in the bench press program you must complete 3 sets of 8 repetitions, and for this number of repetitions you can press, say, 40 kg, then it will be enough to perform one warm-up set with a weight of 20 kg, and then three working sets with a weight of 40 kg. Warm-up sets do not count. When you reach a weight of, say, 80 kg, you can perform two warm-up approaches, the first with a weight of 40 kg, the second with a weight of 60 kg, and then proceed to working approaches. The warm-up rule applies to all exercises. We have already said that it is necessary to do a warm-up.
Globally, the approach to the training process described in this article is called the linear progression method. The weight training program for men, in the context of this method, provides for the fulfillment of the following basic conditions. The first is a constant increase in working weights (we have already talked about this). And the second, which follows from the first, is that every week is hard, that is, every next week you try to lift more weight than the previous one. This is the principle of linear progression.
MYTH. There is an opinion that some exercises can be split, while others cannot. The concept of weight training itself debunks this myth. The essence of the training is to create the maximum traumatic effect on the muscles, which will give them an incentive to heal and grow. It is the quality of the training that is important, not the split itself. For this reason, the definition of “correct split” or “incorrect split” is inherently completely untenable.
EXPERIENCE. You can often hear the question - why do several exercises for one muscle group? The answer is extremely simple. Each muscle group needs to be worked out comprehensively, putting a load on each of its sections (external, internal, lower, upper, peak), then you will get results. Whatever muscle group you work on, a prerequisite is to perform basic exercises, as well as diversify the load through different exercises for the target muscle group.
ADVICE. Most beginners who just join the gym either copy the training programs of famous athletes, or start training according to the same programs as their more experienced friends. Both cases, for obvious reasons, exclude the period of laying the foundation. This course of events is a significant omission, like an attempt to build a house not on a solid foundation, but on soft ground, which in the future will lead either to injuries, or to stagnation in training, or to a lack of desire and refusal to train. Don't neglect the foundation stage.
Components of success
In addition to the training program in the gym, you need to create a nutrition plan that will speed up the achievement of your goal. Your diet must maintain a balance between all food components: proteins, fats, carbohydrates and fiber.
Remember, if you want to lose weight, you need to lower your daily calorie intake, and if you need to gain muscle mass, you need to increase it. Muscles cannot appear out of nowhere - they need proteins to grow. And your task is to ensure the required rate of their consumption.
The basic rules of healthy eating are as follows:
- maintaining an optimal balance of nutrients;
- consuming the required amount of calories;
- eating in several small meals throughout the day (the optimal amount is 5);
- exclusion of foods high in unhealthy fats and carbohydrates, replacement with healthier analogues;
- eliminating high-calorie snacks.
In conclusion, we can only say one thing: for your workouts to be effective, you will need not only a training program in the gym, but also a healthy eating plan.
And under no circumstances should you stop halfway. Plan the time of your visits - try not to miss it under any pretext.
Depending on your training goal, you may want to consider the following sets.
Introduction
This article is a logical continuation of the first part about the difficult path of a beginner in the gym. In it we talked about what training program to start with and what to strive for. Well, now, as promised, let's move on to split training. And according to tradition, let’s explain what this means. This means that it will no longer be possible to train the entire body in a workout, but specific muscle groups. This will allow them to be given a varied load and increase stimulation of different muscle fibers within the same group.
What is the basis for building a split training program? Split means “division” in English. That's what we'll do. We will build weight gain for men based on the fact that we train six muscle groups (let me remind you: legs, back, chest, deltoids, arms, abs), and training takes place three times a week, we will divide them this way: we will train two muscle groups in day. Exercises for the abdominal muscles will continue to be present all the time.
The duration of the second stage will be 6 months. We will change the program every month, giving priority to basic exercises with the inclusion of additional exercises for a given muscle group. We will work mainly in the 10 repetition range. Training time is up to 1.5 hours, rest between moderate approaches is a minute/one and a half, rest between heavy approaches is 2 minutes, or until complete recovery, as discussed in previous articles. We still continue to do hyperextensions at the beginning of each workout, and perform abdominal exercises at the end of the workout. Also, we have deadlifts in our program. But before we begin, let's return to three old questions.
First , is the training program given here aimed at gaining muscle mass or total body mass? The program below is a workout program for gaining muscle mass for men. We have in our arsenal the skills of performing exercises developed during the first stage and the laid foundations for the formation of a neuromuscular connection. This is already a great help in the process of building muscles.
Secondly , can less experienced and more experienced athletes train in a split pattern? For a beginner, it would be highly recommended to train according to the “full body” principle; if you start training with a split scheme from scratch, then only under the guidance of a personal trainer. More experienced athletes not only can, but often use the split scheme as a fundamental principle for constructing training programs.
So. Stage two. Duration: 6 months. Goal: building muscles. Change of training cycle: every 4 weeks.
Basic set to pump up for men
Olimp Sport Nutrition | Creatine Monohydrate?
- Creatine is an essential substance in muscle cells in the form of creatine phosphate. Taking a creatine complex helps increase energy production by cellular mitochondria, positively affecting the athlete’s endurance, strength and muscle tissue growth.
- Category: Creatine powder More about the category
Dissolve 1 serving (5 g) in 150-200 ml of water or your favorite drink.
Increased muscular work, requiring maximum energy release, is accompanied by increased consumption of creatine phosphate as the most important energy source for the muscular system, as a result of which the body's need for creatine during physical activity increases significantly! In addition to increasing endurance during training, creatine helps increase muscle size. Creatine from Creapure is used.
VPLAB Nutrition | BCAA 2:1:1 ?
- BCAA amino acids increase performance and also help restore the body after training.
- Category: BCAA More about the category
One serving before training. Stir 8 g of powder in 300 ml of water.
Amino acid complex Vplab “BCAA 2:1:1” is a new generation of ultramicronized essential branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs). Their distinctive features are the best solubility, rapid absorption and lack of bitterness. The anti-catabolic ratio of amino acids leucine - isoleucine - valine 2:1:1 is the most optimal for preventing the breakdown of muscle tissue, especially during weight loss. For best results, it is recommended to take BCAA amino acids before and after training.
VPLAB Nutrition | 100% Platinum Whey ?
- Produced using the most advanced technologies and meets all international quality standards. This is a unique product that combines premium whey protein and great taste for the first time.
- Category: Whey Protein More about the category
Application: 1-3 servings per day. On training days, use after training. Preparation: mix 30 g of powder (2 scoops) with 250-300 ml of water or skim milk
The combined mixture of two whey proteins in VPLaboratory 100% Platinum Whey helps to quickly launch recovery processes in muscle cells, provoking the growth of quality mass and blocking catabolism. Key features of 100% Platinum Whey: - superior combination of microfiltered isolate and ultrafiltered 100% whey protein concentrate; - excellent refreshing taste, even when cooked in water; — high content of essential amino acids and BCAAs; — the fastest possible absorption of nutrients; - low fat and sugar content. In addition, 100% Platinum Whey has the highest biological value, extremely quickly activates and enhances muscle metabolism, and helps maintain clean muscle mass. With its exceptional properties, 100% Platinum Whey is the new standard for whey proteins.
VPLAB Nutrition | Ultra Men's Sport Multivitamin Formula ?
- A high-tech complex of natural vitamins and minerals was developed taking into account the characteristics of male physiology for men leading an active lifestyle.
- Category: Vitamins for men More about the category
1 capsule 2 times a day
Taking the VPLaboratory Ultra Men's Sport Multivitamin Formula vitamin and mineral complex will help eliminate nutrient deficiency in the body, which causes premature fatigue, insufficient recovery and decreased body tone.
Sports nutrition recommendations are indicative only. Before purchasing, we recommend that you consult with a specialist in the store.
