Developing a Workout Plan

[colfax]

I am looking for some advice on how to develop a workout plan. I already run for 20-30 minutes a day, but I would like to start some strength training.

The recent ice storm across the midwest left me without power for several days, and with several large trees across my yard, and a number of trees across elderly neighbor's yards. I feel like it took me a lot more exerction to move those things then it has in the past, and so I was inspired to start lifting weights.

My problem, is that I went to my normal gym, for the first time walked into the weight room, and realized that I have no idea what I'm doing. I don't know which machines to use, and though the people there were very helpful about showing me how to use each machine, I need some advice about how to create a plan.

I'm not interested in having huge arms or a six-pack, but I would like to create a plan that will help increase my strength all over.

Thanks for your help.

-Bob

[Yoshi]

Hey Bob,

I hope I can give you some advice to help you out. First of all a great website which you should check out is abcbodybuilding.com. It has the tons of useful information.

A classic workout plan is grouping your muscles as such for each seperate day: chest and triceps day, back and biceps day, rest day legs then shoulders then rest day then repeat.

I believe you should enjoy working out. Start off light and push yourself only to a point where you know you'll be able to get through the entire workout and be willing to come the next day as well. You can then gradually increase the intensity once you get into the habit of actually getting your butt to the gym. Once you get into the habit of going to the gym consistently you will automatically push yourself harder.

You also want to prevent injury so it's critical to do the exercises with perfect form and at the right speed (up strong, down slow). Breath out when you push out and breath in on the way back. You should also try to get in some protein before (30 mins or so) and after your workout. Protein is critical for recovery and you won't feel motivated otherwise to keep going. Mind you this is very basic advice and you can gradually read more about these things at abcbodybuilding.

Now for a sample workout plan. The point of the plan is to target the muscles mentioned above, and for each muscle target the different parts of it through a series of exercises.

NOTE: For all exercises do 3 sets. First set 12 reps, second set 10 reps and third set 8 reps. Pick a weight so that the last 2 reps are fairly difficult.

To see each exercise in a slideshow go to the following site. You can substitute and of the exercises with any of the other ones on the site to fit the equipment at your gym, the important part is to just work out all parts of the muscle (ie, lower back, upper back, and lats for back). I've named the exercises the same as they appear on this website:
AbcBodybuilding All Different Exercises Demonstrated


Day 1
Chest
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
Decline Barbell Press

Tricep
French Presses
Rope Pressdowns
Wide Grip Pushdowns

Day 2
Back
T Bar Rows
Rocky Pulldowns
Hyperextensions

Biceps
Standing Wall Curls
Incline Inner Biceps Curl
Lying Hammer Curls

Day 3
Rest - YAY!

Day 4
Shoulders
Front Plate Raise
Static Laterals
Machine Presses

Abs
Do 3 sets for 3 exercises with each set to failure (to failure meaning until you can't do anymore)

Day 5
Legs
Legg Presses
Lunges
Leg Curls
One Legg Hack Squat Calf Raises

Day 6
Rest - Yay!

Day 7
Start all over.

You can continue to run as well. I just wouldn't run before a workout, after a workout is best. Also if you see that you are sore, you can take a day rest between each workout day and then once you start feeling more upbeat switch up to the 2 days in a row 1 day rest routine I gave you above.

Best of luck. Remember consistency is the key. They say if you work out for 6 months continuously you will work out for the rest of your life. I believe it's because it takes 6 months for you to get results that you will enjoy and realize that you want to keep forever

[and]

Bob, I'm not sure what your financial position is, but hiring a trainer for a month would be a good investment. This way the trainer can work with you to develop a plan to start with, and then work with you and the weights so you know how they work and don't get hurt.

Andre

[Donn]

Hi colfax, Welcome aboard. Starting out can be overwhelming at times but alot of that is easily handled by a good positive attitude and asking questions as you've done.

There's a guy I corresponded with briefly on this site who impressed me with his attitude. His name is Conan Stevens. He's a huge guy who works in movies so he makes his living, in part, with his looks (he's very fit). Conan focus on "just do something" when it comes to beginners. He feels you can develop your own program but you have to make a commitment.

Ask him about it at:

http://www.conanstevens.com/componen...tact/Itemid,3/

[Jim]

Colfax, you may want to look at my site RunFatBoy. The site will generate a workout for you and allows you to adjust the difficulty as needed. It's drop dead simple to follow.

[Iamsuperman]

I use Bill Pearl's 20 month program.
Training Programs - Bill Pearl Enterprises, Inc.

There are many great programs that can be found on the internet, in books, or by word of mouth. Keep an open mind and do what works for you.

[da1prophet]

Originally Posted by and

Bob, I'm not sure what your financial position is, but hiring a trainer for a month would be a good investment. This way the trainer can work with you to develop a plan to start with, and then work with you and the weights so you know how they work and don't get hurt.

Andre

Worth noting that a lot of gyms include monthly trainer consultations as part of their membership. At the very least, if they have halfway knowledgeable employees (and if they don't I'd find another gym) they can at least get you headed in the right direction.

[da1prophet]

Perhaps the most important thing in fitness training, at least IMO, is figuring out what your goals are. The websites offered by the other posters are helpful, and there's no shortage of others, but without knowing where you are and where you want to go it's not easy to recommend a path to get you from point a to point b...

In other words, figure out what you want to gain from strength training first--if you want to bulk up you'll have to approach it differently than if you're training for a particular sport.

[colfax]

Thanks for the advice everybody, it was greatly appriciated. My gym does have personal trainers on staff, though they cost a little bit extra (that's ok though, because the membership at the gym is a pittance).

I talked to one of them, and she is going to help me with working out a plan and take me through a few weeks of following it.

I was frustrated because I did Marching Band and Drum Corps for ten years as a Tuba player, so I was always very in shape just as a side effect of my lifestyle. I basically just want to get back into the level of shape I was then, not bodybuilder level, but certainly above average.

Once again, thanks for the advice.

PS all of the websites were good reads and had a lot of info.

[stephencp]

If you're looking for functional fitness (i.e. moving dead trees around....) I would highly recommend Welcome to CrossFit: Forging Elite Fitness.
Typical "bodybuilding" cares much more about how you look than what you can actually do. The next time you're in the local gym see how many people are doing free weight squats or even deadlifts or pullups (all very useful and functional exercises) versus functionally suspect exercises like concentration curls or triceps kickbacks....

Stephen
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