Want to start strength training, but don't know where to start? Here are the basic principles and rules of training for beginners in the gym who have just decided to start training.
Have you decided to get in shape? Looking for a suitable training program for beginners? Don't know what exercises to do and what equipment to use? No problem!
I will tell you how to properly start working out in the gym and about the basic recommendations and rules for those who are just starting strength training. Whether you want to get stronger, lose weight, build muscle, or simply improve your fitness, this article will help you get on the right path to health and achieving your fitness goals.
Strength training will also provide remarkable results for those who have tried (and failed) to get in shape with just diet and cardio. Consistent and regular training (more than 2 times a week for 12 weeks) will lead to:
- Increased muscle fiber size
- Building strength
- Increasing tendon strength
- Increasing the strength of ligaments
All this will help you build a healthy and resilient body, and also reduce the risk of injury. You will end up looking absolutely amazing!
Gym for beginners: rules of conduct
- Always bring a towel with you to place on the machines and equipment you will be using.
- Return dumbbells, barbells, weight plates, and other equipment after use.
- Don't rest for long periods of time between sets when working on machines while others are waiting their turn.
- Finally, leave your cell phone in a locker or car so that others won't be forced to listen to your conversations.
Common Newbie Mistakes
- Using weights that are too heavy in the early stages. Start with small loads and then gradually increase them. If your technique suffers, you sway or use the inertia of your movements, then this means that you have chosen too heavy weight. In addition, it increases the risk of injury and reduces the effectiveness of working the target muscle groups.
- Using too light a weight. It always makes sense to play it safe, but if you can do 30 reps with a certain weight, then it's probably better to increase it. Tip: Increase weight by no more than 5% at a time.
- Doing reps too fast. Lifting heavy weights at a slow, controlled pace puts more muscle tension and allows you to break down more muscle fibers and reduce the risk of injury. Remember that joints are only as strong as the muscles that surround them.
- Insufficient or excessive rest. Both factors have a negative impact on training. It is recommended to rest between sets for 30 to 90 seconds.
Training program for beginners
This set of exercises in the gym for beginners is perfect even for those who even come to work out in the gym for the first time. By exercising according to this scheme, you can strengthen your ligaments and joints, as well as prepare your muscles for more complex workouts and exercises.
- Running on a treadmill - 5-10 minutes
- Leg press - 1 approach
- Lying leg curl - 1 approach
- Pulldown of the upper block to the chest - 1 approach
- Reduction of arms in the butterfly simulator - 1 approach
- Arm extension in crossover with rope - 1 approach
- Biceps curls in the machine - 1 approach
- Overhead press in the simulator - 1 approach
- Crunches in the simulator - 1 approach
- "Bike" - 1 approach
Please note! Beginners should not use heavy basic exercises in their first workouts. This approach can result in injuries and forever discourage you from working out in the gym.
Moreover, a smooth entry into the training regime will provide a better start, help avoid injuries and soreness, and make it possible to get results faster.
Training Guidelines for Beginners
This program is designed to improve the physical fitness of a healthy adult who has never exercised before (or has little experience).
You will notice that most of the exercises are performed in machines. This is intentional because beginners have less stability in their joints and weaker muscles bark. When trying to immediately work with free weights (dumbbells or barbells), beginners increase the risk of injury.
The use of simulators provides support for this weak points and allows you to isolate and strengthen your muscles before moving on to free weights.
- Perform the workout at least 2 times a week to ensure significant strength gains.
- Between each workout there should be 1 day of rest.
- At least 1 set of 8-12 repetitions should significantly fatigue the muscles. That is, you should choose a weight with which you will not be able to perform 2 sets in a row without a 30-90 second rest break.
- Performing one full range of motion repetition in a slow and controlled manner should take 4-5 seconds.
- Rest at least 30 and no more than 90 seconds between sets, and 1 to 2 minutes between exercises.
Here are some tips to help you get more out of your training:
- Stay hydrated! Be sure to drink at least 8-10 glasses of water per day. Dehydration can weaken you and reduce the effectiveness of your workouts. Also drink plenty of water during your workouts.
- Eat a small meal with equal parts lean protein (lean chicken, turkey, beef or fish) and complex carbohydrates (oatmeal, rice) 30-60 minutes before and 60 minutes after exercise. This will give the body energy and ensure its recovery.
- Do cardio (for fat burning) only after strength training or at other times of the day.
- Keep a training diary. Record the number of sets and repetitions, the size of the working weights, and the exercises performed. This will allow you to track your progress and progress.
- On your journey to building your body, take regular photos and measurements of all parts of your body to monitor your results.
Since leaving the training program, one of the most important aspects necessary to achieve desired result. Very often, people have difficulty creating a training program and many questions arise. How to properly create a training program? What exercises to use? How to combine muscle groups? You will find answers to these and other questions in this article.
Why is it important to create a proper training program?
Often coming to gym, a person sets a goal to gain an athletic physique and develop the functional abilities of his body. To achieve this goal, three components are necessary: training, correct and balanced diet, rest. Training is essential component, which is the basis and the final result will depend on how correctly you train, how well your program is written. That is why it is necessary to understand all the issues and aspects of the training so that the final goal comes closer and closer every day.
Basic principles of a proper training program
When you come to the gym, the question arises, how many days to train? Many people think that the more time they spend in the gym, the faster they will get into the desired shape. As practice shows, such a statement is incorrect. By exposing muscles to frequent and long-term stress, they will not be able to fully recover, and instead of anabolism (building new muscle tissue), the opposite process of catabolism will begin. Therefore, the most effective is a three-day split.
At the beginning of every training program there should be a warm-up. Warm-up should take 5-10 minutes and warm up all muscle groups, joints and ligaments. It’s good to do some cardio exercise at the beginning of your workout, in the form of running, step, or exercise bikes. This will allow the body to enter the training process by preparing the circulatory and respiratory systems. After cardio exercise, you need to do a light warm-up. It should be noted that each new exercise, especially basic ones, must be started with a warm-up weight; often an empty bar will suffice.
This practice allows the body to remember the mechanics of performing the exercise and will prevent the possibility of injury by warming up the muscles and joints that work during the exercise.
Rules for combining muscle groups in one workout
There is no clear answer to almost all questions in bodybuilding, and the opinions of professionals vary dramatically. This is due to the fact that the human body is unique and reacts differently to the same factors. Therefore, which muscle groups to train in one day, you often need to decide for yourself using the “trial and error” method. But, nevertheless, there are certain standards that must be adhered to initial stage and they are, to a greater extent, the most effective.
Taking a three-day split as a basis, it is necessary to divide the main muscle groups into three groups, which include: legs, back, chest. And three so-called small groups: biceps, triceps, shoulders. The next step is to combine the large and small muscle groups on the same day. There are two approaches here:
- On the same day, antagonist muscles are trained (muscles that work opposite each other, for example, biceps-triceps, chest-back, hamstrings-quadriceps). Proponents of this approach believe that each muscle requires a point load, and when it plays the role of a stabilizer when performing an exercise on another muscle, it receives a less effective load;
- On the same day, synergistic muscles are trained (muscles that work simultaneously and in the same direction when performing an exercise, for example, chest, triceps, back, biceps). Proponents of this approach believe that when receiving an indirect load, the muscle is already pre-tired and only a final exercise on it is necessary to bring it to failure.
These two approaches are effectively used in training practice, and you can only find out which one is right for you by trying them on yourself. According to these approaches, training can be divided into two types:
- Training with antagonists. The first day is back-triceps, the second day is chest-biceps, the third day is legs-shoulders. Based on this, it turns out that the basis should be done on isolating exercises in simulators, because in basic exercises, one way or another, other muscles are included. This approach is suitable for professionals who can specifically train for a specific muscle group that requires sharpening their form, etc. Beginners will gain very little from this practice, so training with synergists is an excellent option for them.
- Training with synergists. The first day is back biceps, the second day is chest-triceps, the third day is legs-shoulders. Between the day of the back and legs, a special break is taken, because during such a basic exercise as the deadlift, the hamstring biceps works very well, which will not have time to recover during the day and will become a hindrance effective training legs When performing exercises on basic muscle groups, small ones work, which receive a very good load.
When creating a training program, you should take into account muscle recovery time, especially if you use natural training, without the use of doping. So large muscle groups, such as legs, chest, back, are completely restored in 5-7 days, and small muscles can recover in 1-3 days. This is why it is not recommended to train major muscle groups more than once a week. The number of exercises for a large muscle group is 2-3, for a small muscle group 1-2. Abdominal muscles can be added to any of the training days.
The most effective exercises for each muscle group
Each muscle group has a list of exercises that bring maximum effect. I propose to consider the list of the most effective exercises for each muscle group that you can use in your training program:
- Back. Deadlifts, pull-ups on the horizontal bar, barbell rows with different grips, T-bar rows, upper and lower block rows with different handles, hyperextension;
- Breast. Barbell press at different angles, dumbbell press at different angles, dumbbell flyes at different angles, crossover, butterfly machine, machine presses;
- Legs. Squats with a barbell with different leg positions, leg presses, leg extensions and curls in the machine, lunges with a barbell or dumbbells, various calf raises;
- Shoulders. Barbell overhead press, barbell chest press, dumbbell swings under different angles, barbell row to the chin;
- Biceps. Barbell curls for biceps, dumbbell curls not biceps, hammer;
- Triceps. Close grip press, French press, cable extensions, rope;
- Abdominal muscles. Twisting at different angles, leg lifts;
- Trapeze. Shrugs with barbells, dumbbells, plates.
The most popular exercises for each muscle group are described above, from which you need to choose from 1 to 3 that are most effective for you.
Features of building workouts for weight gain and weight loss
Training programs for gaining weight and losing weight are radically different from each other. If you are pursuing the goal of gaining weight, then you need to build a training program based on basic exercises with heavy weights. The best exercises The following are considered to gain weight: deadlifts, squats and bench presses; it is recommended to perform them in different days. The number of approaches and repetitions should be minimal, while the weight of the projectile should be maximum. The most effective principles are using 3 sets of 8 repetitions, or 5 sets of 5 repetitions. In this case, the training should last no more than an hour including warm-up.
As for training for weight loss, it’s the other way around. First of all, intensity is needed, the use of supersets, dropsets, etc. The muscles must be in use for a long time, so a lot of repeated training is used from 15 to 30 repetitions. In addition, you need to add cardio exercise in the form of running, step classes, exercise bikes, which you can use as before strength training, and after. The training time increases and is approximately one and a half hours. 
Changing the training program during training
Having compiled a program for yourself, taking into account everything written above, one way or another, it will need to be edited and changed. This is due to two factors. Firstly, the body gets used to the load and over a long period of time will cease to adequately respond to the same load. Secondly, often during training people realize that this or that exercise is not suitable for them. For example, they do not feel the muscle that the exercise is aimed at, or performing it causes discomfort and the risk of injury. Therefore, you need to experiment and find the exercises that you think are most effective for you.
How to understand that the program is compiled correctly?
First of all, in response to this question, there should be progress in the form of an increase in body weight, or an increase in strength indicators. But nevertheless, it should be noted that nutrition and rest play an important role, the absence of which completely neutralizes the effect of even the most well-chosen training program.
It is worth understanding that in order to achieve the goal, it is necessary to follow a sports regime, which consists of three components: the training process, nutrition, and rest. Muscles grow during rest, with the help of nutrients received during meals, which become building material for muscle tissue destroyed during training.
A training program is what a man needs to make his body perfect.
After all, the combination of exercises, frequency of exercises and even the number of repetitions are of enormous importance.
Let's look at several options for classes for men with different goals - for weight loss, for gaining muscle mass and with varying degrees of training.
Gym training program
To properly create a training plan in the gym, First you need to decide on your goal which is being persecuted. It could be:
- fight against excess weight;
- muscle building;
- increase in strength indicators;
- improvement of relief;
- maintaining the achieved form.
Choose only one direction. You shouldn’t spread yourself thin: if you set two goals, then neither of them will be fully achieved.
Warm-up
Warm-up without workout is healthier than workout without warm-upWarm-up exercises warm up the joints, their lubrication improves, and as a result, less stress is placed on the cartilage. The tendons become more elastic and the risk of rupture is reduced. More force develops in the muscles.
Warming up without further training is more beneficial than training without warming up.
10 minutes are allotted for warming up. It is formed from the following components:
- Running, jumping, working on cardio equipment - 4–5 minutes. The pulse should increase to 130-160 beats/min. This warms up the body as a whole.
- Rotational movements, and the whole body is loaded, especially the spine, knees, shoulders. This allows you to prepare the joints.
Basic Workout Plan
The advantage of the “base” is that it gets involved in the work greatest number muscles and joints.
Main basic exercises:
- squats using a barbell;
- bench press;
- deadlift.
Before drawing up a personal program, the athlete selects exercises, sorting them by muscle groups. Their number varies depending on the frequency of training. If you go to the gym twice a week, a dozen exercises are enough, five per session. This is enough to keep fit.
Then the exercises are distributed between workouts according to the following principle:
- muscle building workout(strengths): up to 3 groups are worked out (depending on the frequency of training), exercises are arranged in blocks - 2–3 per muscle group, another option is to train antagonist muscles in turn;
- overweight: a small load on all muscles, load top and bottom in turn, the block principle is not used;
- relief study: both the first and second principles are possible, which depends on the characteristics of the body, the nature of the diet; exercises are performed in the same order as when gaining weight;
- form support: depends on how the form was acquired.
The duration of the basic training is 40 minutes, no longer. During this time, the athlete spends all testosterone.
Number of repetitions and approaches
This parameter especially affects the intensity of training. Approaches and repetitions, including in the warm-up, are distributed as follows (approaches/repetitions):
- for muscle growth: basic - 4-6/6-12, auxiliary - 3-4/10-15;
- increase in strength: basic - 4-7/2-6, auxiliary - 3/8-12;
- overweight: 3-4/12-20;
- relief: 3-4/12-15.
For muscles to grow, they need stress.. Such stress is a change in repetitions of exercises (adding or reducing), increasing weight, changing the method of performing an exercise. Then the body does not have time to adapt to the stress. Another factor is replacing the exercises in the program with similar ones, then the same muscle groups begin to work differently. You should add unfamiliar movements to your workouts.
Stretching
This block is also performed before the start of training. Stretch:
- quadriceps;
- femoral biceps;
- external, inner surface hips;
- buttocks;
- small of the back;
- caviar.
Stretching is performed for 5 minutes, more rigid groups work twice as long.
Programs
For weight loss
The training is carried out in supersets. Exercises in pairs are performed one after another, then take a break for 2-3 minutes, and repeat the pair. When the initial level is mastered, the number of repetitions and sets is increased.
| Workout number | Pair | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
| 1st | 1 | Crunches on an incline gymnastic bench | 3/12 |
| 3/10 | |||
| 2 | Squats using a barbell (on the shoulders) | 3/10 | |
| Head pull, overhead block | 3/10 | ||
| 3 | Standing chest press, standing position | 3/10 | |
| Lying leg curls on a lying machine | 3/12 | ||
| 4 | from the gymnastics shop, behind | 3/10 | |
| Pulling with a barbell, standing position | 3/12 | ||
| 2nd | 1 | Leg raises | 3/10 |
| using dumbbells | 3/10 | ||
| 2 | Lunges using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
| Block pull (horizontal) | 3/10 | ||
| 3 | Barbell press, performed from behind the head while standing | 3/10 | |
| Leg extension performed on a machine | 3/12 | ||
| 4 | Horizontal push-ups, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
| Curling arms with weight (barbell), performed while standing | 3/10 | ||
| 3rd | 1 | Crunches, performed while lying down | 3/10 |
| Hyperextension | 3/10 | ||
| 2 | Leg press | 3/10 | |
| 3/10 | |||
| 3 | Rows from the upper block, performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
| Bend over, place a barbell on your shoulders | 3/10 | ||
| 4 | Stepping behind a bench using dumbbells | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell raise, lying position | 3/10 |
The program is accompanied by a diet.
To build muscle mass
| Day, muscle group | Exercise | sets/repetitions |
| 1st, legs and chest | Barbell squats, 60% of working weight | 3/10 |
| Bench press | 4/10 | |
| Push-ups performed on parallel bars | 3/12 | |
| Incline press | 4/12 | |
| 2nd | Rest | |
| 3rd, lats, biceps | Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired |
| Barbell row to the waist | 4/12 | |
| Deadlift using a T bar | 3/12 | |
| Hammers | 4/12 | |
| 4th | Rest | |
| 5th, leg and shoulder muscles | Barbell squats, 80% working weight | 4/12 |
| Romanian deadlift | 4/12 | |
| Seated press | 4/12 | |
| Pull up to chin level | 4/12 | |
| swing to the sides | 4/12 | |
| 6th | Rest | |
| 7th, lats and chest | Bench press | 4/8 |
| Press performed on an inclined plane | 4/12 | |
| Pull-ups performed with a wide grip | 4/until tired | |
| Dumbbell row | 4/12 | |
| Lower block thrust | 4/12 | |
| 8th, 9th | Rest | |
| 10th, long dorsi muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 5/8 |
| Shrugs | 4/20 | |
| Press (close grip) | 4/12 | |
| Standing French press | 4/12 | |
| 11th, 12th | Rest | |
| 13th, legs | Barbell squats, 100% working weight | 4/10 |
| Leg press | 4/12 | |
| Romanian deadlift | 3/12 | |
| Lunges | 3/12 | |
| Calf raises | 3/20 | |
| 14th, 15th | Rest |
For beginner athletes
Training for beginners accustoms the body to stress, allows you to build muscles and increase strength.
| Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
| 1st | Roman chair crunches | 3/10 |
| Bends using a goat | 3/10 | |
| Sumo squats, a barbell is placed on the shoulders | 4/12 | |
| Seated bench press | 4/12 | |
| Chest rows from the upper block, performed with a wide grip | 3/10 | |
| Half-over with weight (barbell), performed with a wide grip while lying down | 3/10 | |
| Wrist flexion/extension | 3/10 | |
| 2nd | Leg raises on the horizontal bar | 3/10 |
| Push-ups on a bench from behind | 4/10 | |
| Pull-ups performed with a narrow grip | 3/10 | |
| One-arm French press | 3/10 | |
| Curls with EZ bar | 3/12 | |
| Chest press, performed while sitting | 3/12 | |
| Shin performed in a standing machine | 3/12 | |
| 3rd | Back extension performed on a machine | 3/10 |
| Crunches using the Roman chair machine | 3/10 | |
| Deadlift, performed with dumbbells | 4/6 | |
| Lunges with raised barbell | 3/12 | |
| Barbell press, performed standing or sitting from behind the head | 4/8 | |
| Forward swing using one dumbbell | 3/10 | |
| Lateral arm swings, from the lower block | 3/10 |
For advanced athletes
after 2 years of constant exercise, muscle growth slows down The difficulty in creating a program for such an athlete is that after the first or second year, muscle growth stops. Then they organize training according to a different principle. The program is built on the following principles:
- High intensity.
- The working weight is chosen so that you can complete the program with it.
- The order of the described exercises changes in each new workout.
- The muscles are worked with two basic and as many auxiliary exercises.
- Between sets the athlete rests for about 3 minutes.
| Day | Exercise | sets/reps |
| 1st, chest muscles, biceps | Barbell press, performed lying down | 3/6 |
| Same thing, dumbbells | 3/8 | |
| Press performed in the Hammer machine | 3/12 | |
| Raises with dumbbells, performed lying down | 3/15 | |
| Lifting the barbell for biceps, performed in a standing position | 3/6 | |
| EZ-bar biceps curls | 3/8 | |
| "Hammer" | 3/12 | |
| Arm curl using a block | 3/12 | |
| 2nd, leg and deltoid muscles | Leg press | 3/6 |
| Lunges, performed with dumbbells in hands | 3/8 | |
| Extension of the lower limbs | 3/10 | |
| Leg Curl | 3/10 | |
| Army press | 3/6 | |
| Press using dumbbells, performed while sitting | 3/8 | |
| Inclined dumbbell flyes | 3/10 | |
| Reverse dilutions, use “peck-dec” | 3/12 | |
| 3rd, back muscles, triceps | Deadlift | 3/6 |
| Weighted pull-ups | 3/8 | |
| Wide row, performed on the upper block | 3/10 | |
| Head Pull | 3/12 | |
| Push-ups performed on weighted parallel bars | 3/6 | |
| Press, prone position, close grip | 3/8 | |
| Arm extension with a dumbbell, performed from behind the head | 3/10 | |
| Same thing on the block | 3/10 |
For legs and buttocks
To prevent the body from looking disproportionate, special programs are provided for pumping the leg and gluteal muscles. The training includes the following exercises:
Training is carried out 1–2 times a week.
Full program for 3 days
With regular training, this program will help bring you back to normal. male body.
| Day, muscle group | Exercises | Sets/reps |
| 1st, chest muscles, abs, biceps | Barbell press, lying position | 3/10 |
| Dumbbell press, performed lying on a horizontal or inclined surface | 3/10 | |
| Horizontal push-ups | 3/10 | |
| Barbell curl, standing position | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell curls, performed lying or standing | 3/10 | |
| Pelvic lift, lying position | 3/10 | |
| 2nd, shoulder girdle, leg muscles | Squats using a barbell placed on the shoulders | 3/10 |
| Leg press performed in a machine | 3/10 | |
| Leg extensions, performed while sitting | 3/10 | |
| Leg curl, performed lying down | 3/10 | |
| Calf raise | 3/10 | |
| Barbell press, performed sitting or standing | 3/10 | |
| Dumbbell press, take a standing or sitting position | 3/10 | |
| 3rd, back muscles, abs, triceps | Sumo | 3/10 |
| Pull-up on the horizontal bar | 3/10 | |
| Block pull up to waist height | 3/10 | |
| Hyperextension (reverse) | 3/10 | |
| French press, performed in a prone position | 3/10 | |
| Extension of arms on a block | 3/10 | |
| Lifting the body, lying down | 3/10 |
Traditionally, they warm up first and stretch at the end.
Split training
These workouts involve working individual muscle groups on different days. They are related to high level loads. Here's a four-day split for an experienced athlete.
| Day | What muscles | Exercises | sets/repetitions |
| Monday | Breasts | Decline Barbell Press | 4/6 |
| Same thing, dumbbells | 4/6 | ||
| Horizontal push-ups | 4/6 | ||
| Tuesday | Back muscles | Deadlift | sets of 10-8-6-3 reps |
| Linkage | 4/6 | ||
| Head Pull | 4/6 | ||
| Horizontal thrust | 4/6 | ||
| Thursday | Shoulders, arms | Press, performed sitting, from behind the head with a barbell or dumbbells | 4/6 |
| Retraction of arms with dumbbells to the side | 4/6 | ||
| Barbell curl | 4/6 | ||
| Press (narrow grip) | 4/6 | ||
| Friday | Legs | Squats performed with a barbell | 4/6 |
| Leg press | 4/6 | ||
| Leg extension, performed while sitting | 4/6 | ||
| Calves, standing | 4/15 | ||
| Same thing when sitting | 4/15 |
How long to study?
The lesson plan is adjusted every few months Designing a workout is not an easy process. It requires adjustment, which is carried out after 1–2 months in order to know the strengths and weaknesses athlete Some exercises may not only not produce results, but also have the opposite effect.
Depending on the level of training, the body gets used to the program in different ways:
- for beginners - 10–18 weeks;
- those who are engaged more than a year- in 8–10 weeks;
- for experienced athletes - in 4–6 weeks.
If there is a need to change the training program, then they change not only the strength, but also.
With a constant frequency of loads and following the recommendations of trainers, the first results appear within 1.5–2 months. But it is important to consider that different muscles develop differently. For example, it is more difficult to pump up abs than arm muscles.
Also, the effectiveness depends on the method of nutrition. Food should contain a sufficient amount of protein, which is the building material for muscles.
With the arrival of winter, the average person begins to realize that another beach season is just around the corner, and the needle on his scale shows unacceptable numbers. So, it's time to pull yourself together. So, in most cases there is a desire to go to the gym. Once there, a person discovers new world, which he most likely understands nothing about. Today we'll talk about what you need to pay attention to if you sign up for a gym. For beginners, it is extremely important not to miss anything, so that a positive result is not long in coming. Basic training programs for beginners will also be discussed below.
Trainer
The first thing you need to do when you get into the gym is hire a trainer. No matter how smart and successful a person you are, a professional knows more about sports, because this is his job. Therefore, pride in in this case It's best to leave your shoes in the locker room. After a couple of months, when you already know the technique of all the exercises, you can refuse the trainer. But at first it is better to trust a professional.
If you can't afford a coach or simply don't want to hire one, there is still a way out. You can find a lot of information about fitness and bodybuilding on the Internet. Articles and videos will help you gain a basic knowledge sufficient for a beginner. Another way to gain knowledge without a coach is to communicate with more experienced athletes. No one in the room will refuse you advice or support. Just don’t distract people from their own activities very often.
Friend
An important component of successful classes is support. Therefore, in order to always remain motivated, it is better to go to the gym with a friend. When you are exhausted and want to stay at home, lying on the couch watching your favorite TV series, a faithful comrade will simply force you to go to training. You will do the same for him. In addition, when there is at least one acquaintance nearby, beginners in the gym feel much more comfortable.
The main thing is not to brag about your achievements to your friends and experienced athletes. If you have not exercised for a long time and have just begun to tone your body, then excessive zeal will lead to the fact that for the next few days you will not be able to do anything due to severe muscle pain. And this is only in best case scenario. And people who have been training for more than one year don’t care at all how much beginners bench press. People come and go in the hall. Nobody pays attention to strangers. However, if you need advice or help, an experienced athlete will not refuse.
Constriction
Training for beginners in the gym is difficult at first. The beginner does not understand what he is doing, does not feel his muscles. He simply follows the coach's instructions. But after some time, full awareness of actions will come. Then every movement will be deliberate. Don't be embarrassed if you do something wrong at first. No one will laugh at you, since everyone started at some point. Correct technique It will definitely come, just be patient.
Now it's time to talk about the training itself. When you come to the gym, you can harm yourself. To prevent this from happening, you need to strictly adhere to the lesson plan and not try to show off your superpowers. The gym for beginners is a place where your willpower, determination and ability to live according to a schedule will be tested.
The first program we will consider is aimed at creating a certain foundation. It involves preparing the athlete for further, more difficult tests. There is no special wisdom or any specific techniques. This program primarily involves working with free weights. The reason for this is simple - not all gyms have special exercise machines designed to work a particular muscle. So that the question does not arise (what can replace the exercise on this simulator?), the program is simplified as much as possible. However, it really should be done three times a week. With experience, athletes expand the program to 4-6 days. But this is of no use to us for now.
First day
It looks something like this:
- Warm up. Done in up to 10 minutes. Provides exercise and cardio training.
- Pectoral muscles. You need to do dumbbell bench presses, you can also raise them to the sides.
- Triceps. Various ones are done with a narrow grip, down on the upper block.
- Shoulder. Raise your arms with dumbbells in front of you. Next we do the standing barbell press.
- Abdominal training (any exercise of your choice).
- Stretching.
Second day
The step-by-step training looks like this:
- Warm up.
- Back. We make different barbells to the belt in an inclined position. Wide grip pull-ups are provided.
- Biceps curl: dumbbell or barbell curl. Lifting the barbell on a Scott bench.
- Shoulder. First, raise the dumbbells to the sides. Then we do barbell rows to the chin.
- Working out the press.
- Stretching.
Third day
The program is slightly transformed:
- Warm up.
- Legs: squats with a barbell, extension and bending on the machine.
- Shoulders: bent over dumbbell raises, arm abductions on the Peck-Deck machine.
- Press.
- Stretching.
All exercises are performed in three sets of 10-15 times. Except for those next to which a different number of repetitions is indicated. The weight of the shells should be selected in such a way that you can do exactly as many approaches as indicated above. Of course, in exercises where everything depends on your strength, for example, in pull-ups or abdominal training, you need to do as much as you can, trying to maximize your performance.
In addition to warming up, at the beginning of the workout, warming up approaches with an empty bar will not be amiss. They should be done not before each exercise, but before starting training of a particular muscle group. 10-20 repetitions will be enough to enrich the muscles nutrients, which are known to come with blood.
Above we discussed a standard training plan, in which each muscle group is worked on a certain day. But there is another method. According to him, the whole body is trained comprehensively - in one trip to the gym. For beginners, this approach is also very effective. For comparison, let's analyze it too.
Program No. 2
At first glance, this program seems extraordinary. However, it gives a colossal effect. The workout looks like this:
- Warm up.
- Shoulders: lifting the barbell overhead, rowing to the chin.
- Legs. We do squats with a barbell.
- Biceps. Provides for lifting the bar.
- Back: pull the projectile to the belt in an inclined position.
- Chest: bench press (flat bench).
- Press: hanging leg raises.
- Stretching.
You also need to exercise three days a week. Only the exercises are repeated at each workout. If you are under 20 years old, then one lesson per week should be replaced with a complex aimed at expanding the chest and shoulders. It looks like this:
- Warm up.
- Super series of deep squats and pullovers. Each exercise is done 15-20 times. Number of approaches - 3.
- Pull-ups (to the chest, behind the head, reverse grip) 3/15-30.
- Dips (maximum amplitude) - 3-4/20-30.
- Leg raises while hanging on the bar.
- Stretching.
It is recommended to start with a program that works all muscle groups. For a beginner in the gym, the first time it is not necessary to pump up intensely. This can be used for the first 1-2 months, and then switch to a standard program, where each muscle receives individual attention.
Gym for beginner girls
Unlike men, girls, as a rule, go to the gym not to become bigger, but on the contrary, to become fitter, slimmer, to lose weight. extra pounds. There is an opinion that when working out with weights, a young lady loses her femininity and becomes a “jock in a skirt.” But this is not true at all. Firstly, a normal girl will not be able to become one due to the fact that her body is structured differently from a man’s. He is not predisposed to muscle growth. Secondly, the exercises and loads included in the girls’ training program are not aimed at turning a lady into a pile of muscles. So you shouldn’t be hostile to the fact that representatives of the fairer sex also go to the gym to train.
For beginner girls, the goal of the training is to comprehensively work out the whole body. As well as gaining slimness and losing weight. Therefore, the most appropriate program would be one in which all muscle groups are worked on one day. She's comfortable. After all, if you often skip workouts due to a busy schedule, there will be no muscles that are deprived of attention. So, here is an example of a standard program for a girl:
- Cardio exercises - 10 minutes with a pulse of 100-120 beats per minute.
- Warm up and stretch.
- Hanging leg/knee raises.
- Seated leg extension.
- Short hyperextension.
- Dumbbell bench press.
- Upper pulley to the chest (reverse grip) - 2/10-12.
- Dumbbell overhead press.
- Their lift is for biceps.
- Crunches on a bench.
All exercises, except those noted separately, are done in three sets of 10-12 times. When you come to the gym for the first time, you should do a full cardio and warm-up. And the power ones - one approach. The break between repetitions is about a minute. The second workout may be more intense. In each exercise you need to do two approaches, and reduce the break to 50 seconds. For the third time, it’s time to start training according to a full-fledged scheme. In a couple of weeks, you will see other beginners starting to practice. The program in the gym will be easier. You will feel like an experienced athlete. Keep this positive attitude in the future and everything will be fine.
Conclusion
Training for beginners can turn into sheer stress if there is no reasonable approach to training and an experienced mentor. At first, most likely, nothing will work out. Therefore, you should be careful if you decide to visit the gym. For beginner men, this path will be easier than for women. But even representatives of the fairer sex are good at sports, if they have the desire. Today we learned what difficulties await a beginner in the gym and what exercises should be paid attention to at first.
Explaining all the principles of creating a proper training program may require creating separate book, which is what professional trainers most often do. But there are general and basic points - the necessary minimum from which you can build on in the process of developing a personal program.
It must be said right away that the material is relatively voluminous, but if you study it in full, then half of your questions regarding the construction of a training plan will immediately disappear. And this is easier both for the trainer and for the novice bodybuilder, because you will understand the scheme for drawing up programs and all that remains is to try everything in practice, using your own feelings.
There is often a situation where beginners move chaotically between exercise machines and change the program every workout. This prevents their body from understanding what is happening, and it is impossible to notice the advantages and disadvantages of the chosen program in one workout. The result will be obtained if you follow the chosen program for a certain time (several weeks or months).
Also, many novice bodybuilders believe that there is a certain scheme with secret techniques that will give instant results, and if you also use steroids, then everything becomes simple! These are all misconceptions, because to achieve the goal you need to work in the gym for a very long time.
Preparation of a workout for a beginner by a trainer
Maybe someone else doesn’t know, but for each newcomer, coaches create approximately the same plans with minor adjustments. Usually these are basic exercises and a couple of isolating exercises (read which exercises are basic and which are isolating). At first glance, this seems like the wrong approach, because the program should be individual, but you need to understand one important point.
Coaches cannot create an ideal action strategy right away! Therefore, we get a situation with a standard program, which will be the same as for all other beginners. The coach must independently determine the degree of preparation of the athlete and adjust his goals, and after a short interval the coach creates an individual training session, taking into account all the characteristics of the athlete’s body. As a result, after these words, any stable strategy is initially better than its complete absence.
How often should you go to training?
From the very beginning, any athlete asks this question, but to choose the optimal number of training sessions per week, several factors need to be taken into account:
1. Which muscle groups will be involved.
All muscle groups can be divided into two categories:
- small (calves, deltoids, triceps, biceps);
- large (chest, back, legs).
Remember that if the training was on large muscles, then they will need a day more break for recovery than a group of small muscles.
2. Current level of training. If you have been training for a long time, then the body is adapted to the loads and the muscles are restored more quickly. short terms. Also, smaller muscles recover faster.
3. Training volume. It is definitely worth taking into account. If the training was long and hard, then the body received a colossal load. This means it will take a long time to fully recover. Don't forget about supercompensation and learn to determine when your body is ready for stress again.
Of course, each coach has his own view on the required intervals between workouts. But most are inclined to believe that a beginner can visit the gym often at first, but with light loads. This solution allows you to gradually adapt to the loads and increase the efficiency of training. Another aspect of this solution is that a beginner’s muscles are not yet very voluminous, which means they recover faster than the voluminous fibers of a professional.
When creating a program, keep in mind that on average, for beginner athletes, each muscle group is completely restored in 2-4 days.
In one of the articles on our website we talked in more detail about. Statistics, differences for beginners and experienced athletes, as well as features of post-gym training during strength and fat-burning training.
The correct split or what and with what to train
Let's start with the fact that there are types of training in which the whole body receives approximately the same load, and there are trainings in which muscle groups are trained on different days. These workouts are called splits.
In general, the word split, when accurately translated, means “to split,” in relation to training, this means a method that allows you to work each muscle separately.
The application of each programming technique can be roughly divided into two categories:
- For a beginner, it is recommended to work on the whole body during training.
- For an experienced athlete, in order to have time to efficiently load each muscle, it is better to do more workouts per week, and pay attention to different muscles at each one.
Target: Preparatory
Body type: Any
Difficulty: Beginner
Goal: Mass gain
Body type: Any
Difficulty: Amateur
Why is this so? And all only because of the body’s training, the greater it is, the more time it will take to fully load all parts of the body. For a thin teenager, it is effective to do a full body workout at a time, 3 workouts per week. And in order for a professional to thoroughly work out each muscle in one workout, he will have to train for a very long time! The solution is split.
The most common option for a training split is 3 days a week. When forming individual splits, it is important to take into account the recovery time of individual muscle groups, as well as the indirect load on other muscles when training a separate group.
If you do not take into account that when training one muscle, others are indirectly involved, then the performance will drop significantly, because the recovery period will decrease, and the body simply will not completely rest. Yes, and there are muscles that require more load to get results, so now it’s important to learn about existing groups and their features.
In addition to dividing muscles into large and small, there is another classification:
- pushing muscles (deltoids, chest, triceps);
- pulling muscles (legs, back, biceps).
To understand the meaning of this division, we need to consider an example. First, the program trains the biceps, and then the back. This is a failed strategy, since both exercises fall on the pulling group; in addition, the biceps are weaker than the back; as a result, the back exercise cannot be done correctly, because the biceps involved in the back exercises is already tired. Therefore, in in this example it is necessary to correct the training and first load the back and then move on to the biceps.
Important: You should always start training with a large muscle group, after which you can move on to a smaller group. For example, it would be correct to load the chest first, followed by the triceps, or the back, and then the biceps.
How to properly combine muscle groups in one workout
If you are doing a split workout, it is not recommended to load several large muscle groups at once with one workout! The best option will involve the involvement of one large and a number of small groups.
A bad example would be training your back and legs at once. Firstly, this is a high load, which will not allow you to give your best in each exercise - you simply do not have enough strength for it! And secondly, the load on the circulatory system (on the heart in particular) will be enormous. The muscles are large, require a supply of nutrients, and are located at a considerable distance.
The exception is training for antagonist muscles - this is the name given to a pair of muscles that perform opposite movements. For example, the biceps flexes the arm, and the triceps extends it, the pecs push the arms, and the latissimus dorsi pull. Therefore, training them together is an excellent option, especially since they will be involved in any case. As an example, biceps curls passively engage the triceps, which is stretched and ready to be loaded. Exercises on antagonist muscles in one workout enhance the pumping effect.
Separately, you need to touch the feet, because this group stands out among all the others. In the human body, the legs are the largest and strongest muscle group, so when using splits, it is better to dedicate a separate day to them. Let's consider the optimal split options:
3 days a week (best option)
- chest and back;
- deltas and arms;
- legs.
5-day (advanced)
- legs;
- back;
- breast;
- shoulders;
- hands.
After using these splits, you still need to figure out optimal rest. Everything here is relatively simple, if there are no results, it means either training is frequent, or vice versa - the breaks are too long. Therefore, if you feel that you need an additional day of rest, it is better to do it than to once again load muscles that have not yet rested.
What is the sequence of exercises
You need to choose a split taking into account your goal. If the main goal is to gain mass, then you need to forget about isolation exercises. Only the base is used - exercises in which several muscle groups are involved at once. Therefore, when gaining weight, you need to pass by all the exercise machines; they are not designed for this purpose.
If you are a skinny guy who has just started going to the gym, then you have a direct path to dumbbells and barbells (free weights), this is where you should spend most of your training time.
When gaining mass, the sequence also looks simple, which involves first complex exercises during the workout, and easy ones at the end. You need to start with an exercise that involves maximum quantity joints (base), and end with isolating ones.
As an example, when training pectoral muscles you need to start with a bench press, and finish with a crossover or dumbbell flyes, which are formative exercises. When training your legs, it is important to start with a squat, and only then move on to.
Important! When training to gain mass, be sure to follow the rule: from difficult to easy: from basic exercises to isolating ones.
Designing a workout
When starting to create a training program, it is important to consider the following criteria:
Load (as a percentage of your maximum) - it is important to determine the weight that will allow you to perform the exercises correctly.
- the number of sets/approaches in each exercise - to gain mass, you need to do 6-10 repetitions per approach, and for strength you will need no more than 5.
- tempo of exercises (speed) - approaches can be performed quickly, but more often they concentrate on a specific phase (lifting/lowering)
Duration of training - if you are not using steroids, then the training should last a maximum of 1 hour. And all because such loads are stress for the body, which causes the release of catabolics into the blood. If this stress extends over time, then the body will take a long time to recover, which is due to a decrease in the volume of anabolic steroids produced by the body (for example, testosterone).
- rest until the next approach - no need to relax in the gym, stretching out the rest. You can rest for a maximum of 2 minutes, but generally only 1 minute is recommended. This will allow you to do 5-6 exercises with average weight in the allotted hour. You can only rest for more than 3 minutes when powerlifting (building strength).
The importance of warming up with a cool down
If at least some attention is paid to the warm-up more often, then many people forget about the cool-down, simply leaving for the shower or leaving the gym at the end of the entire workout. But both of these actions are important to get the maximum effect.
Spend a few minutes on the cardio machine to warm up your body, and do some general warm-up and stretching. Before each basic (complex) exercise, do a set with a light weight.
After training, it is important to do a cool-down to bring the body into a normal state, as well as to start the recovery process. A cool-down requires up to 10 minutes of time and consists of any aerobic exercise that turns into muscle stretching ( treadmill, and then stretching). This will return the body to normal and even out the pulse.
If you do not want to get injured during training, be sure to do a warm-up. There is a large one on our website. From it you will learn the order of its implementation, as well as a video with the warm-up process.
Bodybuilding and the eternal question of nutrition
A novice bodybuilder comes to the gym with confidence that results can only be achieved with the help of pharmacology and constant use sports nutrition. But this is far from reality, because any supplements only complement the normal diet, as the name suggests. It is important to understand that sports nutrition is an additive to regular food, but not a chemical. Sports nutrition The only difference is ease of preparation and use, and the additives themselves are divided into several types:
- gainer;
- fat burners.
All these types of sports nutrition perform various functions. There is no need to immediately convince yourself that nothing will work without additives, it is important to read the necessary articles and you can get good results without resorting to buying sports nutrition. But with sports nutrition it will still be easier.)
Sports nutrition is a great help in building your body. By using sports nutrition, your goals will be achieved easier and faster. Go to our store - it presents only the most popular sports nutrition.
Additional nuances of effective training
If you are determined to go to the gym, and the decision to gain weight or get strong muscles serious, it is important to follow the following rules:
- Strict adherence to the daily routine along with diet. If the training is organized efficiently, but the nutrition remains the same and incomplete, there will be no result. This is because most of success depends on proper nutrition, especially in an activity like bodybuilding. Therefore, it is important to immediately adjust your diet and regimen, choosing the best options for a certain type of training. Only this will create conditions for active muscle growth. It is recommended to sleep at least 7 hours a day and avoid stress.
- Periodic change of program. Training plans are designed for a specific time (usually 2-6 months). This is due to the body’s adaptation to stress, which reduces the effectiveness of training to zero. To continue to develop, you need to change both individual exercises and the entire program. One option is to switch from bodybuilding to powerlifting, and then back again.
- Dynamics tracking. It is important to always track the results during the process by recording them in a diary. Only the fact of progress, which can be expressed in increasing weights or external change, indicates the correctness of the chosen strategy. If the program does not advance towards the goal, then it is wrong and you need to think about a new plan.
Conclusion
Drawing up a training and nutrition program is a very complex process that requires good theoretical preparation, as well as taking into account the many characteristics of your body and lifestyle. So study it yourself or ask our professional trainers for help!
Did you like it? - Tell your friends!