Frequency, duration & diet

[Ascendant]

I also take multi-vitamin, fish oil, glucosamine and some women specific supplements.  Aside from the glucosamine, I'm not sure they make a lot of difference.

Of all those, glucosamine is the questionable one.

Fish oil and multi are certainly useful.

IMO, starting out, you don't need to do as many exercises as Dave listed. I would look at the actual Starting Strength routine as a starting point. You really can't go wrong with it and it covers all the bases.

Dave's list contains a lot of movements I would classify as unnecessary or things that can be covered by the "kill two birds with one stone."

So yeah, to begin, I'd definitely advocate following Starting Strength.

Once you become more experienced in lifting, you will be able to figure what works for you and what doesn't.

When I first started, I used a modified 5x5 routine. I stayed on that for about a year before my progress really stalled and then I made the switch to another structured program, which I have been following since the January of 2010. The key to constant progress in strength training is consistency, hard work and progression. As you get stronger, it becomes harder and takes longer to get stronger. That's why most people who go to the gym day in and day out still aren't that strong. They have no plan and don't work hard enough. Getting strong is hard, that's why not many people are.

Just to throw it out there, as of right now, my routine is this:

Day 1:

Strict overhead press
Deadlifts
Chin ups

Day 2:

Bench
Dumbbell bent over rows.
Chin ups

Day 3:

Strict overhead press
Squats
Chin ups

I usually throw in another round of squats on deadlift day or in between day 1 and 2 and do curls occasionally, but rarely.

 

[ObserverUK]

Thanks Kratos.

Is your avatar you?  Because if it is then I am amazed you look like that from what appears to be a simple (albeit no doubt hard) work out.  How long have you been weight training?  And what weights are you using (not that I would use your weights as a guide for me!!)?

Does it matter if you do more moves versus less (other than it possibly being inefficient)?  I like some of the moves Dave suggested.  Also, given I am having to use lower weights due to my wrist I can always increase reps and moves to keep it interesting.

And why is glucosamine questionable?

Is the 'Starting Strength' routine in a sticky?

S

 

[Ascendant]

Thanks Kratos.

Is your avatar you?  Because if it is then I am amazed you look like that from what appears to be a simple (albeit no doubt hard) work out.  How long have you been weight training?  And what weights are you using (not that I would use your weights as a guide for me!!)?

Does it matter if you do more moves versus less (other than it possibly being inefficient)?  I like some of the moves Dave suggested.  Also, given I am having to use lower weights due to my wrist I can always increase reps and moves to keep it interesting.

And why is glucosamine questionable?

Is the 'Starting Strength' routine in a sticky?

S

- God, no. My av is Konstantin Konstantinovs.

- It's the good ol' KISS principle. If you want to get good at X, you do X. If you can't concretely justify why you are doing something in the gym, then why are you doing it?

- I have been training since Feb. 2009. I took three months off that Summer, started again in Sept. 2009 and have missed only a handful of sessions since. I am still very inexperienced, but have learned a ton since I started and continue to learn.

- The weights I use vary on a week to week, month to month basis according to my program. My most current 1RMs are:

Deadlift: 520 lbs. I got 550 to just above my knees, but couldn't lock it out. This was a few weeks ago.

Bench press: 285 lbs. I started bench pressing in March 2010.

Squat: 195 kg, 429.9 lbs. This was in May. I took a long layoff from squatting, but am back to it now.

Strict overhead press: 210.5 lbs on as of this week.

All of those lifts were done at a body weight of 208-210 lbs.

- What you do it up to you. You have to make it fun for yourself, or you won't stick with it.

- The effectiveness of glucosamine has be questioned. Those of multivitamins and fish oil have not.

- No. You will have to Google Starting Strength and go to the website.

 

[ObserverUK]

Good grief Kratos - you deadlift 520 pounds?!?

Good for you!

Thanks for all the information.  I'll keep researching and hopefully I'll design something that'll work for me.  My current programme is not challenging me anymore so I am scoping for options.  Power lifting is definitely not for me!  Some of crossfit looks interesting.  And bdave's programme is also interesting.  But I am finding there is a lot of rubbish on the forums/web and I get frustrated with all the one-upping, 'poo poohing' and posing about which programme style is better than another.  It's difficult to get straight, sensible and pragmatic advice.

S

 

[Ascendant]

Good grief Kratos - you deadlift 520 pounds?!?

Good for you!

Thanks for all the information.  I'll keep researching and hopefully I'll design something that'll work for me.  My current programme is not challenging me anymore so I am scoping for options.  Power lifting is definitely not for me!  Some of crossfit looks interesting.  And bdave's programme is also interesting.  But I am finding there is a lot of rubbish on the forums/web and I get frustrated with all the one-upping, 'poo poohing' and posing about which programme style is better than another.  It's difficult to get straight, sensible and pragmatic advice.

S

520 sounds like a lot, but isn't that much, believe me. There are some guys in the 198 lb class benching over 500.

Training for strength does not mean training for powerlifting. Powerlifting is just the sport of squat, bench press and deadlift, so those athletes tend to focus on increasing those three lifts. I don't train for powerlifting, I just train for strength. I mean I focus on those three lifts and the overhead press because those are the main strength builders. Lots of people focus on those lifts, or have them as a main component of their training, and never compete. Lots of people focus on those lifts and do cardio and other things, as well.

Your last sentence is most certainly correct.

It's really about trying things and, after a while, finding out what works best for you. I suggested Starting Strength because that is widely regarded as the program to start with. Mark Rippetoe and the SS program are very well respected.

 

[ObserverUK]

I just googled Starting Strength.  Never heard the term before.  Very interesting.  Thanks for the tip.

I really like to work out but know nothing much about the science behind it.  My commitment is to stay fit and able - how I get there is optional so I am keen to explore.  I've been working out for 10 years and for the past 3/1/2 years without stopping.  I've done every form of cardio (including running 5 miles a day 6 days a week), done weights using isolation equipment (that was dull, even I prefer free weights), almost every type of core movement and I have kept upping resistance in cardio.  And along the way I have cleaned up and refined my diet.

But I need a new programme.  Doing more weight based work makes sense.  I'm just not sure how to do it.  My wrist injury is a limitation which is why I am on low weights and high reps.

Hmm, I'll keep investigating but I appreciate any help.  Knowing me, once I design my next programme, that's what I'll be doing for the next 12 months!

S

 

[bdave]

520 sounds like a lot, but isn't that much, believe me. There are some guys in the 198 lb class benching over 500.

Training for strength does not mean training for powerlifting. Powerlifting is just the sport of squat, bench press and deadlift, so those athletes tend to focus on increasing those three lifts. I don't train for powerlifting, I just train for strength. I mean I focus on those three lifts and the overhead press because those are the main strength builders. Lots of people focus on those lifts, or have them as a main component of their training, and never compete. Lots of people focus on those lifts and do cardio and other things, as well.

Your last sentence is most certainly correct.

It's really about trying things and, after a while, finding out what works best for you. I suggested Starting Strength because that is widely regarded as the program to start with. Mark Rippetoe and the SS program are very well respected.

How the hell did you start benching this march and have a 285 BP?
Your numbers are very respectable. You bench raw or you are in a suit?

 

[Ascendant]

How the hell did you start benching this march and have a 285 BP?
Your numbers are very respectable. You bench raw or you are in a suit?

Just because I wasn't benching doesn't mean I wasn't doing any pressing. I've always done overhead work, which heavily involves the shoulders and triceps. The first time I laid down on a bench I worked up to a 230 single.

I have recently started strict pressing 2x/week, which has helped my bench a lot. You'll find many very strong guys press multiple times a week and advocate doing so. It's easy to recover from and it's one of those things that seem to follow the "more is better" idea. So, shoulder and tricep strength go up, so does bench. Consistency and structured progression in your program is key. My bench press is still very weak.

I would step out on a limb and say my numbers are pretty good for someone of my training experience. My numbers are not respectable/good when compared to other lifters.

All my lifts are done raw. I'm not a fan of geared lifting. Benching 285 in a shirt would probably be grounds for offing oneself.