Guide to free weights!

Well, for the last few months I decided to change my athletic body into a bodybuilder body. I thought I'd show you some of my techniques used to put me where I am now. I've seen plenty of guides on 'working out', and 'diets', but all I really see on them, is a diet plan. This guide doesn't include a diet plan, so don't hope for one. If you're not looking for a bodybuilder type body, that's fine! Free weights are not used just to gain muscle mass, or to extend your biceps tremendously! They can just be used to WORK OUT. Hopefully in the future, if I get a camera soon, I'll be able to include some pictures of me doing the workouts, to deminsrate without these googled images >.<

This won't cover curling, or such, but I will add it later, remember that on upperbody days, curling should be one of the first things you do at the gym, if not, the first!

When I first started going to the gym, 2-3 years ago, I was fallacious about how to work out, my friends told me what to do, and I believed they KNEW what they were doing, but they didn't! I was working on upper body, and legs for all 4 days a week I was going to the gym, for over a month! If I did continue that, it could have came back and kicked me in the ass. You should have a set schedual to work on your upper/lower body, don't work on it all every day you're at the gym, at once. Yes it's fine to run for 20 minutes, then start your upper body (to get your blood going, get you ready for the exercise). Don't do 3 sets of 12 bech press, then decide to do squats!

Remember to not overdue yourself! If you can only bench 120, than you can only bench 120! Don't try and put 30+ pounds you can't handle (I learned that the hard way).

Free weights!​

Probably my favorite thing to do at the gym! Prepare to hurt, because you will do a lot of these to gain that muscle!

Hammer curl!​

Before you go out, and attempt the hammer curl, just because you can lift the weight, doesn't mean you can do a hammer curl properly with it. If you can only hold up to 60, grab a 45, or 50. You simply are standing up straight, with the weights down and pressed to the side of you. Now, without swinging, or moving the weight outwards, bring it up to your shoulder. Hold it, HOLD IT! Now back down slowly, ONE!
Is a great example of how it's done.
Now depending on the person, or what results they're looking for, reps, and sets are difficult to determine. I recommend if you ARE beginner to do 8 reps, 3 sets, with 10 second breaks. I personally do 15 reps, 5 sets, everyone is diffrent, if you can't do as many reps as someone next to you, who cares, you're working out for your OWN benifit, not theirs.

Lateral raise ​

I really hate these, I honestly do, they hurt so much, but no pain, NO GAIN!
Okay, position yourself as if you were about to do some hammer curls, but instead of coming up torwards you, we're going to extend our arms outwards, at the same time.. Now, this could drop you 10-20 pounds off your hammer curls, do prepare to hit the 20lbs weights!
This is how you should look with your arms fully extended
After a little bit, release. I only do 8 reps, 5 sets, 10 secound breaks for these, but again, pends on the person.

One minute break​

Front raise​

This will be an almost identical exercise to the lateral raise, but instead of extending outwards, you obviously do it frontwards, do the same reps/sets for these, as you did for the lateral. Don't have the weights facing upwards/downwards, side to side, and don't swing your arms to get the weights up, you're only cheating yourself! Your arm should look like this when extended...

Bent raise​

Alright for this, you will need any type of seating probably any bench seat. Put one knee on it, and the other leg extended, put one arm on the seat, and have the other extended on the ground, reaching the weight. Now, lift as if you are pulling, like starting a push lawnmower, do the same reps/sets, for this as well!

It can also be done another way, but it does work a little diffrent, so I won't cover it.

Pullover (dumbell pullover)​

SOOOOOOOOOOOOO, while you're on that seat right there, why don't you pop a squat, and stay a while? Pullovers are fun, because for these, I use my max weight. Some people do these on an incline seat, or flat, hell you can do both! You simple sit/lay down, grab the weight with both arms making the weight face north/south, and pull up, and simply put it back down behind your head, and repeat this. I do 10 reps, 4 sets, 20 secound breaks for these.


May be confusing, but they're easy to get the hang of, and I really enjoy them!

Shrugs​

So while you're doing your max. weight, stand back up, and do some shrugs.
Everybody knows how to shrug, and normally it isn't so painful, welcome to the worlds biggest pain in your shoulders! Simply grab your max weight, and shrug with the weight, 15 reps, 3 sets.



That is all I have for now, this should give you a base idea of how to exercise with free weights (most dumbbell so far). I will update this frequently to add in more (there is A LOT to cover) including, dead lift, power clean, squats, benching, etc.

Any questions on the guide? Add my new MSN to ask questions, or to give constructive feedback (You'll be mentioned, and credited for your information), no flaming, or spamming on my thread, it will be reported

MSN: [email protected]
Or, just contact me on Sythe.org PM.

Thank you!

 

Not a bad guide, but you didn't really go over some of the more important complex movements, and seems to be more on isolation movements, which will get you a great looking body, but not not very functional for strength.

Good guide though, nice pictures and good descriptions.

 

I don't quite understand, complex? Sure the movements are stationary, but so is nearly everything else in the gym that will buff you out, keep you in shape. If you work with the reps, and sets on here, and continue with them on a weekly schedual, the weights will become less heavy, you advance to more higher weights, and your strength certainly increases! I started out benching 140, and by doing correct reps, sets, such as this, overtime my strength rose, and now I can bench 210, I found it very effective with strength, I feel stronger than I've ever been O.O sorry if I mislead what you're saying, I might've mixed thank up, but that you for the feedback Appreciate it greatly!

 

The guide itself for Lifting is good.
I do feel you should have suggested warming up Prior to working out.
Getting your Joints and Muscles warmed up is really important when Muscle building.
As well as taking Joint Care and Vitamin pills daily to ensure proper health.
Maybe even mention drinking Protein shakes.
The body needs at least 1g of protein per Lb of body weight a day when building Muscle.

 

I would classify vitamin pills, and protein shakes under 'diet' which I won't cover :S. Protein shakes are simple, they should be taken before, and after excercise (Probably around 8oz.)

As for warming up, that is pretty obvious, stretch your joints, and run/speed walk, a tredmill for 20-30minutes.

Thank you for your feedback

 

What I meant was, the difference between a compound lift and an isolation lift. Most of the movements you have here are very basic, isolation exercises, which will define and tone the muscle, but don't do much for functional strength. You should include some complex exercises, things like bench, squats, deadlifts, etc, which work a variety of muscles. These types of lifts have been proven to give bigger gains in both size and functional strength.

I still like the guide though, nothing wrong with it at all. Just offering improvements. Oh, and I only lift complex exercises once a week, I weigh 145 pounds and can max 245 : P

 

I liked the guide! It would be good to have some things like equipment and clothing. Also squats etc.
Maybe also which muscle the excercises used?

94/100

 

I personally aim for 10 reps at the most usually doing 9/8/7 and doing 3 sets.

You also need to add shoulder press because that is a predominant part of the upper body

 

Correct me if im wrong,

It seems you have attempted to create a guide to bodybuilding using free weights.

If this is so, then this guide is not a good guide. Although you have included a few exercises with illustrations, you have failed to mention what this will do.

Let's say for instance, Hammer Curls... Ok so you explain how to do the exersise, now what muscle tissue have you just broken down so you know what part of your body will be growing if you continue to do this exersise, understand?

Also what part of your body have you worked out from doing this specific exersise, Pullovers (dumbell pullovers) work your triceps, perhaps this is intended for people who know this already (which some people may not even know where the Tricep is) - which I am unsure of as you have not specified.

There are ample different muscles of which to train at the gym, you could classify them into different sections... such as "To train back muscles, etc". I classify my days (monday - friday) into a few main categories, Chest, Biceps, Triceps, Back, Legs, Shoulders, Abs/Stomach.

Also i noticed you say that if you can hold a 60 pound weight, you expect them to hammer curl 45 pounds with propper form. I don't think this is going to happen, you should recommend to start light, and if you exceed the 12 mark repetitions then move onto a heavier weight.

You also failed to mention the difference between bulking and cutting, to gain muscle you need to push yourself to the limit in order for the muscles to react and start to co-operate with your bodies daily exersise, in order to grow.

Also try appeal more to what people generally wish to obtain when they go to gym, like... you have added exersises which train shoulders, lats, triceps, and biceps (sort of). Stick to basics, for bench - bench press, for legs - squats, for shoulders - shoulder press, for biceps - barbell/preacher curls. Understand?

Hope this wasn't too offensive, I do tend to get a bit carried away and take it very seriously as it is my lifestyle. I have been bodybuilding since December. [: It is nice to see you trying to help others though, and thats the main thing.

What I would recommend is a re-creation of your guide, with a bit more depth.

Awe.

 

Now, let me cut this into portions. It is also my lifestyle, I've been athletic for a long while, and just recently (October-ish.) I decided to get into bulking up. Yet this guide does not describe 'diet plans', or 'suppliments' (which I should include later on.) It is only a brief onto the exercises you're doing, and HOW to do them. True, I don't go in dept on how to actually 'bulk', which isn't hard, it only consists of 40% protein, 40% carbs, 20% cals. You don't need to "Throw yourself over the limit" to be a bodybuilder. Are my sets more than anyone else, no. Are my reps higher than anybody else, no. I normally do 12 reps, 5 sets (sometimes more) Since you're in this lifestyle, I persume you've heard the phrase, "A nutrisious diet, is almost as important as the exercise." Consisting of a good 6-7 meal portion a day, and a correct day at the gym, with good suppliments should provide you with enough to 'bulk up.'
Pushing yourself over the top is useful, and helps more, but you don't NEED to push it.

Correct, I didn't throw in the diffrence of bulking, and cutting. Diets was not included on this guide, that should be a users own responsibility
Don't worry, I don't take critisism to heart, I actually enjoy it, but please if you wish to discuss possible changes I can do to my thread, contact me. I should actually change that phase you pointed out, as I see the flaws. I'll end up making a seperate guide for such (if I ever feel like it.)

If I'm reading that correct you have your arm workouts seperate? Example: Biceps monday, friday tricep. That is incorrect, and not good for recovering tissue, even if it's a diffrent part of the same group of the body.
A workout should consist of 5 diffrent workouts, mine is.

Monday: Legs
Tuesday: Back
Wensday: Off
Thursday: Chest
Friday: Arms
Saturday: Shoulders
Sunday: Off

But always do 1 set of 20-25 of the previous workout day to get the blood flowing.

 

There is a lot of controversy around a topic like this, however i guess at the end of the day it comes down to what works for you, from the results ive gained over 5 months is unbelievable. I do not do arms seperately, lol. Currently i'm doing chest/bi's tuesday and chest/tri's friday.

Your routine is good, the breaks are nicely spaced, i'm currently doing 5 on 2 off. weekends being my off day - and sigh, due to public holidays my fail gym not being open ive had to make changes.

oh and 20% cals, or fats , cals are the total of all those buddy... haha, the first thing people ask me is what am i taking, lol.

Anyway, i would like to contact you, its always good to speak to a fellow bodybuilder, peaCe

 

Feel free to add me on MSN man, I love to talk about resaults, and the art of BB in general. [email protected]

 

Thanks bro. This is very imformative. I just started going to the gym, hmm about 2 months ago, But i never had a real routine. So this is a nice header for me to start to make one. im looking forward to you cont. with the guide.

 

Curls are one of the most sissiest workouts you can do. Stick with squats and deadlifts - a strong back is 10x better then out-of-proportioned arms.

 

THANK GOD someone stated this. Compound movements will go a LONG way to a beginner than any isolation. Stick to the BASICS: Barbell Bench/ DEADLIFTS & SQUATS= Best damn exercises in the world if done correctly recruiting 80%+ of muscle fibers), Military Press/ Dips, Hanging Ab Raises (ONLY IF YOU CAN DO IT WITH GOOD FORM).

 

Nobody cares about your opinion on curls. No exercise is 'sissy', they all give a peice of your body a WORKOUT. What if I told you that a machine is more dependant than a free-weight bechpress, does that make the free-weight a sissy workout, no it doesn't. If you're working out, and you're looking for actual resaults, you can't go to the gym, and do 5 sets, 12 reps, of bench press, and squats (I don't know why you'd be working chest AND legs in the same day, but..) You need to do SEVERAL workouts in an area, and seperate the days. Your benchpress certainly helps your chest, but what about your biceps/triceps. Sure you could do closearm, and work the tricep more, but wouldn't it be more proper to get a better workout via curls, or such? Even a machine, that gives 100% focus to your triceps, is better than getting maybe 20-25% workout benchpressing. What about forearms? Your legs, and squats. Squats only work a few areas of your legs, I'm into bodybuilding, I don't want just huge calves, so I do other machines/weights to get all areas of the legs worked out. Nothing is a sissy workout, if you knew the benifits it supplies you with, maybe you'd appreciate it more.

 

He meant that it supplies with more benefits, period. You can't dispute that. Squats and Deadlifts recruit approximately 80% of muscle fibre, curls recruit, what, like 5%? Case and point. For beginners, i think they will grow more and much faster by training more muscles, dont ya think?

So: Bench Press/ Deadlift/ Ass to Grass Squat/ Barbell Wide Grip Rows/ Pull-ups

Look up Rippetoes Starting Strenght, the ultimate program for a beginning lifter, and see what exercises it contains . Chances are, not curls.