Hey u guys if I go to the jim and am doing upper body exercises

>>5411733
Nice dubs.

When you first start going to the gym it doesn't really matter what you do, you will see gains regardless.

In the long run however it is inefficient to be doing multiple high-volume isolation exercises targeting the same muscle group on the same day. The reason you see so many high profile bodybuilders doing tons of isolation variants is because they are on steroids and have a much higher work capacity.

For someone who doesn't roid I would recommend focusing on compound movements, especially as a beginner, because you will be much less likely to develop muscular imbalances if you perform the movements correctly. Doing nothing but bicep curls for years will overemphasize the biceps and surrounding tendons, which eventually can cause pain to the shoulder, triceps, chest, and even neck, because the bicep part of your arm will be disproportionately strong compared to the underworked parts of the body to which it is attached.

For upper body work, after warming up do 3 work sets of 5 reps of either the bench press or overhead press, and 3 sets of 5 of a good rowing movement, such as the pendlay row or bent-over row. Do this every other session and progress in weight each session. Once progress slows down you can start evaluating what to do next, which can include implementing some isolation movements to shore up any imbalances or nagging weakness you may have.

Also consider going lower body work as well, it will benefit you greatly in the long run. Please warm up and at least attempt to do some stretching.

>>5411777

>>5411790
I've primarily been doing compound exercises to begin my routine which sequester off into high isolation exercises towards the end of the routine. When doing lower body for instance I'll usually start with something more encompassing like goblet squats and later in the work out I'll be doing calf raises or glute bridges, should I focus primarily on just the former instead?

I don't have a partner to spot me and I am currently kind of weak, so I've really only been doing less intensive alternatives to "core" exercises like the bench press and dead lift. dumb bell chest presses and romanian dead lifts specifically. Is this a problem or merely inefficient/more time consuming?

I usually end my work out with some sort of burn out like kettle bell swings or a medicine ball slam.

>>5411811
>>5411800
great doubles.

First I want to say that without knowing you personally and working with you it is hard to give accurate recommendations beyond the very basics, because I don't know where exactly you are in terms of goals, strength, experience, form, and flexibility. But I'll try to give what advice I can. Weightlifting is idiosyncratic and you have to find what works for your body. If you're seeing gains and your numbers are going up as you'd like, then you're doing it right.

As a summary of what I'm about to write, I'll tell you:

- Do Overhead Presses
- Try Front Squats and Conventional Deadlifts
- Do Glute Bridges, Hip Adduction, and Hip Abduction
- Focus on progressing your compound lifts (Press, Squat, Row, and Deadlift)

Now I will explain why:

For lower body, unless you are a bodybuilder, you are best off just working with the big compounds: standard back squats and deadlifts. However, most people who sit at a desk all day have weak glutes and tight hip flexors, which often translates into back pain. For this reason I do recommend glute bridges. In addition I recommend hip adduction (start light) and hip abduction.

Do these three isolations at the end of a workout maybe once every 1.5 weeks. Once progress slows down don't worry about pushing it, these are only assistance exercises for the deadlift and squat. I would recommend dropping calf raises unless calf mass is very important to you, in which case you should read the following article written by Chad:
https://www.t-nation.com/training/no-weights-calf-training

>>5411882

The back squat is flat-out the best lower body movement for developing the posterior chain, however it is a more complicated movement than it may appear. Some trainees actually find that the front squat (with either a clean grip or crossed arms) or zercher squat (held across body on elbows - use a pad or thick clothing, you will have track marks regardless) are better entry-level barbell squat variants than the back squat, as they teach you how to properly brace your core and encourage an upright torso. They are also very easy to bail (just drop the bar forward) and can be done without a spotter, though it is also possible to do the back squat without a spotter if you know how to get out from under the bar.

With your goblet squat experience you may find the front squat or zercher feels familiar, and you can load it more easily since you can use a barbell. If you're wary about back squats, try one of those variants and see how it goes. Attempt the back squat again later when you feel more comfortable with barbell squatting in general.

Dumbbell chest press is a great alternative to the barbell bench. Progress with it as you would with the barbell bench, doing 3 sets of 5. The problem eventually will be that you will be able to dumbbell press more than you can safely get into position on your own, which is why bodybuilders tend to do high volume sets of dumbbell presses at submaximal weight.

>>5411884

The overhead press is considerably harder than the bench press, but there is a lot of carryover from overhead to the bench and you can do the press without a spotter. If you want the biggest bang for your buck I would tell you to overhead press twice a week once your dumbbell chest press progress dries up. The OHP offers tremendous strength gains to the shoulders, chest, back, and traps, and properly performed is safer than the bench. Supplement the OHP with a very light lat pulldown and a heavy rowing movement. These are counterlifts that will help prevent you from developing a disproportionate upper body physique.

Romanian deadlifts are great for hamstrings and glutes, and done properly can help you identify how to activate the hip drive of your posterior chain. They also make a decent counterlift for something quad-heavy like front squats. In addition, they are a more comfortable deadlift variant to perform for someone with suboptimal proportions, such as a person with short arms compared to their torso and/or legs.

However. Standard deadlifts will always be superior for strength development and you should do them if you are able. You do not need to do particularly high volume with conventional deadlifts, because they are extremely taxing on the body. I would recommend doing just 1 work set of 5 reps a week. This may not seem like much, but you can progress very quickly by adding weight each week. Just make sure your form is good - practice with a bar or a long stick.

>>5411886

If conventional DLs are a problem for you, or if you just dont like doing them, stick with RDLs for now. Do them long enough and you may find that after a few months the conventional Deadlift will feel more comfortable when you try it again.

Typically I would not recommend burnout sets or high volume work sets unless the lifter is somewhat advanced. For a novice or novice-intermediate lifter they are usually a waste of energy. I would not do them on a lifting day, however they could be a way to do cardio on an off-day if you don't like running or swimming.

In short - yes, I would focus more on the bigger compounds and save isolation movements for correcting any muscular imbalances you may have. Keep the weight light for these isolation movements. The sets can be fairly high-volume, but I wouldn't do more than 10 reps in a set.

I also want to stress the importance of a proper warm-up. Hop on the rowing machine for 4 minutes at the very beginning of the workout. Do some brief foam rolling if that appeals to you, both at the beginning and end of the workout. Some dynamic stretches. And obviously, work up to your working sets with lighter weights.

>>5411892
Thanks, I appreciate all of this. So 3 sets 5 reps is the ideal for mass + strength, and I should find a weight where that working set is both doable but challenging, while my warm up is a lower weight than that working set leading up to it.

With fewer exercises as a whole to do if I'm dropping a lot of the isolation stuff, should I be attempting to get most or all of my compound lifts in in the same work out session, or still segment my work outs into lower and upper body days?

Finally, should I be doing cardio on a different day entirely, or should I be doing it post-weight training (When I previously worked with a trainer, one of the things I did and still do is high impact interval training in order to work on increasing my recovery time from extremely high heart rates, so that would primarily be what I'm doing).

the jorb
killer is deard

>>5411905
COACH Z?

>>5411903

Yes, 3 sets of 5 will be the optimal set/rep range for quite awhile. Eventually you will need to switch things around a little bit, but by that point you should be well into the intermediate stage.

With barbell lifts I do recommend warming up with a few empty bar sets to start. They are easy, allow you to practice form, and get your body primed for the movement.

As for routine, it's really up to you how you divy up your lifts. The typical novice program like Starting Strength or Stronglifts has an A and B day, where day A is Squat, Overhead Press, and Row, and Day B is Squat, Bench Press, and Deadlift.

Personally I would recommend a 3 day program, something like

Day 1
Overhead Press
Row

Day 2
Squat
Glute Bridge / Hip Abduction / Hip Adduction (pick 2, alternating)

Day 3
Overhead Press
Deadlift
Light Lat Pulldown

If you care a great deal about squatting, you could alter it so that you squat twice a week. This routine might seem bare, but with the warmups, work sets, and resting you can easily spend 30 minutes on just one compound. If you get tremendously bored you can occasionally add in an isolation exercise - you would be best served by dips or shrugs - but I do not recommend doing so particularly often.

Once your progress starts slowing down you'll need to change your routine to accommodate more volume, but a very simple, barebones 3x5 compound routine will last you several months.

I would definitely separate your cardio and weight lifting into different days. I only recommend doing HIIT once a week, especially when you're integrating it into a weightlifting program. Perhaps arrange your week into 1 HIIT day, 1 relaxed steady-state cardio day (sort of a day of rest), 3 weightlifting days, and 2 days of just rest. It is possible to do some light cardio on weightlifting days, but do it well after you've gone to the gym and take it easy.

Make sure you eat after you lift, to encourage recovery.

>>5411931
>Make sure to eat after you lift, to encourage recovery
I only have real opportunities to work out early morning since I work afternoons, is it really so good to eat again after finishing working out, provided I'll have had breakfast fairly recently? Since I don't imagine lifting on an empty stomach before I've eaten anything that day is ideal.

Can I do a dumbbell OHP if I'm still getting used to some of the motions and am new to lifting/don't lift with a bar often, or is it not really a valid substitute like the dumbbell press is for the bench press?

>>5411942
Yes, eating after a workout is highly recommended. Not because it "builds muscle" but because it helps your body immediately begin replenishing its glycogen stores, allowing you to recover more quickly for the next workout. Eating before the gym is also important, so keep doing that. Would just recommend bringing some kind of snack to eat afterward.

Dumbbell OHP is perfectly fine, and in fact is probably a good way to prepare yourself for the barbell version. I do recommend doing it standing instead of seated. Eventually it will become very hard to progress with dumbbell OHP, since usually you can only make 10 lb jumps with dumbbells, whereas you can increment by 5 lbs on a barbell.