WillHurtDontCare
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This thread is about weightlifting programs and progression, specifically bodybuilding and strength training. It is is aimed at people who are already physically active but who are still beginners with weightlifting.
TL;DR do this routine with low weight and have a buff personal trainer, have a 12 month plan, alternate between strength & hypertrophy routines every 2-3 months, sleep well, 1-1.25g protein per lb of body weight.
These following is rather hodgepodge because I wrote ideas down as they came to me. I'll clean this up and add updates later.
I was at the gym earlier and some guy asked me what my routine was because he said he just goes to the gym and wings it. I told him about the strength routine that I am using (listed below). I figured that at least one person on this forum might be in the same boat, so I decided to make this thread.
If you are serious about fitness, then every day that you step into the gym should be but a small part of a multi-month strategy where discipline is required before you even get out of bed (ie: getting good sleep) and continues throughout the entire day (ie: eating the right foods, in the right quantities, at the right times). If you aren't, you are suffering from f*ckarounditis.
Disclaimer: I am not a personal trainer; I am just a guy who lifts. I've messed up quite a lot, though I've avoided serious injuries in the years that I've been lifting.
Ideally, you want to alternate between strength and hypertrophy routines every 2-3 months.
If you are just getting started and can afford it, I recommend finding a buff personal trainer and scheduling a few sessions with him or her. They will catch a bunch of mistakes that you would not even notice.
I also recommend higher volume lower weight routines for people who are just getting started. Just because the barbell / dumbbell goes up and down doesn't mean that you've performed the movement correctly. Ultimate, the goal is to go through a specific range of motion correctly. If you aren't, you are likely compensating with muscles that you aren't supposed to use and are likely setting yourself up for injury (see the bench press and shoulder injuries).
Quick aside: a nice side effect of learning proper weightlifting form is that your posture will dramatically improve.
Realistic Goals:
Issues to Address ASAP:
Routines:
Diet:
Elite Bodybuilders:
Other Resources:
Supplements:
Keywords:
My Qualifications:
One rep maxes:
In weightlifting you almost always can (and should) judge the quality of someone's knowledge by what they look like.
TL;DR do this routine with low weight and have a buff personal trainer, have a 12 month plan, alternate between strength & hypertrophy routines every 2-3 months, sleep well, 1-1.25g protein per lb of body weight.
These following is rather hodgepodge because I wrote ideas down as they came to me. I'll clean this up and add updates later.
I was at the gym earlier and some guy asked me what my routine was because he said he just goes to the gym and wings it. I told him about the strength routine that I am using (listed below). I figured that at least one person on this forum might be in the same boat, so I decided to make this thread.
If you are serious about fitness, then every day that you step into the gym should be but a small part of a multi-month strategy where discipline is required before you even get out of bed (ie: getting good sleep) and continues throughout the entire day (ie: eating the right foods, in the right quantities, at the right times). If you aren't, you are suffering from f*ckarounditis.
Disclaimer: I am not a personal trainer; I am just a guy who lifts. I've messed up quite a lot, though I've avoided serious injuries in the years that I've been lifting.
Ideally, you want to alternate between strength and hypertrophy routines every 2-3 months.
If you are just getting started and can afford it, I recommend finding a buff personal trainer and scheduling a few sessions with him or her. They will catch a bunch of mistakes that you would not even notice.
I also recommend higher volume lower weight routines for people who are just getting started. Just because the barbell / dumbbell goes up and down doesn't mean that you've performed the movement correctly. Ultimate, the goal is to go through a specific range of motion correctly. If you aren't, you are likely compensating with muscles that you aren't supposed to use and are likely setting yourself up for injury (see the bench press and shoulder injuries).
Quick aside: a nice side effect of learning proper weightlifting form is that your posture will dramatically improve.
Realistic Goals:
- You can add 0.5 - 2 lbs of muscle per month depending on how advanced you are
Issues to Address ASAP:
- Anterior Pelvic Tilt , AKA when your butt jutts out like Donald Duck.
- You will obliterate your lower back on heavy lifts if you do not fix this ASAP
- Desk job hunch
- Point your knees out when squatting
- Do not round your back while deadlifting
Routines:
- The Best Damn Strength Plan For Natural Lifters | T Nation - I just finished week 1 of this 12 week routine and I will stick with it through January
- The Best Damn Workout Plan For Natural Lifters | T Nation
- The Best Damn High Volume Workout Plan for Natties | T Nation
- I see no reason why a woman could not do the routines above, however, I have continually seen this book recommended for women who are interesting in bodybuilding.
- Weight
- Number of set
- Number of reps per set
- Time under tension
- Speed on Eccentric and Concentric Movements
- On the bench press this would mean lowering the bar vs raising the bar. It takes less strength to lower a barbell than to raise it, so you could do 1 second raise + 5 second lowering to tax your muscles more.
- Rest time between sets
- Total workout time
- If a routine takes you an hour to complete, do the exact same routine in 55 minutes. You will feel much more tired.
- Supersets
- Doing one set immediately after another
- Example: tricep pushdowns + bicep curls
Diet:
- The Best Damn Diet For Natural Lifters | T Nation
- You should try to eat 1-1.25 grams per lb of your body weight daily if you are trying to add muscle
- Aim for 8-9 hours
- @ZCP mentioned Z-12 in one of his threads for aiding sleep. I tried it for the first time last night and slept well, though I use other sleep supplements like melatonin, magnesium, and l-theanine.
Elite Bodybuilders:
Other Resources:
- PD Mangan: https://twitter.com/Mangan150 - diet, fitness, supplements, other
- Thomas DeLauer: Thomas DeLauer - all things fasting
- Kelly Starrett
- Christian Thibaudeau - fitness coach
- Henry Rollins' essay on weightlifting (recommended)
Supplements:
- Creatine seems to be the only supplement that is universally hailed as good
- I use pre-workout (pre-Jym, which you can buy on Amazon)
Keywords:
- natural lifter = someone who does not use performance enhancing drugs like steroids, human growth hormones, and similar substances
- hypertrophy = training for muscle growth
My Qualifications:
One rep maxes:
- Deadlift: 390 lbs
- Squat: 325 lbs
- Bench: 250 lbs
In weightlifting you almost always can (and should) judge the quality of someone's knowledge by what they look like.
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