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Weight-lifting tips please!

Discussion in 'Physical & Sexual Health' started by anthonythegamer, Sep 17, 2013.

  1. I'm currently in a weight-training class in school this year and I want to be able to build more muscle mass at a more faster rate. Right now, I can bench with 25 pounds on both sides of the barbell (over 11 kilos I think) and should I add more every day?

    I need tips! Please help me. :slight_smile:
     
  2. Argentwing

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    That equals 95 pounds with the bar. Not too bad if you've never lifted before; I started at 70 lbs. bench at the same age. But I'm also a skinny cave creature who had no appetite for being squished under a barbell XD.

    For building up strength, as far as I know the key is to eat a fair amount of protein and lifting near your max weight. More reps of less weight works too, but is better for building endurance than purely increasing how much you can lift. And do try to continue until you literally cannot do any more reps; that's how you know your muscles are breaking down and will rebuild with more comparative strength.

    ^^All advice above should be taken with a shaker of salt hehe. I'm not a personal trainer, but I learned from a fitness-conscious friend who's always been in really good shape, so I trust his judgment.
     
  3. Ticklish Fish

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    well shit, I cna't even bench an empty bar hahaha
     
  4. Ridiculous

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    If you are trying to add mass you shouldn't be doing it every day. Muscle growth happens during the rest after exercise - if you interrupt this rest and growth by using the muscles again then it will prevent them from repairing to their full potential ('potential' isn't the right word but I can't think of the right one).

    Go as hard as you can for one day and then leave it for a few days. You can do other muscle groups in the mean time. I leave a full week between each muscle group, although this is probably more than is necessary.

    If you want to maximise muscle gains then you should be lifting weights at close to your max capacity. A good guideline for this is to use a weight heavy enough so that you can do about 5-6 proper reps with good form. If you can't do 5-6 properly, use less weight; if you can do more use more weight. Then stick with this until you progress to the point that you can do about 10 proper reps, at which point increase the weight to the point where you can do 5-6 reps again and repeat the process.
    If you're able to do more than about ~15 reps or so then it's probably too light for it to be giving you much benefit; if it so heavy that you can only do one or two reps then your muscles aren't going to under strain for long enough.
     
  5. Zac

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    Heavy weights, less reps
     
  6. leer

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    the way I work with weights on a bench is like a pyramid of reps say 7 k 9 reps-12 k 6 reps-15 k 3 reps . need to learn to breath right & dont forget to stretch.as its already mentioned dont forget the weight of the bar.
     
    #6 leer, Sep 18, 2013
    Last edited: Sep 18, 2013
  7. pinklov3ly

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    I've tried several different workouts and one of the best ones to gain mass and strength is 5x5. Now, if you're going to try any weight lifting, it is very important that you have a buddy there to support you. You can check out 5x5 and other workout programs by googling bodybuilding and t-nation. Make sure you do tons of research on proper form and technique and YouTube is also a great source. By the way, I'm on week 10 of my workout and I can squat 145 lbs and I can bench 85 lbs--not bad for a girl :wink:

    There's many other exercises as well, so make sure you check out those sites.
     
  8. Tightrope

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    This, Anthony.

    My gym routine, when I'm consistent, is:
    M-W-F: upper body
    Tu-Th-Sa: lower body
    Su: elliptical only or run ... or go to a brunch with family

    I take it you're doing free weights. If that's what they have, then that's what they have. I like the machines.

    Upper body (number of sets):
    super pullover (2) - shoulder (2) - pec flys (2) - biceps (3) - triceps (3) - forearms (3) - dips (2) - torso rotation (many, at very low weight, to tone and keep the waist trim) - elliptical (30 min)

    Lower body (number of sets):
    thighs (3) - hamstrings (3) - calves (3) - torso rotation (many, at very low weight, to tone and keep the waist trim) - elliptical (30 min)

    When I do this, I'm in peak shape and add some mass. Also, for what you can't get in a machine, there are free weight equivalent exercises. Don't strain yourself just to push the envelope. Yes, you can increase the weight as you feel able to do so. Good luck.
     
  9. LOL on my first day of weight lifting, I could barely bench the barbell with no weights.

    ---------- Post added 18th Sep 2013 at 08:03 PM ----------

    I'm planning to use the leg press to tone my legs, but my teacher somehow couldn't acquire the pins in order to build endurance. Anything to suffice?
     
  10. Ridiculous

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    Machines aren't necessary. I'll always advocate for free weights over machines, because if a machine is doing some of the work for you then you're obviously going to be missing out on something (namely the little stabilising muscles the keep your limbs in place and free from injury). One of the things you often find with people who do all their work on machines is that, even though they can move extraordinary weights on the machine, in the real world they are much weaker than you'd expect because they are only used to doing it in the very controlled movement the machine provides. They are also prone to injury because the big powerful muscles are able to move a lot of mass and they overpower the little stabilising, aligning muscles and tendons in the shoulders and knees and hips because those never got any work on the machine.

    For this reason machines are particularly not a good idea for beginners because it's important that everything is exercised for them, not just the big muscles.

    Machines are perfectly fine as long as you don't do everything on a machine - but there are very few exercises that can only be done on a machine that can't be done equally as well with free weights.


    Squats with dumbbells or a barbell held on your shoulders does pretty much exactly the same as a leg press. Lunges with dumbbells are also a great exercise.
     
  11. biggayguy

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    Just be careful to stretch before you start lifting. Pulling a muscle will set you back big time.
     
  12. Saint Otaku

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    Pretty much all this ^^^ advice is quite good. Don't get discouraged though! It took me so long to finally get 135 lbs benching, but you'll look back and think, "Wow." And then you keep on going! ^.^
     
  13. Tightrope

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  14. g4563

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    i would take testosterone supplements if i were u