Hey everybody, this week, after a long discusion with my parents I started working out. The first day I did a back and biceps program and I feel so great , it was fantastic. But then I read that the best movements for a beguinner are the compound movements so I search for a beguinner workout program with a lot of compound movements and I started working out. The workout is this:

Day 1:

squats

bench press

bent over row

Day 2:

deadlift

military press

pull-ups

Like you see all the movements are compound movements and i feel embarassed to say that but I'm afraid of them. I don't feel safe when I'm doing them because it's hard to learn the form of them and I feel that I'm doing them wrong although I saw like hundreds of videos that explain the correct form but I never feel safe. What I should do?

Hey man whats up!

This is an amazing program indeed. If you stick to those exercises and focus on progression you will pack on some serious muscle and strength. For example if you can only bench press 100lbs and after 2 months you bench 130lbs for the same reps, you will gain size. ( that depends on your nutrition too of course)

The only exercise that might be dangerous without someone to teach it to you by person would be the deadlifts. Squats are not that hard to master by yourself. You shouldnt be afraid of those movements because you will never be a strong person if you do. Begin with just the empty barbell and when you feel confident, strap on a 5lbs plate to each side. Continue progressing like this.

I imagine you alternate between the 2 routines every 2 days. So you always leave a rest day in between. If you do this, you can switch deadlifts with squats and do them every time. Its very beneficial to squat 2-3 times a week. That is only if you do not want to do the deadlift.

Furthermore, isolation movements are indeed not a good idea for someone who wants to add muscle fast, but they have their place and time. You should add 2-3 isolation movements to each of those workouts as you see fit. They normally serve the purpose of hitting weak bodyparts or muscles that are not directly stimulated on those compound movements. Some of those isolation movements would be :

Lateral Raise
Face Pull
Barbell Curl
Barbell Shrug
direct abdominal work
maybe dips ( although they are compound, they do hit the triceps pretty well )

Thats it. Dont be afraid of the weights. They cant harm you if you stick to good form. Use a camera and make a video of yourself doing the major lifts. This will help you assess your form. You can even upload them here for us to critisize.

#HTH!

Kostas

Whisper had some good advice...start with just the bar if you're not comfortable with the form, and work your way up. I STILL do this when I switch from normal bench press to incline/decline. If you're starting out, looks like a good all-around full body workout..and if you don't like the standing barbell row, don't be afraid to switch to standing dumbbell rows...I prefer them anyways, as I can target the sides better for some reason. If you want, you can try straight-legged deadlifts for your second day instead of normal deadlifts- that way you're not hitting the quads both days, and straight-legged deadlifts target the glutes and lower back and can include the core more.

As for isolation movements, I would add a few in where you want to progress more, or you need some weak point training (but you won't know that until you get a few months into your workouts at least, so for now I'd focus on what I would want to develop a little more). I started by doing concentration curls since I wanted bigger biceps, and although with correct form barbell curls can be considered an isolation movement, starting out you tend to use your back and shoulders sometimes, whereas when I do concentration curls it's MUCH harder to incorporate the shoulders and back.

Anyways, I hope this can help you...there are ALWAYS alternatives if you don't feel comfortable with a certain exercise, but it's good to still keep a few of what I call "Staple" exercises (squats, bench press, and rows would be considered some. I never liked deadlifting since I can target the same muscle groups with squats and other exercises I prefer).

Well, I decide to practise the deadlift a little bit with a bar and some water bottles. What do you think about my form?
http://youtu.be/4ZEnwN_yZ1U

And then, I make some changes to my workout
1
squats
bench press
pull-ups
biceps cuels
2
deadlift
military press
chin-ups
triceps pull-down

I add 2 movements for my arms biceps and triceps because I think they are week. Then I change bent over rows for pull-ups because I don't feel comfortable doing them. I would add them in a future.
Whats do you think about all this?

Your form on the deadlifts is actually pretty good for a beginner. Only thing you should pay attention is your neck. You keep looking in front of you so you move the position of your head. You shouldnt do that. Just have your chin tucked in a little bit and keep it there. All in all though, there is no reason to get injured with this kind of form.


Workout looks much better now. Chin ups are as good as bent over rows so thats a good switch. But if you do the deadlift there is no reason to be afraid of the row. Bent over row is practically a part of the range of motion of the deadlift and its relatively a safe exercise.


Finally, keep in mind that chinups activate more of your back and biceps than regular pullups. Pullups get more of the inside of your back and shoulders. They are both terrific back exercises.

hey whisper hi thr! just want to knw that what changes in exercise shud i do during cutting period. i mean shud i cut down my sets like i do 5 sets per exercise. i dont hve any idea of how the sets and reps shud i chnge.

need ur help whisper

Aishwarya,

Cutting has more to do with diet than training. Bulking and cutting refer to your caloric intake. Your training should stay the same. The mistake many people make is assume that when they are cutting they should cut down the weight and the amount of exercise. You need to let your body know that even though your carbs are lower you still need to keep the muscle mass - train heavy and keep the exercises and reps the same.

What you will need to adjust to is your energy levels. If you are feeling "flat" or tired, up your carbs a bit or up your fats to make up for the lower carbs but don't do both together.

John

I just LOVE John's answer. I would have said exactly the same. No need for special cutting program, just adjust the nutrition. Cheers!

#HTH!
Kostas

Hey man,

I just remember when I first try those dangerous movements. It almost kill me!! Yes, it so hard to learned the correct form and it will took 1-2 months to master that. But those compound workouts will give you strength and unbelievable gains! Start with the weight you can... and in time you will be more stronger. If you are doing the correct form and the appropriate weight you can lift, then no worries man! its safe.

AH I see.... Somebody told me that during cutting, I'm not going to be as strong as before because of diet. But I always train heavy and maintaining the same weight and reps. So that's why I'm getting ripped while maintaining my body weight. Cool!!

Mike,

It is harder to lift heavy and keep real strong when limiting calories. As long as you push as hard as you can with proper form, you will retain as much strength and mass as you can naturally.

John

hey whisper hi thr! just want to knw that what changes in exercise shud i do during cutting period. i mean shud i cut down my sets like i do 5 sets per exercise. i dont hve any idea of how the sets and reps shud i chnge.

Generally, I believe that 5x5 is great for bulking. 5x5 means 25 reps in total and its considered high volume. High volume helps build strength and mass. Now, if you get into cutting mode, 5x5 might be a lot, because you are not eating as much. So you wont have the energy to perform in the gym, and you might not recover perfectly. I would decrease the volume to 3x5 for all basic exercises ( deadlifts, squats, presses..etc etc.) and I would add some cardio. Boring, simple cardio is fine. Just jump on a treadmill or a bike and do some cardio for 40 minutes or whatever you want :)

Kostas

On chin up,u mean wide pull up's or..?

No, I mean, shoulder width underhand grip pullups. Much more bicep+lat actication than wide grip overhand pullups although they can be good too for targeting the inner back as well.