Not Just Another New Year New You Post
Not Just Another New Year New You Post
This Post is going to help aid your first time in the gym and also if you have been out of the game but getting back in.
If this is your first time awesome, and if it’s been a while and you’re getting back that’s fine too. If you’re a prior trainer it’s okay to start back slow and that’s a good thing. Jumping back into the gym and trying to match numbers you did prior is a sure-fire way to set yourself up for injury and will halt progress. Starting with a weight you can do 10-15 reps comfortably should suffice and will keep you out of heavy tension loads. Don’t worry about grinding out the last few reps also, save that for when you’re starting to adapt back to your training regimen and have slowly increased your workout volume and intensity Tendons and Ligaments take a lot longer to adapt then a muscle. Train hard, take in your desired amount of nutrients and get ample rest to recover so you can push that body part hard again and again.
Workout Volume, how much should you do? I myself always trained by feel once i learned my body, but that’s probably not going to be the best route to try when you’re first getting into the gym. if you’re a prior trainer and you have “learned” your body you for sure can train by feel when your starting back. If your new there will be some trial and error in learning which exercises will work best for you. Some movements are not comfortable for how our bodies are shaped etc. If you find something doesn’t feel right or causes discomfort stop that movement. There’s no need to do something that doesn’t feel right to you. There is plenty of variances for each body part to have some that is comfortable for you. You can revisit that exercise at another time if you would like to give it a second shot. I would pick a few exercises that you want to try, shoot for 3-4 working sets for that body part and call it a day. What is a working set you say? Thats your sets to where you’re pushing yourself hard and ‘failing” in that rep range. You can do some lighter sets to warm that specific muscle up and get your cns used to firing that area. Consecutive new movements for that same body part shouldn’t require much warming up maybe a set or two then jump into the new working sets.
Style of workouts, Full body, split routine what should be done? There is no perfect answer here. Depending on what your goals are for your training. Is your sole fixation on improving body composition? If so, you’re going to want to devote a workout to each body part predominantly. If Your goal is to build as much strength as possible, you’re going to have more compact workouts focusing on accessory work and maximizing applying force throughout your rep motion and focusing on areas in that plane your weaker at, i.e., top portion of bench press or coming out of the hole squatting. Due to being more taxing on the central nervous system with this type of training, working out for your one rep max or low 3-5 reps is a lot more demanding and may require more days between sessions then a “bodybuilding” style workout. But everyone is different, with the world of fitness there is a base, and everyone must shift that base to tailored to their needs there is no this is the exact way, amount etc of how things should be done. You will learn for yourself how to take that base and mold it to your body type and goals.
Cardio, should you be doing this? Well, there is pretty much two reasons you’re going back to the gym or starting again this is to either gain muscle or to lose weight. If your new Honestly you will get more of a thermogenic response ‘fat burning’ from weight training now that’s not to say you don’t have to do cardio but just starting back invest more of your time with weight training, then throw 5-10 min cardio at the end. Eventually you will be able to increase your workout volume adding more time to your training and cardio. Here is another big mistake since its on my mind don’t do your cardio before you train with weights your depleting valuable glycogen that will be used for fuel while you train, you may notice decreased strength and volume output. If your seasoned and you’re coming back from a break and you know how you respond, then do your thing otherwise you can follow that guideline. There also is a myth that doing cardio will keep you from building muscle, which it can be done but you would have to do excessive cardio and be in a severe deficit basically you would have to do it on purpose if your diet is on point adding in some cardio will aid in digestion of nutrients helping growth.
Supplementation, what should I be taking? As always consult with your Physician before starting any supplements. Just Starting out you can utilize some basic supplements to help. A high-quality whey protein powder, bcaa powder if your cutting, multivitamin and a mild pre workout if you choose to utilize one. They are all not a must, but they can assist in your goals. The Whey will help aid in recovery post workout and is a great option first thing in the morning. bcaa powder if cutting is a great option, it is absorbed very fast and can help stave off catabolism in times of caloric deficit or if you don’t have the time to get a meal in. They should be used sparingly throughout the day at times of need not as a crutch to replace full meals. A good multi is a wise choice it’s hard to get in all the necessary nutrients from our diet throughout the day. The pre workout can aid in energy, pump and focus. if you are sensitive to caffeine start slow or use a non-stim based pre workout. There are a lot of other supplements that can be added in when you hit sticking points or need that extra kick to break a plateau. No need to throw the kitchen sink in the early stages. If you are familiar with supplementing prior, then you know what your body can tolerate so do your thing.
Calories, how many should I be eating? Again, there is no perfect answer here. Everyone has a different metabolic rate, we all digest nutrients differently and our goals may not be the same, as your body composition changes how you utilize nutrients may change as well. The leaner you get blood sugar levels should start to improve so you may need to increase carbohydrate intake to continue fat loss. There are people that can eat pizza, cake and ice cream and not gain an ounce. Then there are the ones that struggle even with a solid diet. I’m not going to be getting into crazy in-depth with certain health conditions ect that can impact weight loss and gain but if your one who struggles as time goes on and your composition improves you will see changes to your metabolic rate in some similar fashion to the prior mentioned individuals. 10-12 calories per body pound will provide a sufficient caloric deficit to lose weight. 13-15 is a recomp range slowly build muscle and burn fat. 16-18+ calories per body is a bulking caloric intake. some may require 20-22 for hard gainers.
How many calories should be derived from protein, carbs and fat? You guessed it no perfect answer. 1-1.5g of protein per body pound should suffice, some may go up to 2g, carbs will be dependent on what type of diet you’re following and what your body type is metabolically but usually 1-2g per body pound depending on the diet type, and the rest will be comprised of fats. There are too many variables here as to what ratios will be best for your goals. We can make a separate article for that. But that’s a basic guideline.
Add Comment