Beginner question - Bodybuilding Discussion on Bodybuilding.net Training Forum

RileyMartin · 06-06-2008, 06:57 PM

Hi all,

I've got a real basic question. I've been lifting for 6 months now and I've slowly increased the weight so as not to injure myself since I've been pretty sedentary for the past 10 years. I thought it best to take it real slow. I'm down to sets of 4 reps now on most lifts and I'm really pushing myself now to make gains in strength and see what my max lifts are. So my question is how do I know if I'm 'over training' or if I'm doing a good job and just training really hard? Thanks.

Riley

Joker13 · 06-06-2008, 07:31 PM

It would help if you put up your routine

RileyMartin · 06-06-2008, 07:44 PM

Thank you for the help. Here is my current routine.

Sunday
-------
Bench Press - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps
Incline Bench Press - 3 sets of 4 reps
Military Press - 3 sets of 4 reps
Standing Dumbell Side Raises - 2 sets of 10 reps

Tuesday
--------
Squats - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps
Lying Leg Curls - 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps
Standing One Leg Calf Raises - 2 sets of 12 reps

Thursday
---------
Deadlifts - 3 sets of 4 reps
Bent Over Barbell Rows - 3 sets of 6 to 7 reps
Lat Bar Pulldowns - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps
Barbell Curls - 3 sets of 6 reps
Dumbell Curls - 1 set of 6 reps

Pitysister · 06-07-2008, 06:22 AM

are you cranky all the time and have you stopped progressing?

that's usually how i get if i overtrain

Joker13 · 06-07-2008, 08:34 AM

Well hopefully someone else will chime in, since I'm not the best at giving out advice.

What are your training goals?

Are you going for size? strengh? or just overall fitness?

RileyMartin · 06-07-2008, 10:22 AM

I would like both. Lately with the low reps I've been training more for strength I guess. I want to see what my current max lifts are so I can then check again after a few months and see if I've made any progress.

john917v · 06-07-2008, 01:53 PM

I'm not sure if this goes for all muscles, but for biceps, if they bruise easily, that is a sign that you overdid it. And, if you are sore after every workout, it's probably a good indication.

RileyMartin · 06-07-2008, 06:40 PM

The only time I have soreness is with my lower back after doing the deadlifts. I was doing squats and deadlifts in the same session but just moved the deadlifts from my leg day to the day when I do my back and biceps.

After my last set of deadlifts I have to bend down and pull the plates off the bar and my lower back is so warn out it's painful and just taking the plates off the bar feels like a set in of itself. I could use some sort of block or something to prop one side of the barbell up at a time so I could then just slide the plates off rather than them dragging on the floor as I yank them off. I wonder if they make that sort of thing. Then after the deadlifts I have to bend down to put the plates on the leg machine for the lying leg curls and my back is still so warn out that that's painful also. No other lifts give me any problems or any soreness. Just the deadlifts.

I was doing three sets of 315lbs. for 4 reps and knew I could do more so then I went up to 3 sets of 325lbs. for 4 reps. I know I can do more so next week I'll try 335lbs. for 3 sets of 4 reps. In a few weeks I'll go for a one rep max.

Pitysister · 06-07-2008, 06:47 PM

on your last rep...when you're all the way up...is there something you can get the bar on? so the weights are much higher...thus no bending over.

Cradler · 06-07-2008, 09:25 PM

^^Yeah, I put mine down on the squat rack (it has a rack at about mid-thigh height). Makes stripping the weights easy too. Is there anything like that?

06-06-2008, 06:57 PM	#1 (permalink)
RileyMartin Rank: Member Experience: > 1 Year Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NY Posts: 105 Country: Gender:	Beginner question Hi all, I've got a real basic question. I've been lifting for 6 months now and I've slowly increased the weight so as not to injure myself since I've been pretty sedentary for the past 10 years. I thought it best to take it real slow. I'm down to sets of 4 reps now on most lifts and I'm really pushing myself now to make gains in strength and see what my max lifts are. So my question is how do I know if I'm 'over training' or if I'm doing a good job and just training really hard? Thanks. Riley

06-06-2008, 07:31 PM	#2 (permalink)
Joker13 Rank: Bantamweight Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Somewhere in the USA Posts: 839 Country: Gender:	It would help if you put up your routine
	Joker13's Sig:S.F.W's Joker Style Not Based on D.C. Exercise Directory http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

06-07-2008, 06:22 AM	#4 (permalink)
Pitysister Rank: Lightweight Experience: 1-2 Years Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Midwest Posts: 1,929 Country: Gender:	are you cranky all the time and have you stopped progressing? that's usually how i get if i overtrain
	Pitysister's Sig:Born the travesty of man Regular pulse midst pandemonium You're plucked to the mass Parched with thirst for the wicked

06-07-2008, 08:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
Joker13 Rank: Bantamweight Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Somewhere in the USA Posts: 839 Country: Gender:	Well hopefully someone else will chime in, since I'm not the best at giving out advice. What are your training goals? Are you going for size? strengh? or just overall fitness?
	Joker13's Sig:S.F.W's Joker Style Not Based on D.C. Exercise Directory http://www.exrx.net/Lists/Directory.html

06-07-2008, 01:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
john917v Rank: Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 464	I'm not sure if this goes for all muscles, but for biceps, if they bruise easily, that is a sign that you overdid it. And, if you are sore after every workout, it's probably a good indication.
john917v Rank: Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 464	john917v's Sig:My best (as of 9-25) Deadlift 415Lbx1 Bench: 250Lbx1 A2G squat: 320Lb x3 Leg Press: 865Lb x20 Eat big, Lift big, Get big! Myspace.com/john_917 -Hit me up!!

06-06-2008, 07:44 PM	#3 (permalink)
RileyMartin Rank: Member Experience: > 1 Year Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NY Posts: 105 Country: Gender:	Thank you for the help. Here is my current routine. Sunday ------- Bench Press - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps Incline Bench Press - 3 sets of 4 reps Military Press - 3 sets of 4 reps Standing Dumbell Side Raises - 2 sets of 10 reps Tuesday -------- Squats - 3 or 4 sets of 4 reps Lying Leg Curls - 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps Standing One Leg Calf Raises - 2 sets of 12 reps Thursday --------- Deadlifts - 3 sets of 4 reps Bent Over Barbell Rows - 3 sets of 6 to 7 reps Lat Bar Pulldowns - 3 sets of 6 to 8 reps Barbell Curls - 3 sets of 6 reps Dumbell Curls - 1 set of 6 reps

06-07-2008, 10:22 AM	#6 (permalink)
RileyMartin Rank: Member Experience: > 1 Year Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NY Posts: 105 Country: Gender:	I would like both. Lately with the low reps I've been training more for strength I guess. I want to see what my current max lifts are so I can then check again after a few months and see if I've made any progress.

06-07-2008, 06:40 PM	#8 (permalink)
RileyMartin Rank: Member Experience: > 1 Year Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: NY Posts: 105 Country: Gender:	The only time I have soreness is with my lower back after doing the deadlifts. I was doing squats and deadlifts in the same session but just moved the deadlifts from my leg day to the day when I do my back and biceps. After my last set of deadlifts I have to bend down and pull the plates off the bar and my lower back is so warn out it's painful and just taking the plates off the bar feels like a set in of itself. I could use some sort of block or something to prop one side of the barbell up at a time so I could then just slide the plates off rather than them dragging on the floor as I yank them off. I wonder if they make that sort of thing. Then after the deadlifts I have to bend down to put the plates on the leg machine for the lying leg curls and my back is still so warn out that that's painful also. No other lifts give me any problems or any soreness. Just the deadlifts. I was doing three sets of 315lbs. for 4 reps and knew I could do more so then I went up to 3 sets of 325lbs. for 4 reps. I know I can do more so next week I'll try 335lbs. for 3 sets of 4 reps. In a few weeks I'll go for a one rep max.

06-07-2008, 06:47 PM	#9 (permalink)
Pitysister Rank: Lightweight Experience: 1-2 Years Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Midwest Posts: 1,929 Country: Gender:	on your last rep...when you're all the way up...is there something you can get the bar on? so the weights are much higher...thus no bending over.
	Pitysister's Sig:Born the travesty of man Regular pulse midst pandemonium You're plucked to the mass Parched with thirst for the wicked

06-07-2008, 09:25 PM	#10 (permalink)
Cradler Rank: Member Experience: 1-2 Years Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Boston Posts: 267 Country: Gender:	^^Yeah, I put mine down on the squat rack (it has a rack at about mid-thigh height). Makes stripping the weights easy too. Is there anything like that?

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