# Need advice for beginner's workout



## ClassiCarl (Jan 8, 2014)

Hi, I'm very new to working out and I wanting some advice on great exercises, workout schedules, and diet. I'm in the DEP for the Air Force and I'm wanting to get into better shape and bulk up a bit before heading out to BMT in about 5 months.

I've bought protein shakes, protein bars, and I have started doing some general research. My goal is to bulk up my chest, arms, and six pack. I'm also doing cardio to increase my endurance. I've already got a athletic build so I don't need to lose any weight, but I'm fairly skinny so I need to add some mass. I'm 5'9 at 135 pounds.

The gym at my apartment complex has a leg press, bench press, multi-pull machine(upper body), multi-press machine(upper body), a machine that allows you do a variety workout like squats and deadlifts, and of course dumbbells. I've measured the distance around my apartment complex and three laps equals 1.6 miles approximately.

So what I have been doing for the past couple weeks is doing crunches, push-ups, and jogging to build up my strength and endurance some before really hitting the weight lifting(don't want to hurt myself). This is the fourth week and this exercises I have been doing isn't pushing me hard enough now, so here's my new routine:

These are exercises I've been doing:

Forearms: Wrist curls and reverse wrist curls with 15 pounds 3 sets 15 reps each
Chest and upper arms: Push-ups (with back-pack filled with 15 pounds of books) and decline push-ups 3 sets 15 reps each 
Six Pack: Crunches 3 sets 15 reps each, 50 flutter kicks 2 sets, and standard plank for 5 minutes.
Legs: Running 1.6 miles in under 9 minutes, 30 minute light jogging, and using the leg press 4 sets 10 reps (1st set:80 pounds 2nd:100 3rd:120 4th:140)

Would you guys have any suggestions how many reps and sets I should do, how I should schedule my work out weeks, any better exercises I could do, and what foods I should/should not eat? Please keep in mind that the equipment listed above is all that I have to work with, and I've heard that it's best in the beginning to focus on 5 or 6 compound exercises(like squat, deadlift, or bench press vs isolated exercises) to help me focus more on form than doing a bunch of exercises really sloppy.

I know these may be the wrong questions to be asking and I'm very thankful for any input to make me a better bodybuilder. Thank you for your time.


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## Stevethedream (Jan 8, 2014)

Welcome to ugb bud. There is an answer to everyone of ur questions somewhere here on this site. Just do some research and search around and you'll definitely find a bunch of informative and knowledgeable information on here. Good luck and glad to have u here


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## Tren4Life (Jan 8, 2014)

Bulking up requires food. Lots of food!!!

Oh yea and welcome to our home. 
Now eat!!!


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## AlphaD (Jan 8, 2014)

Food, food and more food.  Another thing man, if you want to bulk up a bit of muscle, you have to hit the weights harder.  Not so much bw push up and things.  Squat, Shoulder Press, Bench Press and Deadlift.  Of course you can still do the back filled push ups too.  Throw in some BB rows and chins.  If your apartment complex doesn't have what you need maybe look into a cheap gym membership.   Welcome to UG...!!


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## ClassiCarl (Jan 8, 2014)

Thanks for all the welcomes everybody! I've been looking at all the forums and there's an insane amount of information to take in. I never realized what a science bodybuilding is. Thanks for the advice AlphaD. I'll try out these exercises this Friday. What how many sets and reps would you recommend(I'll experiment with the weight)? What order do you think I should do them in? Looking at those exercises I'm thinking:

Shoulder press~two minute break~squat~two minute break~bench press~two minute break~deadlift~then finishing off the session with wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to strengthen my forearms so I can handle heavier weights and bulk them up. Does this sound like a solid session?


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## AlphaD (Jan 8, 2014)

ClassiCarl said:


> Thanks for all the welcomes everybody! I've been looking at all the forums and there's an insane amount of information to take in. I never realized what a science bodybuilding is. Thanks for the advice AlphaD. I'll try out these exercises this Friday. What how many sets and reps would you recommend(I'll experiment with the weight)? What order do you think I should do them in? Looking at those exercises I'm thinking:
> 
> Shoulder press~two minute break~squat~two minute break~bench press~two minute break~deadlift~then finishing off the session with wrist curls and reverse wrist curls to strengthen my forearms so I can handle heavier weights and bulk them up. Does this sound like a solid session?



You know what man.....maybe look up google online Jim Wendler's 5/3/1.....good start.  Others will chime in too, give them time.  But do go off confusing yourself in other forums.  It will get to be info overload.  Stick around here.  We have brothers of iron at all ages and experiences here.


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## DieYoungStrong (Jan 8, 2014)

AlphaD said:


> You know what man.....maybe look up google online Jim Wendler's 5/3/1.....good start.  Others will chime in too, give them time.  But do go off confusing yourself in other forums.  It will get to be info overload.  Stick around here.  We have brothers of iron at all ages and experiences here.



What he said...

I might get some flak for this, but if you really are a true and blue novice who's never lifted, and your heading out to BMT in 5 months...get Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength Book. Is it a good program for an experienced powerlifter? Nope. But the book lays out, in detail, form for all the basic exercises you need to be doing, and a program with linear progression to do them. Yes, if you get into the lifestyle, there are better squat styles and programming methods, but if you follow the program and eat, eat, eat, you should be able to gain a lot of strength and size before you ship out. A program like Starting Strength is great for the first few months of lifting for a young guy. Also, its easy to learn on your own and follow.

Lastly, save the money you spent on protein bars and shakes and use it for food. Food is the most anabolic substance there is. You should be eating until your blue, and drink your milk.


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## widehips71 (Jan 8, 2014)

Don't waste so much time focusing on wrist curls.  Forearm strength comes in time.  Far more important things for a beginner to worry about than wrist curls bro.


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## ClassiCarl (Jan 8, 2014)

Thanks DieYoungStrong and AlphaD, I'll be sure to order Mark Rippetoe's Starting Strength (I can get it at a great price on amazon) and I've visited Jim Wendler's website and I'm studying it now. I'll start researching foods to eat to build lean muscle; I suspect it'll be a little difficult with me being a vegetarian, but I've found some excellent meat substitutes that will help me to compensate. 

UG Bodybuilding has a great community and I'll be sure to come here for any questions I have thanks!


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## ClassiCarl (Jan 8, 2014)

widehips71 said:


> Don't waste so much time focusing on wrist curls.  Forearm strength comes in time.  Far more important things for a beginner to worry about than wrist curls bro.



I've heard the same from many people, so I thought it would be a good exercise when winding down from a workout session rather than it being part of the core exercises.


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## widehips71 (Jan 9, 2014)

Be careful talking about wrist curls, kind of a running joke around here lol.  But seriously it's not really considered a functional exercise for most ppl.  To reiterate what some of my above bros mentioned, focus on your compound movements (bench press, squats, deadlifts, pullups, dips, overhead press), and add weight as you can.  To be clear, compound movements involve multiple joints, activate the most muscle fibers, and have been shown to increase the body's natural hormone production.  I wouldn't even worry about doing things like curls and calves and other isolation exercises for at least a year.  Most importantly, learn proper technique.  It will save you a lot of trouble, pain, and injury down the road.  If you're looking at pictures in a book and don't quite get it, check youtube.  I kinda hate to admit it, but there can be some good videos on there that illustrate good form and a lot of times it can be beneficial to actually see someone doing it in order to better understand it.


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## AliCat (Jan 9, 2014)

Add full situps to the crunches.  In basic, you will be doing the full situp and you will want to be able to do about 75 of them and 75 pushups before starting.  I would also extend the sprint to a minimum of two miles because that's what will be tested.  You will also want to be able to jog for six miles.  I was Army and it's been a long time, but the physical fitness test consisted of pushups, situps, and the two-mile run.  I'm guessing it's still about the same.


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## Dtownry (Jan 9, 2014)

Look up starting strength 5 x 5 or Mark Rippetoe.  Start there.  Work on compound movements. Bench, Squat, Deadlift, Clean, Pullup, Overhead Press.  Do nothing else but this except for your pushups and situps, running. There are templates to download for the 5 x 5 workouts, google it.

It will be a slow go for you bulking though because you must run and do endurance exercises like pushups and situps, flutters to maintain your PFT standards for the military.  Don't screw yourself out of promotions because your PFT sucks because you are too big to run.  

It will take time.  Continue the running and endurance stuff and add in some 5 x 5 (3) days a week.  Eat.  Don't blow your money on supplements!  Eat Eat Eat.  I gained 30 lbs in a year drinking whole milk (gallon a day for 3 months) peanut butter and eggs, otameal, sweet potatoes and ground beef and using 5 x 5.  

I know first hand the balance between a military PFT and getting swole.  

As far as running DO NOT run distance.  Do interval training only 60/120s (sprint 60s all out, speed walk 120 seconds) and run an occasional 2 mile distance for time.

-OUT


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## saltylifter (Jan 7, 2016)

Sounds like your motivated which Is good so I would recommend lots of food. When I first got into bodybuilding I eat massive amounts of food and didn't really supplement shakes in. Solid food is gong to benifits u allot. I would also recommend adding a weight gainer over a basic protein powder. Concentrate on muscle movement over moving heavy weights and hydrate allot. I could go on and on by its alot of trial by error. Keep a record of your workouts and meals as a reference of what works for u. Good luck and it does take time so keep motivated


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