Introduction
Welcome to “Ultimate Guide Strength Training Beginners,” your complete source for strength training. We promise you that if you follow these guidelines, you will transform your body and have a happy life. We have designed this guideline for everyone, it doesn’t matter if you are planning to go into the gym for the first time or thinking of changing your current workout routine, this guide is your trusted partner.
In this ultimate guide, we have collected insights and advice from professional fitness experts and fanatics, with the sole purpose of providing you with a complete understanding of strength training, gym etiquette, and nutrition strategies. As you go through this article, you will gain the knowledge and confidence that is needed to achieve your fitness goals.
Gym Etiquette
We believe that knowing proper Gym Etiquette is mandatory before you hit the gym. Here we highlighted some norms or unwritten rules of the gym, where we pointed out the importance of mutual respect, understanding, and safety. From equipment sharing to the value of safety spotters, we’ll ensure you become a welcomed and responsible member of your fitness community.
Equipment Use
Since there’s limited gym equipment, it’s necessary to share what’s available. During busy times, avoid using multiple pieces of equipment simultaneously. Be open to sharing with others during their rest periods if it’s not disruptive.
Safety Spotters
Use safety spotters, especially for exercises like bench press and squats. Some equipment comes with built-in spotter arms, but for those that don’t, ask someone to spot you when lifting heavy weights.
Disturbing Others
Be mindful of not disturbing fellow gym-goers. Don’t play loud music, stand too close to someone while they’re exercising, or strike up conversations when they’re focusing on their sets.
Training Goals
When it comes to weight training, people often have the following primary goals.
Muscle Growth
Muscle growth, or hypertrophy, is a primary goal for many. Building muscle improves your physique and metabolism.
Strength
Strength focuses on how much weight you can lift in specific exercises. It’s different from muscle size but closely related.
Weight Loss
While weight training alone won’t directly cause weight loss, it can help maintain muscle mass while you’re in a calorie deficit. Remember, weight loss primarily depends on diet.
Combining Goals
Many individuals aim to achieve a mix of these goals simultaneously, and that’s entirely feasible.
Section 1: Training Terminology an important part of “ultimate guide strength training beginners”
Understanding the Training Terminology is also important for creating an effective strength training program. If you clearly understand the key concepts like reps, sets, load, volume, and frequency, you will be able to tailor your workouts for best results.
- Reps (Repetitions): The number of times you perform an exercise in one set without resting.
- Sets: A set is a group of repetitions.
- Load: The amount of weight used for exercise, often measured in kilograms or pounds.
- Volume: The total amount of training performed over a week, typically counted by the total number of sets for each muscle group.
- Frequency: Frequency pertains to how often you train, whether it’s the number of training sessions per week or how frequently you target specific muscle groups.
- There are diverse Types of Resistance available, from machine stations to bodyweight exercises. Find what is best fit for you.
Machine Stations
These machines have a set movement pattern and are user-friendly, suitable for beginners.
Cable Machines
Similar to machine stations but offer more flexibility in movement patterns.
Free Weights
Barbells, dumbbells, and kettlebells provide more flexibility but demand better stability and coordination.
Bodyweight Exercises
These use your body weight as resistance and include exercises like pull-ups, dips, and planks.
Section 2: Basic Training Program for Beginners
In Section 2, we outline a Basic Training Program for Beginners, which is like a blueprint to start your fitness journey. Here you will learn about frequency, exercise selection, sets, reps, and appropriate load, all designed to encourage you with the required tools to get on your fitness journey with self-confidence.
Frequency
- Frequency pertains to how often you train. It could be the number of training sessions per week or how often you target specific muscle groups.
- Train three days a week, targeting all muscle groups in each session.
Exercise Selection
- Choose exercises that cover all major muscle groups, focusing on pressing, pulling, squats, hinges, bicep curls, tricep extensions, calf raises, and core exercises.
Sets and Reps
- Start with three sets of each exercise. Perform 6 to 20 reps depending on the exercise.
Load
- Choose a load that is challenging but allows you to complete the desired sets and reps. Use trial and error to determine the appropriate load.
Section 3: Efficient Strength Training Workout for “Ultimate Guide Strength Training Beginners”
You can do this workout 2-3 times a week, but remember to allow a day of rest between full-body strength training sessions. You can incorporate cardio into your routine daily, either before or after this workout.
Double Back Row
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, keeping your knees slightly bent for support.
- Lean forward and engage your glutes while maintaining a flat back.
- Allow your arms to hang down.
- Lift the weights, bringing your elbows up to the ceiling, squeezing your upper back.
- Slowly lower the weights.
- Perform 10 reps.
Hamstring Deadlift
- Use the same weight you used for the previous exercise.
- Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Hinge at the hips and lower the weight to shin level while keeping your back flat.
- Press through your heels and return to a standing position.
- Squeeze your glutes when coming up.
- Perform 10 reps.
Bicep Curl
- Grab a weight between 5-10 pounds.
- Feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent.
- Keep your back straight and curl the weight toward your shoulders.
- Lower the weight.
- Perform 10 reps.
Hammer Curl
- Hold a weight in each hand.
- Same stance as before.
- Curl the weights to your shoulders with your palms facing each other.
- Lower the weights.
- Perform 10 reps.
Squats
- Ensure your feet are shoulder-width apart.
- Squat down, keeping your knees from going past your toes.
- Squeeze your glutes as you stand up.
- Perform 10 reps or adjust based on your comfort level.
Chest Press
- Use a weight between 5-10 pounds.
- Sit on the edge of a chair with your back leaning slightly.
- Press the weight upward while keeping your arms apart.
- Bring it back down.
- Perform 10 reps.
Abs
- Sit on the edge of the chair and lean back slightly.
- Hold your arms in front of you and twist your torso from side to side, engaging your abs.
- Alternate lifting one foot off the floor.
- Perform 10 reps for each side.
Shoulder Raises
- Choose a weight around 3-5 pounds.
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Raise the weights to the side, then forward, and back down.
- Perform 10 reps for each movement.
Triceps
- Lean forward, keeping your back flat and knees slightly bent.
- Hold a weight in each hand.
- Extend your arms backward while keeping your upper arms close to your head.
- Perform 10 reps.
Triceps Press
- Use one or two weights.
- Press the weight(s) overhead and behind you.
- Lower the weight(s).
- Perform 10 reps.
Calf Raise
- Stand with your legs close together.
- Lift your heels off the ground, focusing on your calf muscles.
- Perform 10 reps.
Balance Exercise
- Lift one knee and the opposite arm for balance.
- If needed, have a chair nearby for support.
- Perform 8 reps for each side.
Stretching
- Stretch your arms forward, then backward.
- Stretch your legs by bringing one leg back and pressing your heel down, feeling the stretch.
- Repeat the stretch for the other leg.
- Lift your toes and lean back to stretch your legs further.
- Complete the stretches to your comfort level.
Section 4: Combining Cardio and Strength Training for Weight Loss
Section 4 has a glimpse on Combining Cardio and Strength Training for Weight Loss, we tried our best to combine the knowledge of experts with a sample program. Learn how to balance your strength training with cardio to achieve your goals effectively.
Types of Cardio
When it comes to weight loss, we understand the importance of combining cardio and strength training. But why is this combination essential? Cardio is beneficial because it helps burn calories, and there are two main types of cardio we’ll explore: steady-state cardio and interval training.
Steady-State Cardio: This involves maintaining a constant pace during activities like running, walking, or using the elliptical machine.
Interval Training: This type of cardio alternates between intense bursts of activity and slower recovery periods.
These two types of cardio have different effects, especially when combined with strength training. High-intensity interval training (HIIT) can be taxing on your muscles, while steady-state cardio is less demanding. To optimize your results, you need to know what kind of cardio you’re doing and how it aligns with your strength training.
Workout Schedule
The big picture for an effective weight loss program combines strength training, proper nutrition, and sufficient sleep. Cardio is optional but can be helpful. Remember, you can lose weight with diet and strength training alone, and this forms the foundation. However, including cardio in your routine can be beneficial.
Here’s a recommended workout schedule:
Strength Training: Aim for two to three full-body strength training workouts per week. These workouts should involve compound exercises and use the principle of metabolic resistance training (MRT). MRT workouts consist of circuits with minimal rest between exercises.
Cardio: Incorporate cardio workouts to aid in recovery and calorie burning. You can do lower-intensity steady-state cardio on two to three days of the week. These sessions could last for 30 to 45 minutes.
High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT): If you want to intensify your training and maximize results, add one HIIT session per week. This could be a 20- to 30-minute workout that involves short bursts of high-intensity activity followed by brief rest periods.
Sample Program
A sample program might look like this:
- Monday: Strength training (MRT)
- Tuesday: Steady-state cardio (30-45 minutes)
- Wednesday: Strength training (MRT)
- Thursday: Steady-state cardio (30-45 minutes)
- Friday: Strength training (MRT)
- Saturday or Sunday: Optional HIIT session (20-30 minutes)
This schedule allows your metabolism to remain elevated throughout the week, helping you burn more calories. It’s essential to strike a balance between strength training and cardio, depending on your preferences and goals.
Keep in mind that a solid foundation for weight loss includes proper nutrition and adequate sleep. The majority of your progress starts with your diet, so ensure you have a healthy eating plan in place.
Section 5: Nutrition and Lean Bulking Journey as “Ultimate guide strength training beginners”
Finally, for this section, I’m gonna share my personal nutrition that helped me to get where I am. For your nutrition you should consult an expert to prepare a customised plan for you.
Morning Routine
You can wake up early in the morning, usually weigh in, and then drink some water and have a walk. There isn’t anything really special about doing that walk fasted; it just can help you started and get ready for the day.
Training Nutrition
I’ve got 225 grams of protein, 75 grams of fat, and 300 grams of carbs. That will give me an approximate caloric target of 2800 calories per day. A couple of months ago, I was more around the 2600 calorie range, but since then, I’ve gradually increased that number up. Over the next three or four months, I’ll try to increase that number further to somewhere around 3200, maybe 3400, or more calories per day while maintaining the amount of fat that I have on me. So my goal is to build as much lean mass as possible while minimizing the amount of fat mass that I gain.
Some people will note that that protein figure is really high for my body weight; I’m only 163 pounds. However, I do think it’s better to go too high on protein than too low, especially when your goal is recomposition. There’s at least four reasons for that.
The first is that extremely high protein intakes have been shown to improve body composition in the literature, even as high as 3.4 grams per kilogram, which is just over 1.5 grams per pound. Extremely high protein intakes have been repeatedly shown in the scientific literature to be safe for bone health, the kidneys, and the liver. So I think a simple cost-benefit analysis will show you that it’s better to go too high than too low. And then I set my fat at around 25 percent of my total caloric intake and then just fill in the rest with carbs.
I don’t always track macros, and sometimes I will take more of an intuitive approach depending on the day. I have been tracking for about a decade, so I have a really good idea of what’s in foods now, but since I’ve been focusing more on body re-composition, I have been tracking more diligently.
Breakfast: For breakfast, I’m gonna do some scrambled eggs, some turkey bacon, some goat cheese on the eggs, Kiwi, and some hash-browns (or potato patties, technically). People always give me a hard time for this breakfast. They’re like, “Why are you eating those foods?” Well, for this meal, most of it just comes down to being a high-protein meal and relatively low carb. It’s just an enjoyable breakfast with foods that I like.
Pre-Workout Meal
So, guys, for the pre-workout meal, I’ve got a chicken sandwich here. I’ve got some fresh chicken breast, some shredded cheese, mayo, spinach, and a little bit of mustard on some ancient grains bread. Then I’ve also got 100 grams of blueberries and a banana to go along with that.
Intra-Workout Nutrition
Intra-workout nutrition is important for optimizing performance during long workouts. Fast-digesting carbs are recommended during the workout to provide continued energy.
Post-Workout Meal
Post-workout nutrition is essential but not as time-sensitive as the pre-workout meal. A meal with protein and carbs is recommended after the workout to support recovery.
Evening Meal
The final meal of the day is discussed, emphasizing the importance of pre-sleep nutrition and slow-digesting protein sources. High fiber and protein intake in the evening is recommended to aid in satiety and support overnight recovery.
Final Thoughts:
We’ve combined insightful information from several fitness sources into this extensive reference, “The Ultimate Guide to Strength Training for Beginners” will eventually be your key to achieving your fitness goals. Whether you’re new to the gym or trying to get better at what you do now, this guide covers all the essential subjects about strength training, diet, and gym etiquette. In no time at all, you’ll be a better, stronger version of yourself with these tools at your disposal. Equipped with the knowledge and confidence need to succeed, get ready to embark on your fitness journey.
