what are some good workout for chest day?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

I enjoy lifting, but I don't think I am doing it right. After chest day my arms are what is hurting.

Your arms hurt because you lift with them. You may be surprised to know that your traps, and back muscles are pretty important to a good bench. But in the immortal words of Louie Simmons "you lift with your arms not your chest." It's your triceps and pecs major (which are your upper portion of your chest with the front portion of your delts. Pain is a good thing, and soreness will fade away as time goes on. But pain is normal.

Originally Posted by good samaritan

My coat felt like it weighed 200lbs putting in on when were leaving the gym tonight. shouldn't it be the chest that is hurting? I don't feel anything in my chest.

That's because you have no chest. Again, you are working with lifting with your arms, mainly your triceps. Get a nice poster of the human muscle structure, and learn the nice latin names for muscles. A good chart tells you what every exercise does to what muscle group. You are doing great. Just remember you are doing great.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Esaias

Start low and build up over time. That way you don't plateau too soon. The first several months aren't about increasing muscle strength per se, but training the central nervous system to learn the correct movements and training the sleepy unused muscle fibers to start waking up and activating.

Bench pressing alone won't do much. You really need to hit the whole body.

A 5x5 three days a week is a great starter routine (but reducing deadlifts to 1 or 2 sets)

Week 1
M 5 sets of 5 squats, 5 sets of 5 bench presses, 5 sets of 5 bent over barbell rows.

W 1x5 deadlifts, 5x5 overhead presses, 5x5 pull ups (or as many as you can do up to 5 sets of 5 pullups)

F repeat Monday

Week 2

M do the deadlift routine from W above

W do either M or F from week 1

F repeat M

Week 3
Repeat week 1

Week 4
Repeat week 2

As you can see, you have an "A" workout (squats) and a "B" workout (deadlift), and they alternate each workout day.

Start with a moderate weight, something you can bust out 8-12 reps on relatively easily.

Only 5sets of 5reps of something I can do 12? Last week I started with 135 on the bench 2sets of 10. the second set of ten was to failure. I had to start dropping weight to continue getting 10 rep sets. I did about 100reps total before moving to some fly's. I have been doing isolation lifting because it is what the man I go with is doing, but he is already in the zone when it comes to weight lifting. I am a newbie.

It doesn't matter if you start too light, you will catch up before you know it. Remember, the first couple of months are more about your body learning stuff than about pushing to the limits.

Each week add about 5 pounds to the bar. If during a week you cannot make all your sets and reps, stay at that weight until you succeed, then go up in weight for the next week.

You will need to keep a log of when you workout and what you did each day to keep track of your progress, so you don't get lost.

At first it won't seem like you are doing much. But it picks up pretty quickly. If you plateau (can't increase weight 2 weeks in a row), drop the weight to 75% or so and just continue from there.

Whatever you decide, stick to your chosen routine for at least 4-6 months before going to a different one. Most failures are due to people switching routines every couple weeks. Can't progress that way.

Why do you recomend doing only 1 or 2 sets of the deadlifts? Potential back injury?

[Evang.Benincasa]

Another thing, the guy at the gym is incorrect. Like most guys at the gym are incorrect. 1 gram of protein per pound, I will even go as far to say 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. I need to say this, I say this to everyone. You know your body better than anyone. You know what foods work for you, and what foods don't. Allmax IsoNatural is a gut friendly protein, which won't let you bloat. Drink it with water, NEVER with milk, even though it's a whey isolate protein. Milk tends to cause bloating in some people when mixed with protein powder. But, like I said, you know you. But try to eat, and YOU MUST DRINK WATER. Keep doing a good job, and you will bear much fruit.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Your arms hurt because you lift with them. You may be surprised to know that your traps, and back muscles are pretty important to a good bench. But in the immortal words of Louie Simmons "you lift with your arms not your chest." It's your triceps and pecs major (which are your upper portion of your chest with the front portion of your delts. Pain is a good thing, and soreness will fade away as time goes on. But pain is normal.





That's because you have no chest. Again, you are working with lifting with your arms, mainly your triceps. Get a nice poster of the human muscle structure, and learn the nice latin names for muscles. A good chart tells you what every exercise does to what muscle group. You are doing great. Just remember you are doing great.

What about diet? How much protein do you think I should be taking in. I had two Sam's frozen black angus 1/3lb burgers tonight no bun (a1 steak sauce) and a large sweet potatoe with no butter. A tall glass of water and cup of black coffe after supper. Not going to do any snacking. I'll eat 3 meals a day.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Another thing, the guy at the gym is incorrect. Like most guys at the gym are incorrect. 1 gram of protein per pound, I will even go as far to say 0.8 grams per pound of body weight. I need to say this, I say this to everyone. You know your body better than anyone. You know what foods work for you, and what foods don't. Allmax IsoNatural is a gut friendly protein, which won't let you bloat. Drink it with water, NEVER with milk, even though it's a whey isolate protein. Milk tends to cause bloating in some people when mixed with protein powder. But, like I said, you know you. But try to eat, and YOU MUST DRINK WATER. Keep doing a good job, and you will bear much fruit.

That seems more reasonable. I didn't know how I was going to get that much protein everyday unless I ate a whole cow every week or a flock of chickens every week.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

Only 5sets of 5reps of something I can do 12? Last week I started with 135 on the bench 2sets of 10. the second set of ten was to failure. I had to start dropping weight to continue getting 10 rep sets. I did about 100reps total before moving to some fly's. I have been doing isolation lifting because it is what the man I go with is doing, but he is already in the zone when it comes to weight lifting. I am a newbie.

Ten reps? Let me say something about a pet peeve of mine. Form. Form in is everything. Watch professional trainers as they do any routine. Let's take the exercise which people really fail at when they have done too much, or they are using too much weight. Curling a barbell, or dumbbells. You only use your arms. Never your legs, or moving your back. Let's take a strict curl. We place our back against the wall, and lift in a curling motion. Our back is against the wall so we can "cheat." Meaning use the back to lift the weight up into the curl. You have to have good form in order to utilize the proper muscle groups and get the most bang for your buck. Watch the professionals, take time and never lift weight improperly. We have tendons, and ligaments which can get hurt badly, if you are using lousy form.

Originally Posted by good samaritan

Why do you recommend doing only 1 or 2 sets of the deadlifts? Potential back injury?

Deadlifting, might not be your cup of tea. Until you get around PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DEADLIFT. You shouldn't look like a black cat on a halloween trick or treat bag when you lift in a deadlift. Back injury as all injury comes from not having the right form. I sumo deadlift because I'm an old man, and I'm just old. So, I sumo deadlift because no matter how much I'm lifting I've never had a problem. Also there is a pull up bar in the gym, use it all the time. That is not only for your arms, but for your lats. Pulls ups and chin ups are your best friend.

[Evang.Benincasa]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

That seems more reasonable. I didn't know how I was going to get that much protein everyday unless I ate a whole cow every week or a flock of chickens every week.

You listen to some gym rat's bro science, and they will have you blowing up the bathroom. Your body cannot, and will not assimilate too much protein. Make sure you eat vegetables, a good salad with the proteins you consume. Eat cattle, instead of chicken. This is why I say that, how big is a chicken's neck? How big is a steer's neck? Right

When eating meat I have found that your strength increases greatly. But make sure you eat vegetables with a nice salad with lots of greens.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

Ten reps? Let me say something about a pet peeve of mine. Form. Form in is everything. Watch professional trainers as they do any routine. Let's take the exercise which people really fail at when they have done too much, or they are using too much weight. Curling a barbell, or dumbbells. You only use your arms. Never your legs, or moving your back. Let's take a strict curl. We place our back against the wall, and lift in a curling motion. Our back is against the wall so we can "cheat." Meaning use the back to lift the weight up into the curl. You have to have good form in order to utilize the proper muscle groups and get the most bang for your buck. Watch the professionals, take time and never lift weight improperly. We have tendons, and ligaments which can get hurt badly, if you are using lousy form.




Deadlifting, might not be your cup of tea. Until you get around PEOPLE WHO KNOW HOW TO DEADLIFT. You shouldn't look like a black cat on a halloween trick or treat bag when you lift in a deadlift. Back injury as all injury comes from not having the right form. I sumo deadlift because I'm an old man, and I'm just old. So, I sumo deadlift because no matter how much I'm lifting I've never had a problem. Also there is a pull up bar in the gym, use it all the time. That is not only for your arms, but for your lats. Pulls ups and chin ups are your best friend.

10 is too much? Iprobably need to back off and perfect my form. Again, the person I am going with makes it look easy, but he is also a teenager who has been lifting 5-6 days a week for the last 2 or 3 years. I have simply been trying to hang.

[good samaritan]

Originally Posted by Evang.Benincasa

You listen to some gym rat's bro science, and they will have you blowing up the bathroom. Your body cannot, and will not assimilate too much protein. Make sure you eat vegetables, a good salad with the proteins you consume. Eat cattle, instead of chicken. This is why I say that, how big is a chicken's neck? How big is a steer's neck? Right

When eating meat I have found that your strength increases greatly. But make sure you eat vegetables with a nice salad with lots of greens.

[Esaias]

Originally Posted by good samaritan

Only 5sets of 5reps of something I can do 12? Last week I started with 135 on the bench 2sets of 10. the second set of ten was to failure. I had to start dropping weight to continue getting 10 rep sets. I did about 100reps total before moving to some fly's. I have been doing isolation lifting because it is what the man I go with is doing, but he is already in the zone when it comes to weight lifting. I am a newbie.

Yes, you start well below your maximum so you can keep adding 5 lbs per week. Like I said at first you will think "This is easy, it's not really working out" but what you are doing is 1) perfecting form, which is critical, and 2) training the CNS and muscles to do the work so that when the weight catches up they will be ready to do the work and not blow out, and 3) putting off the inevitable plateau as long as possible so you don't get discouraged too early, which is also critical, and 4) giving your tendons and cartilage time to get used to working out before getting too heavy too soon, which (you guessed it) is critical, especially for avoiding injury.

Based on the numbers you gave I'd recommend benching at 100, 5 sets of 5 reps, 2 minutes rest between sets. 3 times a week. Next week do 105. Next week 110. Next week 115. Etc. I can almost guarantee you will plateau in 4-6 weeks, and will need to drop down 5 lbs or stay at the previous week's weight for a week until you can move forward again. It WILL catch up to you quicker than you think. And THEN you will be doing WORK. But, you will be prepped for it and are less likely to injure yourself or get discouraged.

Don't forget a couple warmup sets at about 50%-75% of your target weight load before doing your work sets. Very important.

Your gymn buddy does isolation work because he's been doing it for awhile and after several years isolation work is needed. But for a beginner it's a waste of time. Beginner's make about 50-60% of their lifetime gains in their first year. It's literally like taking steroids, the body responds massively, so compound movements working the whole body are what will take maximum advantage of those "newbie gains". Isolation work is for advanced lifters trying to squeeze out fractions of a percentage point of development, ie "shaping" an already well developed muscle. Or they are on steroids and can do 100s of reps per single muscle and get results.

Why do you recomend doing only 1 or 2 sets of the deadlifts? Potential back injury?

Deadlifts actually aren't totally necessary unless you are training to compete in powerlifting. But, they are fun and squatting three times a week is not for the faint of heart. So they are a nice substitute for squats. But you can lift more and add weight quicker with deadlifts, which means 1) back injuries as well as bicep injuries can occur more easily if you aren't careful, and 2) heavy deadlifting taxes the CNS more than about any other exercise, so doing 5 sets of deadlifts can burn you out very quickly. Even powerlifters usually do fewer sets of deadlifts than they do squats.

A variation of the 5x5 system is Mark Rippetoe's 5x5 (which is actually 3x5 because sets 1 and 2 work up to your working load weight). The 5x5 type of workout routine has been used since the 50s if not earlier, Reg Park, Arnold, and lots of other famous lifters used 5x5 or some variation of it as the foundation or base of their lifting. It builds a solid strength foundation from which a person can go on to other things (like mass building, bodybuilding, strongman lifting, Olympic lifting, or whatever). It's been proven by football coaches, wrestling coaches, etc as well, for building strength and general athletic fitness. It is used by advanced bodybuilders when they plateau in order to break through to the next level.

Buy my 5x5 workout sys.... Hah, just kidding! I sound like a salesman. But seriously, it's as old as the hills, proven, and just plain works.