Newbie

In news:45bdd96b$0$135$7b0f0fd3@reader.news.newnet.co.uk,
*Darren* <nobody DeleteThis @home.com> typed:
> Hi
>
> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>
> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.
>
> I am "slim".
>
> I have been advised that my best bet for increasing size is to use the
> weights

You probably need to eat more as well !

> and then use something like swimming for my general fitness.

Well, the problem with swimming is most people can't maintain it for long
enough or with enough intensity to actually affect their fitness unless they
are especially unfit to start off with. The best way for most people is to
use a rowing machine as it provides intensity but with v.little impact.

> My trainer has told me to go 12 repetitions on about 6 diff weight
> machines which work out my arms, shoulders, chest & legs.
> I have started off and can lift on average 28kg. My legs are the
> weakest. Obv this is very light compared to most people.
>
> My question: Is 12 repetitions enough? I am going to do this 3 times
> a week. Am i really going to start seeing results? How long?
>
> When do i increase the weight?

How many sets does your trainer have you doing? When you can do 12 reps on
all sets would be a good time to increase the weight.

>
> What else can I do?

Trust your trainer?

>
> regards
> Darren



--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

Dnia 2007-01-29 *Darren* napisa³(a):
> Hi
>
> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>
> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.

Weights are good, but you need to eat.

> I am "slim".

If you want to get serious about getting bigger, stop being "slim".
Gain some fat and keep it there for a while. This and weight training
should let you gain some muscles. Make a mark on your belt which you
can still tolerate, and fat up till you fill your belt. Then simply
stay there and lift.

> I have been advised that my best bet for increasing size is to use the
> weights and then use something like swimming for my general fitness.
> My trainer has told me to go 12 repetitions on about 6 diff weight machines
> which work out my arms, shoulders, chest & legs.

Do something for your back too. Some sort of row, preferably.

> I have started off and can lift on average 28kg. My legs are the weakest.
> Obv this is very light compared to most people.
>
> My question: Is 12 repetitions enough?

Yes. it's fine for a beginner. Later you may want to decrease this
number, not increase. The idea is to stay within a reasonable percent
of your one rep max. Beginners can typically do more reps with the
same percent of one rep max as experienced lifters, so after a while
you may want to go a bit lower with your reps.

> I am going to do this 3 times a week.
> Am i really going to start seeing results? How long?

You should see good results within a month, I think.

> When do i increase the weight?

After you adopted to training a little, you should start increasing
your weights when it's possible. Assuming that you train full body
three times a week, you should probably increase the weight when you are
able to complete all reps for all sets of some exercise with good form
for two consecutive workouts. IOW if you can lift some weight for all
reps two training session in a row, increase the weight you are using.

> What else can I do?

You mean, besides eating? Check your hormones. You seem to be very
light, even if you are a woman.

--
Andrzej Rosa
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
> Andrzej Rosa <bakters.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Dnia 2007-01-29 *Darren* napisa³(a):
>>> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>>> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.
>>
>> Weights are good, but you need to eat.
>>
>>> I am "slim".
>>
>> If you want to get serious about getting bigger, stop being "slim".
>> Gain some fat and keep it there for a while. This and weight training
>> should let you gain some muscles.
>
> "Stop being slim" makes it sound like gaining fat is a necessity.

It's not exactly a necessity, but it helps. People may argue about the
percent of bodyfat where "things start to happen" but the general
idea seems to be quite solid.

> Not
> so. I've gained a lot of muscle over the years of training, always
> being about 7% bf.

Would it take the same amount of time if you maintained 15% bodyfat?
How about 5%?

> Rapidly losing fat and gaining muscle at the same
> time, like many want to do, is difficult, but it is also a completely
> different matter.

Yes, it is.

--
Andrzej Rosa
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

"DZ" <21456.DeleteThis@223195384.320923066.31120.22198.10200> wrote in message
news:11886@160547270.3249110381.25465.28373.21976...
> Andrzej Rosa <bakters.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>>> Andrzej Rosa <bakters.DeleteThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>>> If you want to get serious about getting bigger, stop being
>>>> "slim". Gain some fat and keep it there for a while. This and
>>>> weight training should let you gain some muscles.
>>>
>>> "Stop being slim" makes it sound like gaining fat is a necessity.
>>
>> It's not exactly a necessity, but it helps. People may argue about
>> the
>> percent of bodyfat where "things start to happen" but the general
>> idea seems to be quite solid.
>>
>>> Not so. I've gained a lot of muscle over the years of training,
>>> always being about 7% bf.
>>
>> Would it take the same amount of time if you maintained 15% bodyfat?
>> How about 5%?
>
> Of course the amount of time to gain the same amount of muscle would
> be longer for a slimmer version of the same person. But not so
> considerably longer that shoving up the food should be a must
> (esp. for someone who doesn't enjoy eating a lot). I suppose there is
> a higher ceiling too, in terms of the maximum possible added lbs for
> someone who eats 2X, but let's not go there.
>
> In addition, the added muscle shows more prominently on a slimmer
> individual. To shorten time to gain Y lb would not be a good enough
> reason for me to try putting on fat by increasing the calorie intake
> (I'm also well past the time when I cared to become any bigger). I
> always practiced some variant of calorie restriction. As a Russian
> folk saying goes, "leave the table hungry" - I understood that as a
> sensible advice long before I read up on what the S{13N{3 has to say.
>
> My point is - if bulking/cutting sounds too discouraging (as it would
> certainly be for me) - then don't do it.

My personal theory (read: no science to support it but none that I'm
aware of to disprove it, either) is that people like you and me change
body composition through very small cycles of bulking and cutting, on
the order or a pound or two at a time. That's what _feels_ like happens
to me - I don't feel like eating much for a period of time and/or I have
a competition coming up and I need to watch what I eat more in order to
make weight, and I end up dropping a pound or two and look a little
leaner. Then for some period of time I'm a bit less careful about what
I eat, my weight goes back to where it was originally, and I end up
still looking leaner, just a little, and more muscular, again just a
little, but over the years it does add up.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
> Andrzej Rosa <bakters.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>>> "Stop being slim" makes it sound like gaining fat is a necessity.
>>
>> It's not exactly a necessity, but it helps. People may argue about the
>> percent of bodyfat where "things start to happen" but the general
>> idea seems to be quite solid.
>>
>>> Not so. I've gained a lot of muscle over the years of training,
>>> always being about 7% bf.
>>
>> Would it take the same amount of time if you maintained 15% bodyfat?
>> How about 5%?
>
> Of course the amount of time to gain the same amount of muscle would
> be longer for a slimmer version of the same person. But not so
> considerably longer that shoving up the food should be a must
> (esp. for someone who doesn't enjoy eating a lot).

He's 80 lbs. I'm afraid that he'll have to shove up some.

> I suppose there is
> a higher ceiling too, in terms of the maximum possible added lbs for
> someone who eats 2X, but let's not go there.
>
> In addition, the added muscle shows more prominently on a slimmer
> individual. To shorten time to gain Y lb would not be a good enough
> reason for me to try putting on fat by increasing the calorie intake

Neither it is for me, but I weight more in kilos than OP in pounds.

> (I'm also well past the time when I cared to become any bigger). I
> always practiced some variant of calorie restriction. As a Russian
> folk saying goes, "leave the table hungry" - I understood that as a
> sensible advice long before I read up on what the S{13N{3 has to say.
>
> My point is - if bulking/cutting sounds too discouraging (as it would
> certainly be for me) - then don't do it.

I didn't tell him to cut. I told him to fat up and stay there. After
a year or two of training, cutting may make some sense. He's really
light and he needs more body.

--
Andrzej Rosa
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

This message is not archived
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

In news:526olcF1ndv8tU1@mid.individual.net,
Steve Freides <steve.DeleteThis@fridayscomputer.com> typed:
> "*Darren*" <nobody.DeleteThis@home.com> wrote in message
> news:45bdd96b$0$135$7b0f0fd3@reader.news.newnet.co.uk...
>> Hi
>>
>> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>>
>> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.
>>
>> I am "slim".
>>
>> I have been advised that my best bet for increasing size is to use
>> the weights and then use something like swimming for my general
>> fitness. My trainer has told me to go 12 repetitions on about 6 diff
>> weight machines which work out my arms, shoulders, chest & legs.
>> I have started off and can lift on average 28kg. My legs are the
>> weakest.
>> Obv this is very light compared to most people.
>>
>> My question: Is 12 repetitions enough? I am going to do this 3 times
>> a week. Am i really going to start seeing results? How long?
>>
>> When do i increase the weight?
>>
>> What else can I do?
>>
>> regards
>> Darren
>
> I wouldn't complicate things too much. First, know that to gain
> weight, you must eat more. If you lift weights, you improve the odds
> of gaining muscle instead of gaining fat, but either way, if you
> don't eat more, you won't gain weight.
>
> As to what weights to lift, I recommend Google on
>
> 20-rep squats


Excellent advice, get the complete newbie on a 20-rep squat regime!!!


>
> and again on
>
> Super Squats
>
> The latter link will get you the book while the former will get you
> articles on the same.
>
> Another excellent read on this subject is Pavel's "Beyond
> Bodybuilding" see http://www.kbnj.com/bb.htm for more on this one.
>
> -S-
> http://www.kbnj.com


--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

"Bully" <bully19 RemoveThis @proteinbars.co.ok> wrote in message
news:526qrgF1m9098U1@mid.individual.net...
> In news:526olcF1ndv8tU1@mid.individual.net,
> Steve Freides <steve RemoveThis @fridayscomputer.com> typed:
>> "*Darren*" <nobody RemoveThis @home.com> wrote in message
>> news:45bdd96b$0$135$7b0f0fd3@reader.news.newnet.co.uk...
>>> Hi
>>>
>>> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>>>
>>> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.
>>>
>>> I am "slim".
>>>
>>> I have been advised that my best bet for increasing size is to use
>>> the weights and then use something like swimming for my general
>>> fitness. My trainer has told me to go 12 repetitions on about 6 diff
>>> weight machines which work out my arms, shoulders, chest & legs.
>>> I have started off and can lift on average 28kg. My legs are the
>>> weakest.
>>> Obv this is very light compared to most people.
>>>
>>> My question: Is 12 repetitions enough? I am going to do this 3 times
>>> a week. Am i really going to start seeing results? How long?
>>>
>>> When do i increase the weight?
>>>
>>> What else can I do?
>>>
>>> regards
>>> Darren
>>
>> I wouldn't complicate things too much. First, know that to gain
>> weight, you must eat more. If you lift weights, you improve the odds
>> of gaining muscle instead of gaining fat, but either way, if you
>> don't eat more, you won't gain weight.
>>
>> As to what weights to lift, I recommend Google on
>>
>> 20-rep squats
>
>
> Excellent advice, get the complete newbie on a 20-rep squat regime!!!

Now, now, I said to read, I didn't say to run right out and do it. A
little knowledge never hurt anyone, and reading about 20-rep squats may
inspire our newbie to ask his trainer to show him how to squat.

Read, it does a mind good.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


>
>>
>> and again on
>>
>> Super Squats
>>
>> The latter link will get you the book while the former will get you
>> articles on the same.
>>
>> Another excellent read on this subject is Pavel's "Beyond
>> Bodybuilding" see http://www.kbnj.com/bb.htm for more on this one.
>>
>> -S-
>> http://www.kbnj.com
>
>
> --
> Bully
> Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk
>
> "A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist
> sees
> the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
>
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

In news:526r7oF1n88ekU1@mid.individual.net,
Steve Freides <steve.TakeThisOut@fridayscomputer.com> typed:
> "Bully" <bully19.TakeThisOut@proteinbars.co.ok> wrote in message
> news:526qrgF1m9098U1@mid.individual.net...
>> In news:526olcF1ndv8tU1@mid.individual.net,
>> Steve Freides <steve.TakeThisOut@fridayscomputer.com> typed:
>>> "*Darren*" <nobody.TakeThisOut@home.com> wrote in message
>>> news:45bdd96b$0$135$7b0f0fd3@reader.news.newnet.co.uk...
>>>> Hi
>>>>
>>>> I have just joined a gym for first time in my life.
>>>>
>>>> I am male, 21, 5ft 7 and underweight at just 9 stone 8lbs.
>>>>
>>>> I am "slim".
>>>>
>>>> I have been advised that my best bet for increasing size is to use
>>>> the weights and then use something like swimming for my general
>>>> fitness. My trainer has told me to go 12 repetitions on about 6
>>>> diff weight machines which work out my arms, shoulders, chest &
>>>> legs. I have started off and can lift on average 28kg. My legs are the
>>>> weakest.
>>>> Obv this is very light compared to most people.
>>>>
>>>> My question: Is 12 repetitions enough? I am going to do this 3
>>>> times a week. Am i really going to start seeing results? How long?
>>>>
>>>> When do i increase the weight?
>>>>
>>>> What else can I do?
>>>>
>>>> regards
>>>> Darren
>>>
>>> I wouldn't complicate things too much. First, know that to gain
>>> weight, you must eat more. If you lift weights, you improve the
>>> odds of gaining muscle instead of gaining fat, but either way, if
>>> you don't eat more, you won't gain weight.
>>>
>>> As to what weights to lift, I recommend Google on
>>>
>>> 20-rep squats
>>
>>
>> Excellent advice, get the complete newbie on a 20-rep squat regime!!!
>
> Now, now, I said to read, I didn't say to run right out and do it. A
> little knowledge never hurt anyone, and reading about 20-rep squats
> may inspire our newbie to ask his trainer to show him how to squat.
>
> Read, it does a mind good.
>

[...]

Lift, it does a body good!

--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

"Andrzej Rosa" <bakters.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:eplpo0$6ev$1@inews.gazeta.pl...
> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>> Andrzej Rosa <bakters.RemoveThis@yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>>>> "Stop being slim" makes it sound like gaining fat is a necessity.
>>>
>>> It's not exactly a necessity, but it helps. People may argue about
>>> the
>>> percent of bodyfat where "things start to happen" but the general
>>> idea seems to be quite solid.
>>>
>>>> Not so. I've gained a lot of muscle over the years of training,
>>>> always being about 7% bf.
>>>
>>> Would it take the same amount of time if you maintained 15% bodyfat?
>>> How about 5%?
>>
>> Of course the amount of time to gain the same amount of muscle would
>> be longer for a slimmer version of the same person. But not so
>> considerably longer that shoving up the food should be a must
>> (esp. for someone who doesn't enjoy eating a lot).
>
> He's 80 lbs. I'm afraid that he'll have to shove up some.

One stone is equal to 14 lbs.

-S-
http://www.kbnj.com


>> I suppose there is
>> a higher ceiling too, in terms of the maximum possible added lbs for
>> someone who eats 2X, but let's not go there.
>>
>> In addition, the added muscle shows more prominently on a slimmer
>> individual. To shorten time to gain Y lb would not be a good enough
>> reason for me to try putting on fat by increasing the calorie intake
>
> Neither it is for me, but I weight more in kilos than OP in pounds.
>
>> (I'm also well past the time when I cared to become any bigger). I
>> always practiced some variant of calorie restriction. As a Russian
>> folk saying goes, "leave the table hungry" - I understood that as a
>> sensible advice long before I read up on what the S{13N{3 has to say.
>>
>> My point is - if bulking/cutting sounds too discouraging (as it would
>> certainly be for me) - then don't do it.
>
> I didn't tell him to cut. I told him to fat up and stay there. After
> a year or two of training, cutting may make some sense. He's really
> light and he needs more body.
>
> --
> Andrzej Rosa
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie 

In news:eplpo0$6ev$1@inews.gazeta.pl,
Andrzej Rosa <bakters RemoveThis @yahoo.com> typed:
> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>> Andrzej Rosa <bakters RemoveThis @yahoo.com> wrote:
>>> Dnia 2007-01-29 DZ napisa³(a):
>>>> "Stop being slim" makes it sound like gaining fat is a necessity.
>>>
>>> It's not exactly a necessity, but it helps. People may argue about
>>> the percent of bodyfat where "things start to happen" but the
>>> general
>>> idea seems to be quite solid.
>>>
>>>> Not so. I've gained a lot of muscle over the years of training,
>>>> always being about 7% bf.
>>>
>>> Would it take the same amount of time if you maintained 15% bodyfat?
>>> How about 5%?
>>
>> Of course the amount of time to gain the same amount of muscle would
>> be longer for a slimmer version of the same person. But not so
>> considerably longer that shoving up the food should be a must
>> (esp. for someone who doesn't enjoy eating a lot).
>
> He's 80 lbs.

134 lbs!

> I'm afraid that he'll have to shove up some.
>
>> I suppose there is
>> a higher ceiling too, in terms of the maximum possible added lbs for
>> someone who eats 2X, but let's not go there.
>>
>> In addition, the added muscle shows more prominently on a slimmer
>> individual. To shorten time to gain Y lb would not be a good enough
>> reason for me to try putting on fat by increasing the calorie intake
>
> Neither it is for me, but I weight more in kilos than OP in pounds.
>
>> (I'm also well past the time when I cared to become any bigger). I
>> always practiced some variant of calorie restriction. As a Russian
>> folk saying goes, "leave the table hungry" - I understood that as a
>> sensible advice long before I read up on what the S{13N{3 has to say.
>>
>> My point is - if bulking/cutting sounds too discouraging (as it would
>> certainly be for me) - then don't do it.
>
> I didn't tell him to cut. I told him to fat up and stay there. After
> a year or two of training, cutting may make some sense. He's really
> light and he needs more body.



--
Bully
Protein bars: http://www.proteinbars.co.uk

"A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees
the opportunity in every difficulty." Sir Winston Churchill
 >> Stay informed about: Newbie