Bro, do you even lift? If so answer me this!

[Strifer]

I'm looking to get back into the gym seriously after about a 3 year hiatus. Would anyone here have a good free weight routine to start off with? Nothing too crazy just something so I can get back in the swing of things.

Thanks!

[Guttzs]

I'm looking to get back into the gym seriously after about a 3 year hiatus. Would anyone here have a good free weight routine to start off with? Nothing too crazy just something so I can get back in the swing of things.

Thanks!

Dude the best thing i ever did was start doing very little workouts at the gym, i was so sick of paying monthly membership fees plus having to drive there and back, hassle hassle.

I became really interested in workouts solely on body weight, for my job i need to have functional strength so it seemed the right choice. I purchased something similar to this

http://www.amazon.com/GoFit-Gravity-Straps-Suspended-Training/dp/B0064OOS86/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1381259382&sr=8-2&keywords=bodyweight+training+system

and along with a straight pullup bar i do any and all things i want to, the choices of how you want to start are all yours and a simple angle adjustment will either lessen or increase the difficulty of the exercise. Its cost effective and truly works. Make sure and throw in a couple days of cardio if thats your thing but to be honest if you do the right circuits you can have an easy high intensity workout with very minimal gear and little to no weights.

Its simple as this though you need to actually do it, you need to do it every day and make it a part of your lifestyle. Dont get the mentality of it wont make a big difference, its taking too long, etc etc. Just start working on it and you will learn as you go dont be impatient, keep it steady.

make it your own new quest/ journey its rewarding and fun!

[Strifer]

That actually looks pretty awesome! Thanks for the info!

[Guttzs]

That actually looks pretty awesome! Thanks for the info!

Anytime, PM me if you want any regiments or challenges etc.

[Guttzs]

What part of NY you in btw? im upstate

[Strifer]

me too! near albany

[Bessy]

Sucks that Silkroad was shutdown, otherwise i would have had some advice.

[Stinkum]

Most people will disagree with me, but personally, I hate having to go to the gym so I work out exclusively from home. There's very little investment cost. All you need is a pull-up bar (like $10 at any big box stores) and a used weight set from Craigslist. Expect to pay $0.10 to $0.50 per pound.

This (http://scoobysworkshop.com/intermediate-workout-plan/) is a good workout plan for a beginner:

http://i.imgur.com/fSdai5s.png

[Zadrian]

I'm looking to get back into the gym seriously after about a 3 year hiatus. Would anyone here have a good free weight routine to start off with? Nothing too crazy just something so I can get back in the swing of things.

Thanks!

First, I agree with everyone here. Going to the gym sucks. It can get expensive and it is extremely time consuming.

If you are looking to hit the gym, however, check out Planet Fitness. Their sign up is cheap and I think their monthly rate is like $10-$20. You also get unlimited assistance (which can vary depending on what type of person the trainer is). So what they will do is schedule you for a workout plan class and you will sit down with one of their trainers. The trainer will then ask what you want to do and where you want to go with it. Once they get it down, they will fill out a weekly workout schedule for you.

I still suggest, however, that you try to figure out effective workouts at home.

[Swish]

Would add to the list of people who recommend being able to do a lot at home with very little financial input - depends on space though and whoever else in the house agreeing that its okay to bring it all in :D

[Ephirith]

I have a simple gym routine that I do in addition to daily bodyweight exercise (pushups and ab workout) and daily 4 mile run.

There are three workouts, or 'days'

1. Chest/tri: bench press, tricep pulldowns, lying triceps extensions, dumbell flys, occasionally dips

-two days of rest-

2. Back/bi: Two variations of curls, lat pulldowns, deltoid fly, seated pulley row

-two days of rest-

3. Shoulders/legs (I very rarely do legwork in gym because of the amount of running I do, and some unique characteristics about me, so this is mostly shoulders): Shoulder press/military press, lateral dumbell raise. Used to do dumbell shoulder press til i nearly popped my arm out of its socket.

-two days of rest, repeat-

I'm sure there is plenty of stuff wrong with the routine I use, and I have a ton of learning to do, but you always need to have a healthy criticism of the things people tell you about strength training, especially when they claim they have the perfect routine or they know all the answers. There is a lot of bad science, supposition, bro-science, misinformation, and exploitation out there regarding this kind of stuff.

When I can, I try to avoid machines in favor of dumbells, barbells, and/or body weight. Balance and control are important.

[Stinkum]

Eph, that is a solid routine but more of a intermediate-advanced level. I would caution someone on a 3 year hiatus from starting out with something like that.

[Guttzs]

me too! near albany

Thats odd, because im in the 518

[Guttzs]

Most people will disagree with me, but personally, I hate having to go to the gym so I work out exclusively from home. There's very little investment cost. All you need is a pull-up bar (like $10 at any big box stores) and a used weight set from Craigslist. Expect to pay $0.10 to $0.50 per pound.

This (http://scoobysworkshop.com/intermediate-workout-plan/) is a good workout plan for a beginner:

http://i.imgur.com/fSdai5s.png



+1

[Visual]

Golds Gym membership 9.99 (plus activation costs)

Best part of the gym is seeing people in better shape than you. Surrounding yourself with successful people (in this case, the meatheads) is always good.

It will become an obsession if you keep doing it. The hardest part is getting the wheels rolling. It's a good habit to form. Good luck!

[Wiery]

I'm looking to get back into the gym seriously after about a 3 year hiatus. Would anyone here have a good free weight routine to start off with? Nothing too crazy just something so I can get back in the swing of things.
Thanks!
Right on man. Welcome back to the lifting world.

There are two beginner systems (also great for those returning to lifting) that are commonly recognized amongst most lifting communities. Wendler's 5/3/1 and Stronglifts 5x5 (the OG website looks cheesy and all, but the system is tried and true). When I came back to lifting I chose to use Wendler's system. However, I know tons of guys and girls who have used SL 5x5 and swear by it. Both systems are very simple to follow, efficient as far as time is concerned, and should get your stronger quickly. Whether your goals are for body building purposes, powerlifting or simply getting into shape and being healthy, I think both are greatly structured for building a base.

The one thing I highly recommend is to simply log your workouts. It will help you in obtaining whatever your training goals may be. Training is a huge passion for me, so if you have any questions or whatever, feel free to PM me.

[Pringles]

http://d24w6bsrhbeh9d.cloudfront.net/photo/6478500_700b.jpg

[Guttzs]

Golds Gym membership 9.99 (plus activation costs)

Best part of the gym is seeing people in better shape than you. Surrounding yourself with successful people (in this case, the meatheads) is always good.

It will become an obsession if you keep doing it. The hardest part is getting the wheels rolling. It's a good habit to form. Good luck!

I dislike the gym scene, and it is a scene, because the obsession of getting better than this or that guy is thr wrong way to look at it. Everyone is different and excells in different areas, the same ideal is true with fitness, some people aren't going to look like the guy that "looks" the best. This is a big reason why i train for functionality of strength rather than the perception of strength.

To each his own if thats what keeps you healthy and pushing forward go nuts, just seems a bit odd to me personally.

[Wiery]

I dislike the gym scene, and it is a scene, because the obsession of getting better than this or that guy is thr wrong way to look at it. Everyone is different and excells in different areas, the same ideal is true with fitness, some people aren't going to look like the guy that "looks" the best. This is a big reason why i train for functionality of strength rather than the perception of strength.

To each his own if thats what keeps you healthy and pushing forward go nuts, just seems a bit odd to me personally.

I agree Guttzs, but from my experience it differs from gym to gym. Bally's and 24 Fitness gyms are generally filled with the "scene" you've described. However, you may find a much friendlier and even supportive community in other gyms. I've found the powerlifting communities and gyms to be much more supportive than competitive. Which, is actually fairly interesting, since it is a competitive sport. That being said, olympic lifting and power lifting are not sports that are won by looks. Thus, they probably produce less narcissistic individuals.

BTW - your sig makes me giggle every time.

[r00t]

resistance bands > weight set

physics. weights only give you resistance on the y-plane of gravity, whereas bands are a 3 dimensional matrix

[lawll]

resistance bands > weight set

physics. weights only give you resistance on the y-plane of gravity, whereas bands are a 3 dimensional matrix

You can't really build much with resistance with bands to work your major muscle groups. But it's whatever your goal is to look like a runner or to have some bulk.

[lawll]

Also 80% of working out is nutrition so make sure that is in check first.

[Clark]

Best part of the gym is seeing people in better shape than you.

??

http://s23.postimg.org/iudf7bf4r/too_hard_crazy_hair_500x408.jpg

:D

[Wotsirb401]

I agree with the gym scene it is pretty stupid. I am friends with most of the "big" guys so I am always razzing them about getting bigger cause they are looking small and they hate that. It is almost like a reverse body dismorphia. I would say if you want to start off after 3 years, do only the large muscle groups for now as your body gets used to the motions.
Example do full body workouts 2-3 times a week

Bench Press
Lat pull downs or pull ups if you can
Squats
Tricep pushdowns
Shoulder press

Try to aim for about 3 sets of 10-12, remember to keep the weight low for the first few times , you dont want to hurt for 2 weeks and hate your life, trust me ive trained people who have done this.

[limit]

5-3-1 is definitely not a beginner workout.

everyone who is saying all you need is a pull up bar is kind of a retard. sorry, but thats the truth. the strongest groups in your body cannot be sufficiently challenged with body weight resistance (not to say SOME can't be).

the ideal working ranges for both hypertrophy and strength are 70%+ percent of your max. you will never even get close to this range with your bodyweight, save for some nice wide grip chin-ups maybe.

as a beginner in anything, you need to focus on the fundamentals. there are three movements which will carry you through your entire lifting/fitness career:

-deadlifts
-squats
-the properly executed bench press (a full body lift)

these are the most powerful movements that the body has and they engage massive amounts of muscle to work together at once.

pound those three movements into your head with repetition, criticism and focus. you can add some support lifts into the mix if you feel like you are neglecting a certain area, but those 3 lifts are your focus. chin-ups and a military press would be a great addition to round the mix out for example.

and do incorporate mobility work into your workouts. warm up with dynamic stretches and cool down with static stretches. do not neglect your mobility work -- it'll bite you in your ass if the day comes that you ever want to start playing with more technical workouts.

be consistent, work hard, eat well, sleep well.

[orsk]

5-3-1 is definitely not a beginner workout.

everyone who is saying all you need is a pull up bar is kind of a retard. sorry, but thats the truth. the strongest groups in your body cannot be sufficiently challenged with body weight resistance (not to say SOME can't be).

the ideal working ranges for both hypertrophy and strength are 70%+ percent of your max. you will never even get close to this range with your bodyweight, save for some nice wide grip chin-ups maybe.

as a beginner in anything, you need to focus on the fundamentals. there are three movements which will carry you through your entire lifting/fitness career:

-deadlifts
-squats
-the properly executed bench press (a full body lift)

these are the most powerful movements that the body has and they engage massive amounts of muscle to work together at once.

pound those three movements into your head with repetition, criticism and focus. you can add some support lifts into the mix if you feel like you are neglecting a certain area, but those 3 lifts are your focus. chin-ups and a military press would be a great addition to round the mix out for example.

and do incorporate mobility work into your workouts. warm up with dynamic stretches and cool down with static stretches. do not neglect your mobility work -- it'll bite you in your ass if the day comes that you ever want to start playing with more technical workouts.

be consistent, work hard, eat well, sleep well.

Well then, you are retarded

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KCpK7GZR700

kthxbye

[HappyTr33z]

Pick up heavy shit, eat beef jerky, grow a beard.

Be man.

[Stinkum]

One thing I have learned is that it's pretty easy for me to go 6 months of consistent exercise. What is very difficult is to exercise consistently over a period of multiple years and make part of my life permanently.

To the people that made it a habit exercise consistently for multiple years, what are your tips? Do you work out in the morning? I find it easy to flake out after a long day of work.

[Swish]

What I love most about people that do a lot of any type physical exercise is that when it comes to advice everyone contradicts each other on every single thing.