Weight Training For Beginners

Weight training for beginners takes a slightly different approach then someone who's more experienced in the gym. To gain muscle mass naturally your workouts need to be shorter, and focused on only one muscle group at a time. Also, before slapping on some heavy weights... you'll want to start with the lightest available weights and work your way up.

For the first couple of weeks of weight training for beginners (and preferably few months) concentrate on improving your form for the most basic of weight training exercises. A traditional muscle building program will generally last you for 2-3 months, and so I recommend you complete three of these programs before moving on to the big guys (20kg plates, 40+-pound dumbbells, etc). An advantage to using slightly lighter weights (relative to other guys/girls your size), is that you'll learn early on how to listen to your body. You may also discover that using light-to-moderately-heavy weights works extremely well for you. It did (and continues to) work for me. I unfortunately found out about this unintentionally, when I was forced to ease up on the poundage after suffering a lower back injury. Ironically, my little accident was the result of a heavy barbell curl.

The biggest advantage to this approach is that you'll understand your body better. It's a good habit that will extend to your nutritional intake, and amount of rest needed to recover and GROW! Always listen to your body and to yourself... It's the most precise tool you have. My only hope is that this website will inspire you to do that.

Concerning which specific 'types' of exercises to perform, I'll give you a very general summary. Right off the bat, I should tell you that if you are a member of a gym which offers a variety of equipment... USE IT! The body wants to experience variety. Try to include an equal balance of free weights (dumbbells/barbels), machines, cables (pulley systems), and bodyweight exercises in your program. If you train at home, a simple multi-station and/or some free weights could work wonders for you. Almost any movement can be emulated somehow using free weights, and a reclinable bench (or stability ball).

I would imagine that even though your overall goal is to build muscle, you also want to have good symmetry and proportions. Weight training for beginners, in my opinion, should entail using 1 exercise for each part of a muscle group. Take the pectorals (meaning the chest)... which are separated between upper, lower, middle (horizontal), and middle (vertical)... as an example. Just below are videos displaying a complete beginner/intermediate weight training program for chest. The lower chest exercise is not included because I truly believe it's not essential, especially for beginners. You can, however, perform 'Decline Bench Press' if you choose to work that area. NOTE: Whenever possible, have an experienced training partner, gym instructor, or spotter there to guide you through the exercises.

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