Stupid Simple Beginner Lifting Approaches
Hi All
Let me start with this. I am a novice lifter and have started and been steady with lifting in the past but when failures happen or I can't get to the workout routine (or I am just too fatigued), I have a hard time getting back to the routine and the outcomes end up less than desired.
So here I am again trying to get started. If this is you, here is a stupid simple beginner lifting approach that you can use to get started. Is this ideal (no), is this the best (no), is this something to help you get started (hell yes). I call it the one a day approach. Whether you are going to the gym/garage/field/yard etc., it gives you a simple plan to get started.
First pick an exercise to do each day - I recommend a Squat, bench, deadlift, row, overhead press type exercise. Each day you go to exercise you focus on that one exercise.
Second pick a rep range (I recommend sets of five reps). Please don't start with sets of 3 or less as your much more likely to injure yourself.
Third, list the exercises you want to do in the order that you would like to do them. Squat and deadlift do have a bit of overlap on the muscles they work so I would suggest you separate them out by a day or more.
Pick whatever variant you want to do to match your equipment - ask chatgpt or gemini etc. to find an exercise that is can be done with the equipment available to you (e.g., I only have a set of dumbells what squat type exercises can i do?).
When you go to do your workout, start slow and work up to your max that day. There will be two phases to your workout each day.
Phase 1 - warm up - start at a low weight do a set of 5, add a few pounds (e.g., 5, 10, 20, 25) and do a set of 5, and keep going until it feels like you won't be able to do more than 5 reps at the current weight (think 5-10 sets to get to your working weights - adjust accordingly as you get an idea of what you can do). At this point you are in phase 2.
Phase 2 - the working sets - here you will do sets of five at your working weight until you can't do anymore. If you can do more than 5-6 (or 9 if you like volume more than weight) sets then the weight should be a little heavier (add more weight now or more weight next time as you are stronger than you think). If you can only do 3 sets of 5 then you are pushing it a little too much and should be at least in the 5-6 range if possible.
Each day you go to do your workout you do the next exercise on your list. For example, with the above approach (e.g., Squat, bench, deadlift, row, overhead press type exercise) you could do one exercise a day for 5 days a week.
When your ready, there are plenty of things that you can do to diversify your routine with more or different exercises.
Best of luck.