New guy here....

[Mirage]

Hi, my name's Jason, I just turned 30 last month, I weigh 257lbs, and I'm 6'5" tall. I have a small wright bench at home, with about 300lbs of weights, (that I can't even get close to lifting). I eat fairly heathly, can't have caffiene, so I drink water most of the time. I drink at least 2 liters of water, daily, through the week at work. I stay away from junk food and foods with high carbs.

In 2001, I joined Gold's Gym and it was a horrible experience. I had 2 different trainers and they were killing me everyday! They had me working out 3 hours a day, and working my whole body, I could barely drive myself home afterwards... In 2003, the last time I was at the gym, I could do this all on machines, no free weights: chest press 150lbs, shoulder press 60lbs, lat pull down 130lbs, rowing 145lbs, triceps 145lbs, biceps 80lbs, leg curl 200lbs, leg extensions 180lbs, standing calf 250lbs, leg press 270+lbs. That was it for a day, I was there about an hour 3-4 times a week.

Currently, I have on my bench about 100lbs on my chest bar and 80lbs on my leg entension. I can barely do 3 sets of the 100lbs, which really sucks! I've started back lifting Thursday night and was wondering how often I should lift and work on cardio? Also, when should I step up the weights? I want to be a firefighter and getting a little more ripped would be a great start!! I'm ready for anything, just tell me what I need to do?

 

[KEFE]

hey welcome i just got welcomed to ........my max bench is around 130 my max cerl is 40 somin on two arm one arm curl is 25 dumbel rows around 50 um i have a couple of pics of me with a curlin bar tryin some wieght but it was to easy it had a 35 on each side i use a 7 footer instead

 

[buildingup]

your about average strength for a beginner! when i was at the gym at my school, most of the people i started with were lifting 40 kg about 100 pounds i think so dont worry! good luck to the both of you!

 

[007]

Good luck buddy. It takes time and consistancy... Keep at it.

 

[Arnold]

Mirage welcome to IM!

 

[Mirage]

Thanks for the welcome guys! But still nobody has told me when I should gradually raise the weights and how often should I lift? I have been lifting every other night and do 3 set of 12 reps. Should I add more weight and do as much as I can and quit or what? I used to see big guys in the gym that would dead lift 300+ only a couple of times and slam the weights down on the ground afterwards and grunt or yell... I never understood why they did that? If my questions are in the beginners section, I'll read it more thoroughly, I just skimmed through it the other night. Thanks again!

 

[Cowbell]

Thanks for the welcome guys! But still nobody has told me when I should gradually raise the weights and how often should I lift? I have been lifting every other night and do 3 set of 12 reps. Should I add more weight and do as much as I can and quit or what? I used to see big guys in the gym that would dead lift 300+ only a couple of times and slam the weights down on the ground afterwards and grunt or yell... I never understood why they did that? If my questions are in the beginners section, I'll read it more thoroughly, I just skimmed through it the other night. Thanks again!

First off, welcome!
If you are trying to lift heavier weight you want to do less reps at higher weight. Its a way of saying "hey, look at me. I am cool and dont care about breaking anything when really I am too weak to place the weights back on the floor". Also, i am crying for you ...257lbs and you are benching 100lbs...I cry for you. You will get there though.

Here is a good split...workout 3 days a week and do chest only once a week because it will allow you to attack the weights more.

Mon: Chest and back
Tues: abs
Wed: Legs
Thurs: Abs
Fri: Arms/shoulders/forearms/triceps
Sat: abs
Sun: REST!!!

Good luck and I hope to hear you are benching your weight next time

 

[Yanick]

"hey, look at me. I am cool and dont care about breaking anything when really I am too weak to place the weights back on the floor".

you try racking the weight quietly after pumping out a set of 20 rep breathing squats, i hit the floor just as hard as the weight hits the rack after a set, so don't go generalizing everyone who slams a weight into the moron crowd.

to the original poster, read the training, diet and online journal sections. post up questions and read articles on this site and others to get a decent idea of how to set up a program then post them up here and we will critique them for you.

 

[Mirage]

...257lbs and you are benching 100lbs...I cry for you.

Well, I pretty much shattered, broke and dislocated my elbow a few years ago and it kills me when I start to lift weights, so I just quit for about 10 years and I wanted to start back. And my elbow still gives me hell sometimes. I also had a motorcross accident when I was 15 and now I have problems sometimes with my left knee. I'm trying here though, it's just tough!!

 

[buildingup]

Well, I pretty much shattered, broke and dislocated my elbow a few years ago and it kills me when I start to lift weights, so I just quit for about 10 years and I wanted to start back. And my elbow still gives me hell sometimes. I also had a motorcross accident when I was 15 and now I have problems sometimes with my left knee. I'm trying here though, it's just tough!!

and thats relevant how????

 

[GFR]

Here is a good split...workout 3 days a week and do each muscle group only once a week because it will allow you to attack the weights more.

Mon: Chest and back
Tues: abs
Wed: Legs
Thurs: Abs
Fri: Arms/shoulders/forearms/triceps
Sat: abs
Sun: REST!!!

Sets ??? start out small and see how you react, then change as needed.

Chest: 6-8 sets 5-8 reps, back: 7-9 sets 6-10 reps
quads: 6-8 sets 5-8 reps
hamstrings: 4 sets 8-12 reps
deltoids: 7-9 sets 6-10 reps
biceps: 5 sets 6-10 reps
triceps: 5 sets 6-10 reps
traps: 3 sets 6-10 reps
ect.....

 

[Cowbell]

you try racking the weight quietly after pumping out a set of 20 rep breathing squats, i hit the floor just as hard as the weight hits the rack after a set, so don't go generalizing everyone who slams a weight into the moron crowd.

to the original poster, read the training, diet and online journal sections. post up questions and read articles on this site and others to get a decent idea of how to set up a program then post them up here and we will critique them for you.

Sorry Yan...didnt mean to generalize....I was talking about the guys who THROW the weights down just because...and yes, I always try and set the weights down as gentle as possible so I do not damage machines....hurt people (yes i have seen this), basically to show respect for the weights and the gym...you wouldnt want people throwing your shit around if it was your gym would you?

 

[Cowbell]

Well, I pretty much shattered, broke and dislocated my elbow a few years ago and it kills me when I start to lift weights, so I just quit for about 10 years and I wanted to start back. And my elbow still gives me hell sometimes. I also had a motorcross accident when I was 15 and now I have problems sometimes with my left knee. I'm trying here though, it's just tough!!

I know what you mean...I dislocated my right knee 3 times and tore up a lot of muscle from cross-country, basketball, and soccer and it has been harder for leg extensions and squats.