Weightlifting for Kiwis - Discussion and support regarding the art of swole

  • 🇵🇦 Nuestro primer dominio localizado está en español en kiwifarms.pa. Our first localized domain is on Spanish on kiwifarms.pa.
  • Want to keep track of this thread?
    Accounts can bookmark posts, watch threads for updates, and jump back to where you stopped reading.
    Create account
What’s a good place to start? Right now I’m doing some basic dumbbell exercises (basic arm/back exercises and squats) maxing out at about 25lb 2-3 times a week and walking/jogging 5km every day but I want to shed a bit of weight (~200lb right now, wanna get to around 185) and want to try something a bit harder. Main thing putting me off is a complete lack of any experience with more advanced weightlifting so some firsthand perspective would be nice.
If you want to get strong and overall more athletic, you need to start barbell training. Barbell movements require a bit of skill and practice but they are worth learning if you are serious about getting strong/bigger. I would start with 5x5 Stronglifts or a similar beginners program. If you have very little experience with barbell training i would start training with just the 45lb bar and slowly moving up from their, the reason for that is you will develop good form and habits early on and become more resistant to injury. Stronglifts only require about 3 days of week in the gym with each session lasting about an hour, once your body is used to that you can start supplementing in important movements like pullups, dips, weighted lounges, etc.

Barbell Squatting will be the key movement you will learn and repeat over the program, after a few month you will hit a plateau and thats okay. If you have trouble lifting a certain weight its ok to lower the weight a bit until you can handle it. If you go in with realistic expectations and consistency you will get results after 6 months and even bigger results after a year.

If you need help on the technical aspects i would look up Allan Thrall on YT, or anything Mark Rippeotoe puts out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bbNA17KjBzU
 
What’s a good place to start? Right now I’m doing some basic dumbbell exercises (basic arm/back exercises and squats) maxing out at about 25lb 2-3 times a week and walking/jogging 5km every day but I want to shed a bit of weight (~200lb right now, wanna get to around 185) and want to try something a bit harder. Main thing putting me off is a complete lack of any experience with more advanced weightlifting so some firsthand perspective would be nice.
I agree with the gentleman above me that barbell compound movements are the best place to get started. If you’re a true beginner you can honestly do pretty much anything and get stronger and put on muscle. I just find routines like Stronglifts and starting strength are the most efficient routines for beginners but it may be intimidating for a beginner if they don’t know the basics. I personally started young and learned technique through YouTube videos. Everything you need to learn can be found on YouTube it’s an incredible fitness tool.
The best routine is the one that you’re going to consistently accomplish. If you feel more comfortable doing dumbbell exercises supplemented with leg press and some cable machines for accessories you can cover a lot of bases. Do some research on YouTube but if you want the best results I find barbell compound exercises such as Squats Deadlifts Overhead Press Bench and Rows to be the most beneficial. If you get significantly stronger at them it’s impossible not to put on muscle. They are the base of every program generally.

Here’s one thing to know. People in the gym are generally incredibly helpful. I have never once judged someone and thought “oh wow that guy is weak” because everyone starts there. People in the gym generally respect anyone that is putting in the effort to improve themselves so don’t be self conscious. If you regularly go to the gym you’re doing more than 90% of people. Good luck man you can do it.
 
I did lower body day followed by upper body day. I was pretty sore this morning, but half an hour on the elliptical solved that.
Upper lower is a great split. It’s the most flexible for people and is effective. Sometimes when you’re feeling sore just getting the blood pumping and your joints moving will take care of that. If it’s just a dull sore generally you can work through that. Keep it up
 
Upper lower is a great split. It’s the most flexible for people and is effective. Sometimes when you’re feeling sore just getting the blood pumping and your joints moving will take care of that. If it’s just a dull sore generally you can work through that. Keep it up
This is one of the reasons I really like full body barbell exercises. I never feel like I've missed anything. I'm still tugging along and I feel different after just two weeks of the program. I'm still fucking around trying to find the right weights as a starting line for progressive overload but it feels great. I can feel that my body as a whole unit has been stressed and relaxed and I'm already noticing that things are easier. This might be more about starting over again that getting started but I did take a rather significant hiatus and it's very nice.
 
This is one of the reasons I really like full body barbell exercises. I never feel like I've missed anything. I'm still tugging along and I feel different after just two weeks of the program. I'm still fucking around trying to find the right weights as a starting line for progressive overload but it feels great. I can feel that my body as a whole unit has been stressed and relaxed and I'm already noticing that things are easier. This might be more about starting over again that getting started but I did take a rather significant hiatus and it's very nice.
Yeah starting strength hits all the boxes generally. When you get in the swing of things you can add a few sets of biceps on one day and triceps on the other and maybe some lateral raises on OHP day. Starting strength is the most efficient at putting just mass on a beginner but it isn’t the most balanced as far as muscle distribution. Biceps, side delts, and lat width can definitely lag behind. But you’ll have big T. rex legs and be strong if you decide to switch to a bodybuilding style split you won’t be moving baby weight. Eventually benching 1 or 2x a week for 15 reps just doesn’t cut it you’ll need more volume. OHP or Bench will stall first most people it’s overhead press.
 
Yeah starting strength hits all the boxes generally. When you get in the swing of things you can add a few sets of biceps on one day and triceps on the other and maybe some lateral raises on OHP day. Starting strength is the most efficient at putting just mass on a beginner but it isn’t the most balanced as far as muscle distribution. Biceps, side delts, and lat width can definitely lag behind. But you’ll have big T. rex legs and be strong if you decide to switch to a bodybuilding style split you won’t be moving baby weight. Eventually benching 1 or 2x a week for 15 reps just doesn’t cut it you’ll need more volume. OHP or Bench will stall first most people it’s overhead press.
That makes sense. I'm sure that bicep isolation exercises are going to lead to better definition but the pull up/chin up part of the program are definitely working those muscles. The program also oscillates from three sets of four exercises to three sets of two exercises and one set of another, meaning there is plenty of room to add sets of other exercises to address these issues. The program is also set up mostly as 3x5 sets and those can change to 3x10 or 5x5 or whatever.
 
Another good barbell programme I followed early on was Phrak's Grayskull LP.

When I ran it first probably about 5-6 years ago now, I misread the programme and took "alternating" to mean "superset" and I saw some serious development in my shoulders thanks to supersetting OHP and bench 3-4 times a week for 4 months at close to the limit of my ability. It didn't cause me any problems but I was told later that this was a silly thing to do and I could have hurt myself. Supersetting chinups and rows is brutal also but I persevered.

I had no idea why these people on Reddit were saying you could get it done in less than 40 mins per workout and how easy it was to get started. I just assumed I wasn't fit enough and had to work harder.

Anyway, please educate yourself on how to perform these exercises safely. My favourite guy on YouTube is Jeremy Ethier, who has a series of videos on how to do common barbell lifts, and also probably the only non-punchable fitness youtuber.
 
There are very few things more fun in the life of a gymlad than that sweet spot in bulking where you still look acceptable to your bigorexic mind, and are gaining strength.
 
Monday and friday
250 lbs bench 4x8
135 lbs military press 4x8
60 lbs tricep press 4x8
35 lbs lateral raises


Tuesday and Saturday
225 deadlifts
135 lbs barbell rows
135 lbs barbell curl
40lbs dumbbell curls
25 lbs wrist curl
135 barbell shrug

Thursday
225 lbs squat
60 lbs dumbbell lunges
135 lbs barbell calf raise

Rest Wednesday and Sunday, should do more legs
 
Can someone please tell me how I can get rid of the sharp ass pain in my right knee when I squat? I did stronglifts for a good year and a half or so a couple years ago, got fat as fuck, and now I'm trying to jump back in again and my knee is killing me. Is it just fat guy getting older shit? I can't squat because of this.
 
Can someone please tell me how I can get rid of the sharp ass pain in my right knee when I squat? I did stronglifts for a good year and a half or so a couple years ago, got fat as fuck, and now I'm trying to jump back in again and my knee is killing me. Is it just fat guy getting older shit? I can't squat because of this.

Dont do squats if you're having knee pain. Substitute with leg extensions for the time being as you get stronger in both your muscle and tendons. Over time, your knees ability to naturally repair itself will strengthen.

Also, not being a fat fuck is a good start to reduce knee pain in general (no offense).
 
Can someone please tell me how I can get rid of the sharp ass pain in my right knee when I squat? I did stronglifts for a good year and a half or so a couple years ago, got fat as fuck, and now I'm trying to jump back in again and my knee is killing me. Is it just fat guy getting older shit? I can't squat because of this.
You might need to start with lower weight since your body has atrophied from not barbell lifting, i would start working on on trying to open up your hips (with an emphasis of pushing your knees outward when warming up and squatting) or start a knee strengthening exercise like step ups if the pain was not debilitating or worrisome. To be honest these guys are pretty good about fixing problems with olympic lifts, they have a instagram also with videos on how to fix issues like this. https://www.barbell-rx.com/
 
Fellow kiwis:

A couple things if you're new.

1) Get a coach. At a minimum get one to write you a program. If they're even half decent, they'll have a good amount of questions for you first, so be prepared.
2) Train for something specific. Doesn't matter what or when, but pick something. This will help you understand training specificity, and why that's going to matter to you for your entire training career. I promise you this is a good lesson to learn early.
3) Do not neglect cardio. It's dogshit for fat loss (that's all diet), but for heart health and increase in work capacity, it cannot be overlooked. Once again, learn this lesson early.
4) I can't stress this enough: be consistent in your mobilty work. It takes less than you might initially think, but only if you're consistent. This will help immensely in recovery from injury, which I assure you is a case of when, not if.
 
Fellow kiwis:

A couple things if you're new.

1) Get a coach. At a minimum get one to write you a program. If they're even half decent, they'll have a good amount of questions for you first, so be prepared.
2) Train for something specific. Doesn't matter what or when, but pick something. This will help you understand training specificity, and why that's going to matter to you for your entire training career. I promise you this is a good lesson to learn early.
3) Do not neglect cardio. It's dogshit for fat loss (that's all diet), but for heart health and increase in work capacity, it cannot be overlooked. Once again, learn this lesson early.
4) I can't stress this enough: be consistent in your mobilty work. It takes less than you might initially think, but only if you're consistent. This will help immensely in recovery from injury, which I assure you is a case of when, not if.
I second cardio, doing some type of cardio a day or two after a heavy gym session will help you recover faster.
 
I concur with doing cardio, but don't forget it doesn't all have to be running or biking. Cardio can easily be done with weights, be it kettlebell swings for high reps, jump squats, or anything that can be done safely for a high number of repititions. If you want a good way to intergrate cardio into weight workouts, put an exercise at the end of the workout that will compliment your session that you an do safely for reps. For example, doing kettlebell swings for reps or using the battleropes after a back workout - you'll be able to fatigue the muscle group and get your cardio in.

All kinds of cardio has a place within workouts, but we can look at otherways to slot it in. This is just a way to compliment your work in the gym.
 
Monday and friday
250 lbs bench 4x8
135 lbs military press 4x8
60 lbs tricep press 4x8
35 lbs lateral raises


Tuesday and Saturday
225 deadlifts
135 lbs barbell rows
135 lbs barbell curl
40lbs dumbbell curls
25 lbs wrist curl
135 barbell shrug

Thursday
225 lbs squat
60 lbs dumbbell lunges
135 lbs barbell calf raise

Rest Wednesday and Sunday, should do more legs
How the hell are you benching more than you squat or deadlift? Bench bro, or injuries?

Had an Oly session tonight, tweaked my back warming up somehow. Snatches felt good, cleans were iffy. Jerks were dogshit.

Tried some heavy pulls after but decided that was a bad idea once I hit 160kg.
 
How the hell are you benching more than you squat or deadlift? Bench bro, or injuries?

Had an Oly session tonight, tweaked my back warming up somehow. Snatches felt good, cleans were iffy. Jerks were dogshit.

Tried some heavy pulls after but decided that was a bad idea once I hit 160kg.
I dead lift with the squat barbell, the bench barbell stays cause I don’t wanna take a bunch of ones off
 
Atrás
Top Abajo