Best routine for beginners

aviolentfluid

aviolentfluid

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I'm 24, just got sober 8 months ago. I decided to get a hobby (having had none for the past 8 years of getting high). So I chose bodybuilding. All I do is work, lift weights and monitor my diet.

I am 5'11 and 165lbs
My three rep maxes are:
Bench: 185
Deadlift: 255
Squats: 205
OHP: 85

So I've been lifting for 6 months consistently (my only experience lifting in my life), and I started with a 4 day split (chest & tris, back & bis, shoulders, legs, focusing on volume over strength) I did that for about 3 months. Didn't notice very impressive gains. That could be because my diet wasn't SUPER tuned in, but it wasn't horrible.
About 3 months ago I hooked up with a personal trainer who seems to know his ****. He advocates hard a paleo diet, and put me on a 3 day a week, full body workout that looks like this.

Monday
Deadlift 5x5 superset with lat pulldowns 5x10
Squat 5x5 superset with OHP 5x10 superset with lat pulldowns 5x10
Lateral raises 1x30
Reverse flys 1x30
Curls 1x30

Wednesday & Friday
Bench press 5x5 superset with lat pulldowns 5x10
Squat 5x5 superset with lat pulldowns 5x10
Push-ups 5x10 superset with face pulls 5x10
Lateral raises 1x30
Reverse flys 1x30
Curls 1x30

However, my brother is a sharp kid who has been lifting for 3 years and is a really involved bodybuilder. He thinks that I should be doing a 5-day split and trying to bulk (I'm doing a caloric surplus, eating 3200 kcals a day on my paleo diet, but he is advocating a diet of 4,000-5,000 per day to me, with his split).

Now my question is this: for a beginning lifter, is a 3 day a week, full body workout aiming for strength going to be more beneficial for me, or would a 5-day split on a huge kcal per day bulk be better? My ultimate goal is size (I have no interest in olympic lifting or powerlifting). I know that eventually I will have to switch to a split but my trainer says to do that after a year or so of this routine, after I've built a solid foundation of strength. What do you experienced guys think about this? Much appreciated.
 

l1fterp1nk

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I'm not really a body builder, but I ha s done my fair Share of bulking. I would follow your brothers 5-day split I know many bodybuilders swear by this. I also agree with the 4500-5000 calories a day. I usually do a dirty bulk and eat everything, but you can choose. I would also like to say congratulations on being sober, I'm glad you have found a hobby that you can do to better yourself. I have also found that lifting in its own way is like therapy for free.
 

gibbons2

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I'd also agree with the 5 day split you're talking about from your brother. also if size if your goal, then eating more calories would be beneficial. eat big, lift big.
 

PaulBlack

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It is probably going to depend on what you are gonna focus on, but I would say look into a Starting Strength type routine or a Starr or maybe McCallum or McRobert/Brawn routine.

If anything, you are gonna be farther ahead than most, keeping the 5-7 compound lifts always in focus, working hard on the biggest muscle groups like, leg, back, hips, shoulders/chest, then arms, working on trying to add weight to the bar on the big stuff. Spits are fine, but a novice can almost always train more often and the entire body more than inters or advanced guys because of the lighter loads do not inroad recovery so much.
I might not split up days like chest and shoulders. That can be one day along with adding some arm and core work, then squatting or leg pressing & rowing on another and deads, chinning, shrugs on another. Then eat enough good solid food.
 
ZiR RED

ZiR RED

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I agree with Paul on this. Focus on building strength and perfecting your technique in the major movements, and you will be steps ahead of someone who started out at the same time but went directly into a bodypart type split. If you want greater frequency, then I might suggest a 4 day upper/lower training split. One day focusing on bench press and rows, and another on over head press and pullups for the upper. Then a day focusing on squats and lunges, and another on deadlifts and good mornings for the lower.
3200 calories doesn't sound like quite enough, but I also think 5000 might be too many. Try starting at round 4000 calories of quality foods and seeing what happens. I'm never suggest an "eat everything you want" bulk for natural athletes - the amount of extra muscle you gain is lost and then even more when you go to try and reduce body fat levels. Plus, all the processed foods are terrible for your cardiovascular and endocrine health.
 
EatMoar

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Let's see...bicep curls.... I'm kidding.

Focus on the big compound lifts squat, dead lift, bench press and over head press. Then over the course of a couple months , as your strength rises, start adding auxiliary work. Just my two cents.
 

jenssy

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I am really body builder and i can suggest you how can you improve your body by using exercise!!!!!!!!!!!!
Bench: 180
Dead-lift: 235
Squats: 215
OHP: 89
Monday :
Dead-lift 5x5 super-set with lat pull downs 6x10
Squat 5 x 9 super-set with O.H.P 5 x 11
Wednesday & Friday :
Bench press 5 x 5 super set with lat pull downs 5 x 15
Squat 5 x 5 super-set with lat pull downs 5 x 16
Push-ups 5 x 10 super set with face pulls
St. Pete weight loss
 
determinator

determinator

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Im was just in ur position..go with what your trainer said solits are only beneficial once u get a foundation as was stated..I can only do a a 2 day full body yes I know not much but its the only time I have..ull deff see better results I am surpassing a bunch of guys that started at the same time as me at the gym..stick with full body until ur mass and strength go up and eat well ..dont have to eat perfect because ur just starting and need the mass from cals ..but I also wouldnt have pizza every day..the cleaner ur diet the better ull see awesome lean gains while still adding mass..if ur just starting out u have a lot of growing to do then once u slow down growing u should start the 5 day split..I agree with trainer easily..good luck
 

PaulBlack

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I can only do a a 2 day full body yes I know not much but its the only time I have.
I think this can be a false assumption, (not seeming to be enough training per se) depending on how hard you are working and what exercises you are doing on these 2 days, it can be quite enough.
I know a few advanced guys that compete and only get in 2 days per week. They keep stuff pretty simple hitting the big 3-5 first and hard. One older guy in particular is in PR territory of his younger days.
At times, Mike Bridges used to only do 3 days per week on the 3 PL lifts. And he did quite well as an elite lifter.

*As far as beginner status, a lot of room for improvement comes from the CNS also, learning to recruit more fibers than an untrained or more sedentary person. This is another reason why beginners can pretty much double their strength in a very short time and without much mass gain. Advanced guys do not have this ability/luxury, as they are more tuned and the body's systems are closer to an "anytime" peak.
 
determinator

determinator

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I think this can be a false assumption, (not seeming to be enough training per se) depending on how hard you are working and what exercises you are doing on these 2 days, it can be quite enough.
I know a few advanced guys that compete and only get in 2 days per week. They keep stuff pretty simple hitting the big 3-5 first and hard. One older guy in particular is in PR territory of his younger days.
At times, Mike Bridges used to only do 3 days per week on the 3 PL lifts. And he did quite well as an elite lifter.

*As far as beginner status, a lot of room for improvement comes from the CNS also, learning to recruit more fibers than an untrained or more sedentary person. This is another reason why beginners can pretty much double their strength in a very short time and without much mass gain. Advanced guys do not have this ability/luxury, as they are more tuned and the body's systems are closer to an "anytime" peak.
Ur probably right lol I do get great work outs in..
 

PaulBlack

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Ur probably right lol I do get great work outs in..
And in fact I think the few guys I know, have the mentality, that they are not going to get in as much as they'd like, (family work duties etc.) so they put quite a bit of focus and hard work (maybe more than some) when they do get in there.

Hang in there and never give up kiddo...!
 
determinator

determinator

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And in fact I think the few guys I know, have the mentality, that they are not going to get in as much as they'd like, (family work duties etc.) so they put quite a bit of focus and hard work (maybe more than some) when they do get in there.

Hang in there and never give up kiddo...!
Thats an awesome point actually
 

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