MANY beginners who read the various physical culture magazines are continually changing their routines almost weekly as they read of a new schedule followed by some physique star. Gains slow down and even stop with the constant shifting. And if a particular routine is not followed with a positive mental attitude progress can cease. I know this is true because I’ve personally made better progress in 3 months of hard work on a basic routine than in a year of half-hearted routine changing.
The thing a beginner should do is pick a basic all-around routine, stick to it for at least 2 months, and train hard. Don’t spend your time searching for the perfect schedule. Yet times will come, especially if you train alone, when you’ll feel like skipping a work-out, or after getting halfway through you’ll feel you just don’t want to change the weights again to do the next exercise. On other days you will feel full of energy and feel like going through a double routine.
One good solution is to use the 3-7-12 system which will vary from workout to workout depending on how you feel. Plan on training 3 days a week and don’t miss a workout! Normally use 7 exercises. Start off with a set of leg raises or sit-ups for a warm-up and then do your squats. These can be super-setted with the calf work if you like. Pick the one exercise from each group that you like best or have the equipment for. Your schedule will be as follows.
Warm up: Sit Ups or Leg Raises – 1 set 25-50 reps.
1. Squats – Front or Back, Half or Full, or Hack Squats.
2. Heel Raises – Donkey, Seated or Standing on a block.
3. Chest Work – Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Presses, Laterals on bench or Flying exercises.
4. Back Work – Chins, Rowing, or Deadlifts with barbell or dumbbells.
5. Shoulder Work – Regular or Behind the Neck Press, barbell or dumbbell or side lateral raises.
6. Arm Work – Barbell or Dumbbell, Regular or Reverse Curls.
7. Waist Work – Twisting Sit-ups, Leg Raises, or Leg Extensions. Start with 2 or 3 sets of 5-10 reps in each exercise except the waist work 25-50 reps and the calf work 15-25 reps. Gradually over a period of 1 to 2 months you can increase to 5 sets if you want.
On a particular day when you don’t feel much like training, use just 3 exercises. Pick one exercise from each group of the following and do 5 to 7 sets of 3 to 5 reps each.
1. Legs – Front or Back, Half or Full or Hack Squats.
2. Chest – Bench Press, Pull-Over and Press, or Dips on bars.
3. Back – Rowing, Chins, Deadlifts, or Power Cleans.
If you have very little interest on a particular evening you can even use the same weight in all 3 exercises. For example, Front or Hack Squats, Stiff Legged or Regular Deadlift, and Bench Press with 150 pounds.
If you feel real ambitious on a particular evening, use 12 exercises. A suggested routine would be as follows:
1. Sit ups – 1 set, 50 reps.
2. Squat – 3-4 sets, 8-10 reps.
3. Stiff arm pullovers (alternate with squats) 3-4 sets, 10-15 reps.
4. Calf raises – 3-4 sets, 15-25 reps.
5. Good Morning or S.L. Dead Lift – 3-4 sets, 8-10 reps.
6. Behind neck press – 3-4 sets, 8-10 reps.
7. Side Lateral raise – ditto.
8. Bench press or lying laterals – ditto.
9. Rowing or chins – ditto.
10. Curls – ditto.
11. Lying Triceps Extensions- ditto.
12. Leg Raises – 3 sets, 25-50 reps.
General training hints: I’m not going to tell you that you should be squatting with 500 lbs. or behind the neck pressing 300. This will only discourage you, and anyway precious few of the top men can even do this. It’s not so important what you are using now even if it is only 75 lbs., but how you are progressing. You must try to increase your weights regularly even if you add only 2 ½ or 3 pounds to the bar at a time. It would be foolish for you as a beginner to set a 500 or even 400 lb. squat as a goal. What you should do is set a goal of adding 2 ½ to 5 pounds to your squat every workout, but make haste sensibly, slowly, and steadily. A good rule to follow in doing your exercises is to raise the weight rapidly and lower it slowly. This is especially important in the squat where dropping down into the low position with a heavy weight could possibly injure your knees or lower back. But if you sink down slowly and then come up vigorously, you’ll protect yourself from injury and build up speed and power in the thighs. In the situps you can keep the knees slightly bent and keep your back rounded. Curl your body up and uncurl it slowly as you go back. Remember it is important to do the exercise right.
Try this routine and give it a fair chance to work – 2 to 3 months. I’m sure you’ll be pleased with the results!
This article originally appeared in Iron Man magazine
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