I worked out for the first time ever. Now i have more questions.

First off - ouch. It's a good ouch though, so I embrace it.

I worked with belial to get a program together. This is what he recommended (and i TRIED to follow to a T).


ALL WORKOUTS:
3 Sets
12 @ 70 %
**2 Minute Rest Period**
10 @ 75%
**2 Minute Rest Period**
8 @ 80%


CHEST

Flat Bench Press

Incline Bench Press

Decline Bench Press


SHOULDERS

Upright Row
- Preparation:
Grasp bar with shoulder width or slightly narrower overhand grip
- Execution:
Pull bar to neck with elbows leading. Allow wrists to flex as bar rises. Lower and repeat.

Overhead Press
- Preparation:
Position dumbbells to each side of shoulders with elbows below wrists.
- Execution:
Press dumbbells until arms are extended overhead. Lower and repeat.

Rear Delt Raise
- Execution:
Raise upper arms to sides until elbows are shoulder height. Maintain upper arms perpendicular to torso and a fixed elbow position (10° to 30° angle) throughout exercise. Maintain height of elbows above wrists by raising "pinkie" side up. Lower and repeat.


BACK

Pull-Downs (on machine with WIDE grip)

Deadlift

Bent over Row
- Preparation
Kneel over side of bench by placing knee and hand of supporting arm on bench. Position foot of opposite leg slightly back to side. Grasp dumbbell from floor.
- Execution
Pull dumbbell to side until it makes contact with ribs or until upper arm is just beyond horizontal. Return until arm is extended and shoulder is stretched forward. Repeat and continue with opposite arm.
- Comments
Allow scapula to articulate but do not rotate torso in effort to throw weight up. Torso should be close to horizontal. Positioning the supporting knee and/or arm slightly forward or back will allow for proper leveling of torso.


LEGS

Squats
- Preparation
From a rack with barbell upper chest height, position bar high on back of shoulders and grasp barbell to sides. Dismount bar from rack and stand with shoulder width stance.
- Execution
Descend until thighs are just past parallel to floor. Extend knees and hips until legs are straight. Return and repeat.
- Comments
Keep head forward, back straight and feet flat on the floor; equal distribution of weight throughout forefoot and heel. Knees should point same direction as feet throughout movement.

Lunges
- Preparation
Clean bar from floor or dismount bar from rack. From a rack with barbell upper chest height, position bar on the back of the shoulders and grasp barbell to sides.
- Execution
Lunge forward with first leg. Land on heel then forefoot. Lower body by flexing knee and hip of front leg until knee of rear leg is almost in contact with floor. Return to original standing position by forcibly extending the hip and knee of the forward leg. Repeat by alternating lunge with opposite leg.
- Comments
Keep torso upright during lunge; flexible hip flexors are important. Lead knee should point same direction as foot throughout lunge. A long lunge emphasizes the Gluteus Maximus; a short lunge emphasizes Quadriceps.


Calf-Raises
- Preparation
Grasp dumbbell in one hand to side. Position toes and balls of feet on calf block with arches and heels extending off. Place hand on support for balance. Lift other leg to rear by bending knee.
- Execution
Raise heels by extending ankles as high as possible. Lower heels by bending ankles until calves are stretched. Repeat. Continue with opposite leg.


The notes are from Weight Training, Exercise Instruction & Kinesiology (http://exrx.net/Exercise.html) so I know how to do each exercise correctly.

My plan is to work out 3 days a week (mon wed fri)

He recommended that I do all of this all 3 days I work out - but I'm leaning towards doing arms + chest one day, shoulders + back on the second, and legs (and maybe arms again) on the third.

I made one critical error: I forgot to stretch :shock: i was too excited to get to pumpin SERIOUS IRON. :( I'll remember to do that next time. My arms almost became instantly stiff after the flat bench press, which made it very difficult for me to do either of the other 2 chest workouts. I couldn't do all of the chest exercises because my arms we too tired and shaking. Is this normal?

Yes thats when you know its good congrats :D

:D Nicccccce

backs and bis
chest and tris
legs and shoulders

best way to do it imo

Your routine makes me so happy. I love seeing people who are new to training that include squats and deadlifts.

Looks good man. And yeah, as you found out, don't forget to stretch.

I'm doing something very similiar, lifting/weights three days a week (Monday, Wednesday, and Friday) and on the off-days (Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday) I run for about 45 minutes - 1 hour. I take Sunday's off.

Keep it up!

I disagree with the full body workout thing in theory - and i'm not gonna eat 2 cans of tuna a day anymore. I need another lunchtime source of protein, quick to make.

Stretching is huge. You also need to take it easy the first 2-3 weeks to get your body used to training. (Make sure you're getting plenty of rest)

If I was you, and the goal was to get bigger/put on muscle/bodybuild/etc and I was just starting out, I would make sure to get in decent shape first, so add some cardio in there.

Don't get discouraged, drive to go = win. Good luck man.

blehhh...

snatch, dead, clean and jerk. :P

oxygen is the keyword here..
your cells need oxygen, which they get through your bloodstream. When you do your first sets too hard the bloodstream (in this case into your hands) is filled with other carbage than oxygen (don't know the english word for it lactateacid or some like that). Which in turn makes your hands feel stiffy and they won't recover for the next sets. Hence you need to do first sets little easier if you want to be able to push hard on the next ones also.

Here's a thing warming up helps (while warming up your heartrate increases which increases the pumping of the blood in to the muscles, which in turn increases oxygen in the areas). And stretching after doing the sets will help in reducing the lactateacid (I think I just made up this word) from your muscles so that there can once again be more oxygen.

cliffs: warm up and stretch the areas you worked after the sets!

First of all, take this as a suggestion, professional recommendations in weightlifting change CONSTANTLY, so what is right today, may not be right tomorrow... That being said...

I have to disagree with the 12, 10, and 8 setup. I used the 12 10 and 8 years ago(when I first started) and I don't think it holds any real value. I don't think there is anything wrong with it, as in, it's not bad for you, but you are shorting yourself.

The reason I say this: 8-10 is currently considered the 'size' range, when you are working out for the purpose of bigger muscles, 4-6 is considered the strength range, when you are working out to get stronger.

For years I kept my sets in the 8-10 range, because I wanted to look better, I didnt really care how much I could lift. I read a quote about 4 or 5 months ago from someone that basically said 'You'll look like you can bench press 400 pounds when you can bench press 400 pounds.' From that moment on a switched all my compound lifts to 5x5, and alternated other lifts between 5x5 and 3x8 or 10. I've seen more muscle growth than ever before, and I can lift more now than a few years ago when I did a cycle of test.

My recommendation, research the rep ranges for yourself, won't cost you a thing.

i was going to start off with a 5x5 format, and recieved a buncha help that guided me away from it

after having worked out once - i think i'm gonna shift and change the workouts to a few different ones

i used to do 5-day splits and loved them, but with some occupational demands i can't work them in effectively.

my opinion is that you'll be better of doing a poorly designed workout that you enjoy than some 1hr+ well-rounded athletic workout because meatheads tell you to.

don't tell the workout police but sometimes i don't even work consistently anymore and other than carrying a little less mass i'm perfectly healthy.

edit: i currently do a 3 day split like you're talking about: chest&bis, legs, back&shoulders. it, uh.. gets the job done. pretty much like every other workout program i've tried.

too tired to read this now.. congrats on getting started though :)