Is it that simple???

[kman025]

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

Don't know your bodyweight, or your row or overhead press - but probably not a beginner, no.

i weigh 170-175.... last time i did bb rows was a while ago (could probably do more now) but i got 185 for 5+ reps

i no longer have straight workout to workout linear progression

[Kyle Aaron]

Yeah, I just looked at your log and then your intro blog post. Definitely no longer a beginner.

That's okay, you get to advise instead of take advice, in this subforum at least

[kman025]

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

Yeah, I just looked at your log and then your intro blog post. Definitely no longer a beginner.

That's okay, you get to advise instead of take advice, in this subforum at least

too bad.... i miss my noob gains... i still get fairly quick progress though on most things, so i cant complain

[Kyle Aaron]

Ah, but part of being a newbie is mental, too. Gain fast, but have no clue. So you miss out on newbie gains, but now know what you're doing... you have to take the bad with the good.

That's why it's not so bad to get injured or lose weight and have to start again from the beginning, you get quick gains and know where you can go, because you've been there before. "Hello 100kg squat, nice to see you again." Well, that's what I'll say in some months, at the moment I just send the 100kg squat postcards from time to time, we're quite distant.

[kman025]

you and your crazy metric system...

100 kg squats are my bitches... lol

[Maiar]

I've put on 40lbs in 7-8 months(obviously not all muscle) from a 5x5. Just keep lifting big and eating big is what I've learned from my short time in the game.

[BRaWNy]

Something I always tell to beginners, and not only begginers

Sarcoplasmic hypertrophy goes away very easy, and its not functional.
Its more like looking like Tarzan and performing like Jane, and it needs very caloriefull and disciplined diet to mantain it, something a bit difficult for most people.
Sarcomeric hypertrophy in the other side, stays longer and its functional, and can support sarcoplasmic hypertrophy better later, when its present.

My opinion is to go with sarcomeric hypertrophy primary, low reps but more total reps, and sarcoplasmic hypertrophy will come in a way in addition to sarcomeric hypertrophy, as a somehow byproduct.
Its better to do a cluster or rest-pause set of 2-3 rep mini sets to reach for example 10 reps total in this set, instead a straight set of 10.
You will have a better performance at your reps, you will use more your high threshold motor units and fibers, because you also will use heavier weight, you will get more stronger, you will get more toned, you will get more functional etc etc.
And you can more easily have a fatigue control during sets and training.

For me, low reps are more worth than high reps, at the end I believe its a matter of total reps in a set or workout (and nutrition) and not exactly the given reps in a single set, to gain a decent hypertrophy along with strength, power and performance.
For example 8X3 better than 3X8, when its about same total reps.

And all that, if you want to develop your body in all ways, strength, power, functionality, hypertrophy, performance, better feeling etc, and not just for looks like the most competitive bodybuilders do.
This is the basis of training for me, for everyone, also for those which going only after looks, because they will have better looks when they use such a basis, if you know what I mean.

So its your choice what you wanna do with your body.

Sorry again for my English if its not understandable, my mother language is Greek.

[Kyle Aaron]

... aaaannnd I just saw Trevor's workout journal. The guy squats 355lbs x5, front squats 253lbs x5, benches 205lbs x5, t-bar rows 145lbs x5, deadlifts 315bs x5, and...

Trevor mate, WTF are you doing posting questions in the beginner's forum? You should be posting answers!

Honestly, people should put their lifts in their sigs.

[Trevor Lane]

Originally Posted by Kyle Aaron

... aaaannnd I just saw Trevor's workout journal. The guy squats 355lbs x5, front squats 253lbs x5, benches 205lbs x5, t-bar rows 145lbs x5, deadlifts 315bs x5, and...

Trevor mate, WTF are you doing posting questions in the beginner's forum? You should be posting answers!

Honestly, people should put their lifts in their sigs.

That's not that impressive with a bodyweight of ~200 lbs... intermediate at best on all of those lifts except squats (also the 315 dead was x1, not 5), but what I'm getting at is a good approach to achieve the best of both worlds... look like a bodybuilder & perform like a powerlifter or strongman, like the old school guys when there really was no distinction, or Marius is a good modern example. Anyway, this is a good discussion... helping me and maybe some other folks.

[Kyle Aaron]

You may or may not consider the lifts "impressive", but "beginner" they ain't.

Perhaps I'm just oversensitive on the issue, after spending so much time talking to people in gyms and on forums who say, "sure I weigh 150 and bench 180 while I squat 110, but I've been doing this for 5 years, I'm no beginner, I need a split routine bro."

It just spins me out to see the reverse, someone whose achievements show that he knows what he's doing, yet calling himself a beginner.

Originally Posted by Trevor Lane

what I'm getting at is a good approach to achieve the best of both worlds... look like a bodybuilder & perform like a powerlifter or strongman, like the old school guys when there really was no distinction,

That's beyond my area of knowledge, which is beginners - but I do know that the old school guys - once they were no longer beginners - tended to mix things up in rep range and exercises, and usually worked out just about every day for a couple of hours. And ate lots