Beginner's training plan from a professional (good laugh)

[ThreeStorms]

My buddy (25) finally managed to move his *** to a gym. An expensive one I have to add. He has always been very very skinny and wants to gain muscle mass. This is roughly the training program his personal trainer prepared for him:

3x25 biceps training with fancy machine
3x25 on super duper abs master
3x25 leg press on a fancy machine
3x25 pullups assisted by fancy machine
3x25 back exercise on fancy machine

He was told that after a year they can move on to fewer repetitions and more weight I very strongly suppose they will keep the machines though

 

[Quiksilver]

I think the premise of what that trainer is trying to do is build his clients work capacity and general fitness, before starting a strength program.

I know from personal experience that starting a strength training program with poor fitness/conditioning levels is a miserable experience. Two steps forward one step backward.

A good way to fix this is to spend the first 6 weeks--when coming from a position of poor work capacity and fitness--going to the gym 5-6 days a week and training whatever body parts you want, as much as you want. On top of that, do a variety of cardio activities each day: cycling, rowing, sprinting, fast walking, swimming, etc.

Six weeks of high volume/high frequency/low weight training is good for building a base of fitness from which you can start any program you want off of.

Most trainers, including a number I've spoken to, have specific guidelines they have to follow when writing up a program, so the methods you see discussed on here and on other lifting sites (ironaddicts.com, wsb.com, elitefts.com) aren't available to most people. The simple reason is because most clients want a quick fix and don't understand the dedication needed to reap the enormous benefits of a true strength program. It simply isn't economical. On top of that is the safety issues; it's far easier for a trainer to just say "go use those machines there and follow the instructions" that to teach a client the safe way to squat/deadlift/bench/press/jerk, and there's a higher likelihood of injury doing barbell work than there is doing a machine circuit with people who haven't been thoroughly coached.

Some PTs are good, some are bad. Sadly even a lot of the good ones are handcuffed as far as what they're allowed to do.

 

[PeeGee]

Good read Quiksilver.

I'm still not sold that 3x25 is the way to go for anybody. Even when I was scrawny @ 8.7% BF I never did 25 reps of anything. If I could go over 15 I increased weights.

 

[Colossus]

I agree with Quiksilver, a lot of times trainers' hands are tied and they just dont have the time to devote to training an absolute weight lifting virgin on proper technique and implementation of basic movements.

Your average joe who joins a gym wants to get "toned" and "cut", but not "too big". It's far more economical for a trainer to give them a standardized easy-bake training program on some machines rather than baby-sit them every single session. When you're new to training, just about anything will work.

That said, I still think his program is crap. That's why you don't join pussified fitness centers.

 

[Davis_Dan]

Since I started taking my body as an attraction tool for the ladies I see a rise in the attention I get from them.
I'm no body builder, not even close, but from looking at me girls can see that it's safer hanging with me than with the evarage scrawny dude, thus I'm hotter...
I also do some martial arts, so that also contributes to the look. :box:
I have a lot more confidence now than before and I suggest that if you don't work on your body - start to, because it's an unbelievable advantage with the ladies. Especially with the hot ones, which are the ones who feel they need more security.

 

[Zunder]

I agree with Quiksilver, a lot of times trainers' hands are tied and they just dont have the time to devote to training an absolute weight lifting virgin on proper technique and implementation of basic movements.

Your average joe who joins a gym wants to get "toned" and "cut", but not "too big". It's far more economical for a trainer to give them a standardized easy-bake training program on some machines rather than baby-sit them every single session. When you're new to training, just about anything will work.

That said, I still think his program is crap. That's why you don't join pussified fitness centers.

Crap programmer for sure.

I also laugh at these idiots who say they don't want to get "too big". As if, like it is easy to get big. I am pretty much a mesomorph, but I have to train with ridiclulous intensity, and eat a ton of food clean food to gain appreciable muscle weight (not fat).

Go check out competing and after pictures of Kevin Levrone, a natural mesomorph if there ever was one - you will be gobsmacked at just how "normal" the guy looked after a four year layoff.

postcript: Actually, talking about Levrone, he is currently back at over 40 years old training naturally just for the heck of it. Check out his blog levronereport.com Start from his very first post to see how much the dude had "deflated". He is starting to look good now after a few months of hard natural training - but nothing like his steroid enhanced pro bb days.

 

[Colossus]

Kevin Levrone is definitely a "hyper-responder".

I heard that he didnt even TOUCH a weight for 4 years, and if you look at his pics on Levronereport he still looked fairly muscular for a guy who didnt lift. He also claims that the only tricep exercise he does is tricep pressdowns for sets of 15 reps!!

Personally I think he's kind of a tool, but he had some of the best shape and symmetry in bodybuilding.

I also laugh at these idiots who say they don't want to get "too big". As if, like it is easy to get big. I am pretty much a mesomorph, but I have to train with ridiclulous intensity, and eat a ton of food clean food to gain appreciable muscle weight (not fat).

I know man, wtf. I cant tell you how many times Ive heard someone say they dont wanna "get too big". I want to b1tch slap them. Do you know how long and hard I have worked just to get to where I am now?! I'm not even that 'big' by bodybuilding standards. Like you said, I seriously have to train with animal intensity, take all the right supplements at the right times, and eat like a bear day in and day out just to have that full, muscular look. If I slacked on any of this I would just look like a normal guy with a bit of extra muscle.