The Beginner’s Fitness Guide

On The Regimen

I. Intro
II. Diet
III. Training

My grandpa was curiously prying at my future plans. I was somewhat of a degenerate

floating between “respected professional” and “start my own company” – but I didn’t
want to divulge anything at the time.

“MJ, I’m not gonna be around forever. I care about you and I love you, and I just want
to know what you’ll do next.”

Wow, I’m selfish. I gotta tell him.

I explained my plans to my grandpa while sitting in his living room down in Naples, FL.
Apparently I was talking over him at times with some of my word choices and concepts.

He retorted,

“99% of people don’t think like you. They don’t know the difference between egg whites
and egg yolks, and they don’t eat all that chicken everyday.”
I was just starting a cut, so I deserved that.

I told him people are idiots. I said most people are lazy, and they don’t want it bad
enough. I told him anyone who can use google can figure out how to achieve their fitness
goals.

It was condescending. It was ignorant. And it was wrong.

I did it. I googled “how to lose weight.” Every hit on the first four pages was terrible –
inefficient, unhelpful and unsubstantiated weight loss advice.

“Why are there so many ‘experts’ out there confidently spewing abhorrent advice?” I
remember thinking.

Later that day I was contemplating what kind of the tone I would use in my writing. I
didn’t want you guys to ever feel like I was belittling your intelligence by breaching
“beginner” topics.

That is when I decided that a Beginner’s Fitness Guide would be the perfect solution.

If you aren’t new to this game and have been around the block, you can cruise through
this bad boy. For the rest of you, pour a cup of coffee and settle in. Consider this
required reading before you even think about picking up another dumbbell or reading
another blog post.

.
 I. Intro

Though a handful of this information comes from Undergraduate Nutritional Science

courses at the University of Wisconsin – Madison, I learned most of it through a decade
of my own personal failures and successes (more of the former, unfortunately) as well
as teachings from leaders in the fitness community.

Why should I read this?

You should read this if you want a better physique.

If you want to be leaner or stronger, more “toned” or muscular – if you want to lose fat
and/or gain muscle you should read this. All physique changes are made through a
combination of fat loss and muscle gain.

This knowledge can also help you get fatter and weaker, but those requests are more
rare.

This isn’t a power lifting guide. This isn’t a fitness model guide. This is a guide for
anyone who wants to improve their physique.

.
Common Myths and Mistakes

.
I want 6 pack abs. Crunches, right?

Back in high school, we used to do crunches and planks every night for the month
leading up to spring break. We all wanted defined abs of steel for the beach. Every year
we were sorely disappointed and not quite sure why we failed.

We failed because we thought crunches would reduce stomach fat and build ab
muscle. They don’t.
First, stomach fat reduction is not possible. You actually can’t “spot-reduce” fat from
any individual part of the body. Whether you seek “toned” arms, smaller thighs or a
flatter stomach, the solution is fat loss from your entire body.

People think performing 20-30+ repetitions on a body part will “tone” it. It doesn’t work
like that. If you want to “tone” a body part, you need to focus on losing fat. Having less
arm fat, for example, will make your upper arm more “toned”. And the only way to
lose fat is to eat fewer calories than you burn (more on this to come).

Second, crunches and other ab exercises are not necessary for building ab
muscle. Everyone has abdominal muscles; they are just hidden by varying amounts of
fat. The exercises recommended in beginner training programs (compound
movements) will hit all major muscle groups and give your abs more than enough work
to show when your body fat is low enough.

“Burning off” fast food with a workout

You hear people say it all the time, “Ah, I worked out today, so I earned this [big bite of
cheeseburger]”

People overestimate the number of calories burnt through exercise. They also
underestimate the number of calories they eat. This is a dangerous combination. You
can read more about it in this post.

The truth is that while it is possible to burn off a fast food meal through a single
workout, the average workout isn’t even close, in intensity or duration, to accomplishing
this. It will probably require 3-4 workouts to burn the number of calories in a
cheeseburger and fries.

However, this doesn’t mean you can’t eat your favorite foods. It just means that it is
important to plan these meals into your total daily calories rather than incorrectly offset
the meal with a weak cardio session.
But I’m a girl! I don’t want to get big and bulky.

This might be our society’s biggest misconception related to fitness. People associate
female weight lifting with female bodybuilders.

Think Muscle and Fitness magazine with a bronzed up chick in a tiny pink bikini, veins
bulging from her biceps and legs, 6 pack abs ripped to the max, masculinely defined
pecs rather than shapely breasts. Many women are afraid that weight lifting will make
them look like this.

That is so far from the truth. The girls on these magazine covers are juiced to the gills
with steroids.

The hormonal makeup of the female body prevents girls from achieving the described
physique unless they use steroids. Women have a much more difficult time than men
gaining muscle and attaining low body fat.

So, if you are a girl and you’re thinking, “Does this guide apply to me?” The answer is
absolutely yes. It applies to men and women equally.

High Rep + Low Weight = “Toned”

There is a reason you will never find the word “toned” unquoted in this guide. Average
Joe Schmo off the street regularly misuses this word.

People who want to “tone” really want less fat on a specific part of their body. They
want definition from a specific muscle to show through their skin. As previously
mentioned, performing high repetition sets does not accomplish this goal.

Here is how you “tone”:

 Step 1: Reduce body fat. If you want “toned” arms, you need to reduce total body
fat. This will lead to less fat on your arms.
  Step 2: Have any amount of muscle present in said region. You already do.

Congrats, you are “toned”. Whether your goal was to look like Brad Pitt in Fight Club or
to have Sarah Jessica Parker’s arms, you did it.

Frequent small meals are crucial, right?!

The number of meals and time of day that you choose to eat are not relevant to how
many calories you burn. Eat when you wake up, or don’t. Eat before you go to sleep, or
don’t. Skip lunch. It doesn’t matter. Eat whenever you want.

“But I thought I could ignite my metabolism by eating 6-8, evenly spaced, small meals
every day?”

Err. Broscience. This is a common misconception based on the fact that small frequent
meal eaters generally have better physiques than those with different eating schedules,
a correlation.

In reality, these small frequent meal eaters are eating fewer calories than the general
population. Just wait for the law of thermodynamics (excited?) to hear more about
calories. The small, frequent meal theory has been refuted by controlled medical ward
studies.

I’m as disappointed as you are. Twenty year-old Mike could have waited until after his
accounting final to eat that turkey sandwich – what little muscle he had would not have
disintegrated.

Variations in meal frequency do not affect your metabolism nor do they cause you to
burn more or fewer calories.

Example: You eat 2400 calories in a day. Whether you eat:

  3 meals x 800 calories,
 4 meals x 600 calories or
 12 meals x 200 calories

The number of calories you burn will not change. This is because the Thermic Effect of
Food (TEF, more on this later), a component of total metabolism, is based
on total calorie consumption.

Now, you might find that eating several small meals throughout the day can keep your
energy levels higher. On the contrary, you may find that a large meal leaves you feeling
sluggish and tired. This is personal preference, and I urge you to pick an eating schedule
that works best for you.

I need to look good in my swimsuit, SOON!

What you need to do is have realistic expectations before beginning your diet and
training program. Expecting unreasonable results will make the process miserable and
the result a failure.

Sustainable weight changes look like this:

 Fat Loss: 1-2 pounds per week

 Muscle Gain: 0.5 pounds per week

This means in your first year of training, you can expect to lose 50-100 pounds of fat or
gain 20-25* pounds of muscle.

Now, am I saying that it is impossible to exceed these numbers? No. Obviously there
are exceptions. (In fact, I hope you are one of them)

The thing is, TV shows like The Biggest Loser provide unrealistic long term results – you
cannot expect to lose 42 pounds in three weeks.
After year one of training, it becomes more difficult to add muscle; you’ve exhausted all
of your “newbie gains”. The consensus is that after year one the most you can expect to
gain is:

 Year 2: 10-12* lbs

 Year 3: 5-6* lbs
 Year 4+: 2-3* lbs

*Females can expect roughly half these amounts

The rate of fat loss, on the other hand, is not related to years of training experience. 1-2
pounds per week is a reasonable fat loss rate for both a beginner and veteran trainee.

Some obese individuals may be able to tolerate a larger deficit than those with less fat
to lose. This means some can sustain fat loss at a rate greater than two pounds per
week. For others, one pound per week might be a better target. The nutrition section
will include more detail on this subject.

You have spring break in two weeks and want to blast fat or go on a cleanse? Don’t
bother. Go ahead and deplete carbs for a leaner look, but you won’t get lasting results
in that time frame.

Save your money. Don’t fall for any “GAIN 30 POUNDS OF MUSCLE IN FOUR WEEKS” or
“BLAST FAT FOR 6 PACK ABS IN 10 DAYS!” scams.

Don’t let this discourage you from starting a program. Start today – future you will be
ecstatic you did.

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 II. Diet

We are going to begin by looking at something that is grossly misunderstood by most

people. Weight gain and weight loss are primarily the result of how much
you eat (diet), not how much you do (training).

Example: Amy, 155 lb female

Amy gives in to her sweet tooth because it was a long day at work and YOLO. She eats
four of her favorite Girl Scout cookies – Caramel Delights.

To burn those 280 calories, Amy will have to:

 Walk for 70 minutes at 3 mph

 Jog nearly 3 miles
 Yoga for 90 minutes (average intensity)

Amy’s taste buds get a couple minutes of pleasure at the cost of 30-90 minutes of future
effort.

We live in a busy world. We have jobs to work, relationships to maintain and countless
menial tasks that suck up valuable time. Free time is rare for most people. Some days
you might have a couple hours; some days you might not have any.

The point is simple, yet important: Avoid eating those cookies if you plan to rely on
activity to burn off those calories. Have the discipline to resist those few minutes of
pleasure, and you buy yourself an hour of free time – the most precious resource
available to us.

You are probably thinking, “That idiot says I can never eat cookies. &%#$ him!” This is
far from the truth. I personally have a massive sweet tooth and indulge frequently.
I am saying don’t eat those cookies if you ‘plan to burn them off’ in the future. Build
them into your daily caloric intake. If you’ve already hit all your calories for the day,
then don’t even open that cupboard.

Calories

Forget what you heard. There is no magic pill to lose weight. There is no perfect formula
of foods that will burn fat or build muscle. There is no proper timing or combination of
macronutrients that will surge you to your goals. I wish there was.

“But I heard of a diet where you only consume chocolate shakes”

“I heard of a diet where you fast every other day”

“I heard herbal tea and grass-fed tofu was the solution”

“What about the caveman diet!?”

Look, there are thousands of diets out there that WILL cause you to lose weight. But
that isn’t based on whatever gimmick they are trying to sell you on. It is because you
are consuming fewer calories than you expend.

It’s science. And it is dictated by the law of thermodynamics:

(Calories consumed) – (Calories expended) = weight gained/lost

If you only retain one piece of information from me, please let it be that equation. Stare
at it. Memorize it. It is the nuts and bolts of obtaining your ideal physique.

Calories Consumed: Anything that you eat or drink that contains calories.

Calories Expended: The number of calories your body burns.

Example:

You eat 2000 calories per day for four weeks. You burn 2500 calories per day (an
estimate, more on this later). This means you are eating a “caloric deficit” of 500
calories per day.

2000 – 2500 = -500 calories

-500 * 28 days = -14000 calories

That means you are eating a 14,000 calorie deficit over four weeks. 3500 calories is
equal to one pound of fat.

This means you lost:

14000/3500 = 4 pounds

How Are Calories Expended?

Feel free to skip or skim this section on calories expended – though fundamentally
important, the information within isn’t necessarily practical.

There are four ways calories are burnt:

1. BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate, or Resting Rate)

This is the number of calories used by the body to complete its most basic functions. Ex:
Keep organs running properly.

2. Thermic Effect of Food

This represents the calories burnt as the body works to digest food; generally TEF is
~10% of total calories consumed. This is where some people (including me a few years
back) get confused regarding meal frequency. “More small meals gets TEF
burning!” Unfortunately, no. TEF is based on total calories consumed.

3. Thermic Effect of Activity

These are the calories burnt by any activity beyond the basic functions of the body
(BMR). Ex: Brushing your teeth or vacuuming burns calories, so does running or lifting
weights.

Most beginners overestimate their TEA. As noted in the intro, people usually burn fewer
calories through exercise than they think. Unless you are an elite endurance athlete or
intermediate/elite weightlifter, the TEA won’t be a huge number.

Note: Cardio can be used to burn extra calories, but be realistic and accurate in your
estimation of calories burnt.

4. Non-Exercise Activity Thermogenesis (NEAT), Misc

The final category is a catch-all for a few different ways calories are burnt. NEAT
represents calories burnt through random fidgeting and moving around; the number of
calories an individual burns through NEAT is largely based on genetics.

External environment (ex: weather causing shivering) and illness also cause variability in
calories burnt.

Alright! Start reading again.

Macronutrients

Calories are made up of macronutrients. There are four types of macros:

1. Protein
2. Carbohydrates
 3. Fat
4. Alcohol (a unique macro as it is not present in food)

Nutrition labels measure these in grams. One gram of each macro yield the following
number of calories:

 1 gram of Protein = 4 calories

 1 gram of Carbohydrate = 4 calories
 1 gram of Fat = 9 calories
 1 gram of Alcohol = 7 calories

You can test this.

Grab anything in your kitchen that has a nutrition label. Plug protein, carbohydrates and
fat into the following equation:

(P x 4) + (C x 4) + (F x 9) = Calories (within rounding)

Now, if you are anything like my sister you are about to click off the page because “you
hate math.” Well this is stuff any average 3rd grader can do, so stay with me. This
is the core information necessary for weight gain or weight loss.

How Many Calories Should I Eat?

Step 1: Calculate your caloric maintenance (calories expended)

Bodyweight (lbs) x 14-15 = Estimated Calories Expended (more detailed method in this
post)

Step 2: Set your daily caloric intake

Are you trying to lose fat or gain muscle? A good starting point for caloric intake is:

 Fat Loss: 500 calories under maintenance (caloric deficit)

 Muscle Gain: 500 calories over maintenance (caloric surplus)
Reminder: One pound of fat = 3500 calories. So if you plan on consuming 500 calories
under maintenance you are on track to lose one pound per week.

Note: 14-15 x BW is an estimate of your maintenance level. Genetics cause people to

have different Basal Metabolic Rates. Though these differences are much smaller than
the general population would believe, they do exist. There is too much math involved to
prove my work here, but a variance in caloric maintenance levels of up to 300 calories
per day can exist between two individuals who weigh the same amount.

That is why it is crucial to monitor your progress. Pay attention to weight gained or
lost. If it isn’t what you would expect after a few weeks to a month, you may need to
adjust your caloric intake.

Step 3: Set your macronutrient intake

 Protein: 0.8-1.5 grams per pound of bodyweight

Fats and carbohydrates will make up your remaining calories. You can eat them in
whatever ratio you prefer as long as you keep fat intake adequate. Some people prefer
eating more fat, others prefer carbs – their distribution will not impact your weight gain
or loss.

 Fat: 0.30-0.45 grams per pound of body weight

 Carbohydrates: Whatever remains to hit your daily calories (see calculation
below)

Example: 180 pound male

 Step 1: 180 x 15 = 2700 calories

 Step 2: Fat Loss. 2700-500 = 2200 calories per day
 Step 3:
 Protein: 1 x 180 = 180 grams
  Fat: 0.3 x 180 = 54 grams
 Carbs:
 2200 – (180×4) – (54×9) = 994 calories remaining
 994 / 4 = 248 grams

Micronutrients

Micronutrients are vitamins and minerals. Most fruits and vegetables are high in
micronutrients. While micronutrients do not contain calories, they are important for
the health of your immune system and endocrine (hormone) system. Make sure to get
a several servings of vegetables every day (and fruit too if you it fits your carbohydrate
intake =0 ) You can also purchase a full year supply of multivitamins for $15. I take a
multi nearly every day.

Note: Many females are deficient in both iron and calcium. Supplementing these in
addition to a multivitamin is probably a good idea.

Agua

You’ve heard it all over – drink lots of water. Why though? There are two reasons I
promote hydration.

1. Many people mistake thirst for hunger

This is especially relevant if you are trying to lose fat. You might feel hunger often
depending on the severity of your caloric deficit. Dehydration will cause you to yearn
for food even more. When you feel hungry between meals – slam 16 ounces of
water. It will fill up your stomach and help you feel more full.

2. Dehydration causes fatigue

Staying hydrated will keep you more alert. Coffee drinkers can become especially
dehydrated if they aren’t actively drinking water. It usually looks like this: drink coffee
in AM and be off the walls productive, eat lunch, hit a mid-afternoon slump. You should
drink water with your coffee and keep slamming water through the afternoon to avoid
getting tired. Avoiding fatigue also has obvious benefits related to the quality of your
workouts.

Liquids

Liquid calories can hinder a beginner’s progress. Soda, juice, coffee drinks/cream, beer
and mixed drinks are the guiltiest offenders. Just be aware of the calorie content of
your beverages as they can add up quickly and be detrimental to many goals,
particularly fat loss goals.

If It Fits Your Macros (IIFYM)

If It Fits Your Macros is a popular term that opposes the relevance of “good” and “bad”
calories with regards to fat loss or muscle gain.

The logic is as follows: Set your caloric surplus or deficit, set your macronutrient
numbers, eat ANY foods you want only restricted by said calorie and macro targets, gain
or lose weight based on the law of thermodynamics.

Ex1: 100g of carbs from processed brown sugar is the same as 100g of carbs from
blueberries.

Ex2: Avocado fat = bacon fat = ice cream fat = fish oil fat

This guy lost 27 pounds in ten weeks eating Twinkies, Hostess and Little Debbie snacks,
Doritos, sugary cereal and Oreos.

What about micronutrients?

Eating exclusively junk food and protein shakes to hit your macros over an extended
period of time could lead to a micronutrient deficiency. Micronutrient supplementation
(daily vitamins) and consumption of some fruits/vegetables would be a good idea in this
extreme situation.

I will try to define clean eating, as it stands in opposition of IIFYM, but its definition is
vague and individually defined. Normal staples of clean eating include high fruit and
vegetable intake; focus on healthy fats, and avoidance of sugar and processed foods.

Some avoid dairy products. Some avoid gluten. Some avoid wheat. Clean is really a
vague term.

Alan Aragon wrote up a nice piece on the ever-changing topic of clean eating here if you
are interested.

Pay attention to calories and macros. Take a multi if you’re going to spend years at sea
to avoid scurvy. Improve your physique. Achieve your goals.

Good Macronutrient Food Sources

As long as you hit your daily macronutrient requirements, you can eat whatever you
want whenever you want. Still, people ask what they “should” eat. So, here are some
good food options rich in each macronutrient:

Protein
 Chicken Breast
 Fish
 Ground Beef (lean)
 Pork Chop
 Deli Meat: Turkey, Roast Beef, Ham
 Egg whites
 Cottage Cheese
 Greek Yogurt
 Whey or Casein protein powder
Fat
 Nuts
 Peanut/Almond Butter
 Avocados
 Fish Oil (From fatty fish or supplements)
 Whole Eggs
 Red Meat

Carbohydrate
 Oatmeal
 Sweet Potato
 Fruit
 Vegetables
 Rice

III. Training

Like diet, there is an abundance of literature non-sense written about training both on
the internet and in magazines. Most programs range from suboptimal to downright
dangerous or ineffective. But there are a few good beginner programs out there.

Before picking a program there are a couple important things to do:

1. PICK A PROGRAM

Logically, the above two lines may seem contradictory. But I have to make this point.

It baffles me that there are people who go to the gym without any clue what exercises
they will perform upon entering. I see them bounce from machine to machine based on
what is available and what looks fun. They have no plan for number of sets, reps or
amount of weight. They make decisions based on feel.
This is a good way to guarantee zero progress. Pick a good training program and follow
it. You want to know exactly what exercises you will be doing as well as the quantity of
sets and repetitions before you even enter the gym.

2. Check Your Ego at the Door

The guy with 22 inch arms benching 450 doesn’t care how much you can squat. Do not
try to impress him. Making ego driven decisions in the gym will:

 Cause injury
 Prevent optimal progress

At the age of 22, I was many years into my training career. I had performed squats in
high school training for hockey. I trained legs in college to keep some aesthetic
balance. I had been doing squats for a long time.

One day, I stumbled across some decent information and realized I had been doing half
reps my whole life. I needed to lighten up the bar if I wanted to perform the squat with
proper form.

You will have milestones in your training career. An early milestone is the ability to lift
“plates” or “tires” – 45 pounds on each side of the bar – the heaviest single free weight.

I passed this mark on squats when I was 15 years old. When I realized I needed to
decrease the weight below “plates” many years later, I was embarrassed. I struggled to
block out my ego, and many days I would have rather stayed home than go to the gym
and squat 115 pounds. How pathetic is that?

Luckily, I put my ego aside and began performing squats correctly. The benefits are
endless: decreased chance of injury, increased progression, a full range of motion,
correctly stimulating more muscles, etc.
You need to be prepared to check your ego at the door. If you’ve been training dumb
for five or even ten years, you may still be a beginner. I certainly was. Performing
movements with correct form is the most important aspect of training – more important
than consistency or intensity.

To ensure you pick one of the best possible programs, here is a list of four
characteristics that all good beginner programs have in common:

1. Focus on Weight Training

Whether your goal is fat loss or muscle gain, your training program should be focused
on resistance (weight) training.

“Not cardio?”

NOT CARDIO. Cardiovascular activity, while beneficial to heart and lung health, is an
inefficient way to lose fat. You can complement a good diet with cardio for additional
marginal progress, but you cannot beat a crappy diet with bouts of cardio.

Resistance training is what allows you to maintain muscle while losing fat. It is also what
allows you to build muscle. Resistance training needs to be the crux of your regimen
whether you are eating a surplus or a deficit.

If you eat at a caloric deficit and do not lift weights, you will lose both fat and
muscle. This is bad. We want to retain muscle because:

(1) More muscle = most calories burnt as you will have a higher BMR.
(2) Muscle is sexy
(3) You can:
 (a) carry your kids out of a burning building,
 (b) one-arm biceps curl to save your friend’s life in a rock climbing accident,
 (c) avoid robbery or death in a back alley attack,
 (d) intimidate your daughter’s motorcycle driving boyfriend
For anyone already rationalizing excuses (“I’m gonna hurt myself”), proper resistance
training actually prevents injury. It also improves posture, bone health, tendon and
ligament strength, and flexibility. Let’s not forget the positive effects on mental health:
reduced depression and anxiety, increased confidence and improved self-image.

2. Compound Movements
The best programs are built around compound movements.

Compound movements are exercises that work multiple muscle groups and involve
multi-joint movements. Examples of the best compound movements include the squat,
deadlift, bench press, overhead press, as well as pull ups, chin ups and rows.

Isolation exercises, on the other hand, only work one muscle. Examples include a biceps
curl or quad extension. A bit of isolation work can complement a beginner’s program
nicely, but the focus should be on compound movements.

It is human nature for people to think they are more advanced than they really are. “I
lifted hard for high school football – I’m not a beginner.” If you can’t swallow your
pride, then this point is for you. It isn’t just beginner training programs that are
centered on compound movements; the best intermediate and advanced training
programs are based on these same movements. So, even if you’re too good for a
beginner program, you’re not excused to solely focus on shrugs, wrist curls and the
elliptical.

3. Full Body Days

Fitness magazines often publish the training routine of the guy on the cover. And they
always seem to be blasting one body part per day and waiting until the following week
to do it again.

 Monday: Chest
 Tuesday: Legs
 Wednesday: Back
  Etc, Etc.
 Monday: Chest

This is terribly inefficient for most trainees, especially beginner and even intermediate
trainees. Not only are the cover models very experienced in their training (5, 10, 20+
years of training experience), but many times they also use steroids.

There are major differences in the optimal training program for a natural beginner and
an advanced trainee on the juice. “The guy on the cover is ripped, so I should do what
he does” is faulty logic that will not allow a beginner to progress as quickly as he would
on a more appropriate program.

One of the many flaws in the one body part per day program noted above is that
muscles don’t require seven days of rest to recover. By waiting until the following
Monday to train chest again, you will be leaving progress on the table.

You will see below that Starting Strength involves a few compound movements per day
recruiting many of the body’s major muscle groups in each session.

4. Progression

A beginner should be making progress from one training session to the next. After six
months to one year of training, progress will come slower. But as a beginner, you will
be able to add weight to the bar every single workout.

What is progress?

If you perform 3 sets of squats for 5 repetitions each set at 95 pounds, the next time you
perform squats you should attempt 3×5 at 100 or 105 pounds. Adding weight to the bar
means you are getting stronger and making progress.
Adding more reps or more sets at the same weight is another form of progress, but
most beginner programs involve a consistent number of sets and reps while adding
weight each session.

Progression has both physical and mental benefits for the trainee. By progressing in
weight or reps each session, you are getting stronger and building muscle.
Psychologically, progress creates confidence and positive feedback for the trainee which
is a key factor in sticking with a routine, being consistent and succeeding.

A Note on Modifications

I never completed a beginner’s program per se. I was too busy screwing around with
laughable form, isolation movements and other broscience hot topics in my early
training years. However, I did perform Starting Strength with a few minor modifications
a couple years back.

I began SS because I had never performed squats (with proper form) or deadlifts (ever),
and I needed to become competent in these movements to build my foundation. I
added some curls for the extra biceps work.

If you want to add a few sets of curls or calf raises, go for it. These are small
modifications that will not affect your progress or recovery on other movements. But
don’t eliminate squats because they’re too hard or do 15 sets of deadlifts because
you’re an animal. Those are not appropriate modifications. Stick to your program to
avoid injury and achieve optimal results.
 Two Beginner Programs

#1 Starting Strength

Starting Strength is a beginner training program that was developed by Mark

Rippetoe. There are different variations of the program that can be found here.

The Original Starting Strength Novice Program

Workout A Workout B

3×5 Squat 3×5 Squat

3×5 Bench Press 3×5 Press
1×5 Deadlift 5×3 Power Cleans
Workouts A and B alternate on 3 non-consecutive days per week.

#2 Reg Park Beginner Program

Reg Park, Arnold Schwarzenegger’s bodybuilding inspiration, also has a good beginner
program. It is a bit higher volume than Starting Strength but also a very good beginner’s
program.

Workout A:
Back Squats 5×5
Chin-Ups or Pull-Ups 5×5
Dips or Bench Press 5×5
Barbell Curls 2×10
Wrist Work 2×10
Calves 2×15-20

Workout B:
Front Squats 5×5
Rows 5×5
Standing Press 5×5
Deadlifts 3×5 (2 warm-up sets and 1 “stabilizer set”)
Wrist Work 2×10
Calves 2×15-20

Training Schedule:
Week 1: A, B, A
Week 2: B, A, B
Week 3: A, B, A and so forth.

Limitations

If you are physically unable to perform compound movements, that’s OK. There are
other movements you can do:

 Leg press
 Machine chest press
 Lat pulldown
 Cable rows

These are decent movements that anyone can perform. Although I will remind you the
goal here is that you become competent enough to perform compound movements. Do
not think these are good substitutes for compound movements because they are not.

These are basic exercises for very obese individuals who lack the minimum levels of
balance and strength necessary to perform compound movements. I strongly
recommend sticking to compound movements if you are physically able.

Warm-up

The goal of your warm-up should be to get the body warm and muscles ready to move
weight. You don’t want to exhaust yourself with excessive cardio or dozens of light
weight warm-up reps. But you also don’t want to jump straight into your workout
completely cold.
Some good things to include in your warm-up are:

 A few minutes of light cardio (walk, bike, elliptical)

 A few (5-15) light weight repetitions of the movement you are about to perform
 Foam rolling or other myofascial release techniques
 Static, dynamic or ballistic stretching

There is a great deal of debate on optimal warm-ups and stretching routines. Play
around with your warm-up and find out what works best for you. Lyle McDonald wrote
up a good two part piece on the warm-up if you want more detail.

Tracking Progress

You need to track your progress. It is unnecessarily difficult to attempt to recall the
details of your previous workout during every session. Use a notebook, cell phone, or
one of the dozens of apps (including Fitocracy which I use) available to keep track of the
following:

 Exercise performed
 How many sets?
 How many reps?
 How much weight?

Ex: Barbell Bench Press

 45×8
 135×5
 185×5
 185×5
 185×5

Here we performed 5 sets of barbell bench press. The first set (45×8) was 8 reps of 45
pounds, the second set was 5 reps of 135 pounds and so on…
Tracking your workouts will provide you the information and motivation to progress
from session to session.

Closing

Thank you for reading. Please feel reach out to me if you have any questions or
comments.