Pro-X Whey and Starting Off

markesmith

Hey, long time lurker. I've been gymming it for over a year now, mainly sit-ups/press-ups/machines and then a 2-3k jog. Now, though, I'd like to get into weightlifting. I don't want to bulk up seriously, but I'd like to have good 'guns'. As Spacey says in American Beauty, 'I want to look good naked'. I'm 5'9" and just under 11 stone.

So. I got some Pro-X Whey powder (strawberry flavour). What's the deal with this? I just mix it in with some water after my work-out, right?

Also, I'd like to start bench-pressing and using free weights and the like, but I don't want to make an ass of myself in the gym. Can anyone recommend a good site with ideas on how to start off with free weights? How much should I start bench-pressing?

Any answers on this slightly confused thread would be well appreciated!

BossArky

markesmith wrote: »

So. I got some Pro-X Whey powder (strawberry flavour). What's the deal with this? I just mix it in with some water after my work-out, right?

Yeah just mix it with water and drink as you are leaving the gym. Perhaps try eating loads of chicken, tuna, nuts, etc first for a few months before jumping straight to supplementation.

markesmith wrote: »

Can anyone recommend a good site with ideas on how to start off with free weights?

This is a great site

markesmith wrote: »

How much should I start bench-pressing?

Just start off with the standard olympic bar. It weights 20kg. Try to work up to 3 sets of 8 reps before putting an more weight on it. It may feel akward and like it is waving all over the place first. It may be an idea to start off bench pressing with dumbells so that your stabilising muscles wake up.

Hanley

Just do this...

http://www.startingstrength.net/workouts/

markesmith

BossArky wrote: »

Yeah just mix it with water and drink as you are leaving the gym. Perhaps try eating loads of chicken, tuna, nuts, etc first for a few months before jumping straight to supplementation.

Good stuff. Yeah, I eat a lot of nuts, chicken, fish etc, but I never get them into me within an hour of leaving the gym. Just thought the whey would be good post work-out.

BossArky wrote: »

Just start off with the standard olympic bar. It weights 20kg. Try to work up to 3 sets of 8 reps before putting an more weight on it. It may feel akward and like it is waving all over the place first. It may be an idea to start off bench pressing with dumbells so that your stabilising muscles wake up.

So am I to start bench-pressing with just a bar?

Thanks for the quick response.

Hanley

markesmith wrote: »

So am I to start bench-pressing with just a bar?

Thanks for the quick response.

If you can do more, then do more. But don't jump straight to it. You need to progressively warm up. Say you're looking to press 60kg for 8 reps, you could do 20kg (aka the bar) 2x8, 40kg x8, 60kg 3x8.

TerrorFirmer

I don't think that you need the Whey just yet, especially if you weren't sure what it is. As a supplement, its goal is to give you that extra nutrition you feel you can't get from food - not to be considered an essential gym accessory, as it is often taken as.

Exrx is a great site. Also, don't be afraid to ask an instructor in the gym for visual instructions as to what you can do - that's what he's there for.

Also, I'd like to start bench-pressing and using free weights and the like, but I don't want to make an ass of myself in the gym. Can anyone recommend a good site with ideas on how to start off with free weights? How much should I start bench-pressing?

No need to worry about that. Remember, everyone started sometime - a simle, and obvious statement, but people do tend to look at it with a negatively biased viewpoint. Arnold Schwarzenegger probably asked himself the very same questions you're asking now at the outset of his training.

The common advice given is to start with your core work based around bench, deadlift, squat. I actually can't squat and have yet to start deadlifting (though that too, may not be able do), so I'm not even following common sense myself...:D

markesmith

Thanks lads, some really good advice in here. Guess I'll try a scoop of the whey with some water after my work-out this evening. I'm trying to build up the arms a bit, but I'm not getting much results. Maybe this will help, but any further advice appreciated! I've done a lot of reading on whey protein, especially on this forum, but it tends to go around in circles a bit.

BossArky

I'm sure someone else can chip in here, but from what I've heard you could try the following...

Start your workouts off with squats or deadlifts. This will release loads of testostrone. When you then switch to bench, or bicep curls, or whatever... you will experience larger gains / get more out of the following exercises as your body is switched on.

I'm sure there is a more scientific way to describe the above

Hanley

BossArky wrote: »

I'm sure someone else can chip in here, but from what I've heard you could try the following...

Start your workouts off with squats or deadlifts. This will release loads of testostrone. When you then switch to bench, or bicep curls, or whatever... you will experience larger gains / get more out of the following exercises as your body is switched on.

I'm sure there is a more scientific way to describe the above

Science... pfft.

I agree, for the record.