Newbie looking for advice

ambman

Hey guys

I am thinking of buying some weight ie dumbells and a bar. Just wondering what sort of weights should i start lifting?

I am only 9st 5lbs and can NOT put on any weight and never have been able to do so no matter what i eat. I was thinking of trying some of those weight gain shakes and i was wondering are they any good?

But mainly want to know what weights i should start off with and how often should i increase the weight?

Thanks in advance for you help;)

rubadub

Check out the stickies and www.exrx.net it has beginners guides and little animated videos of the exercises.

Dunno how serious you want to get into it. I just wanted to lose some fat so get by with less equipment than the serious guys on here. I have the use of a bench but no longer use it, I work my chest doing dips on bars or on gymnastic rings. I also do incluined pushups.

This is a good beginners set http://irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_15&products_id=260

I would also actually recommend getting extra plates now if you have the money, that bar takes standard plates. I would get 2x20kg plates. http://irish-lifting.com/product_info_equipment.php?cPath=1_15&products_id=243

when you get them you will think you have too much but you will get strong incredibly fast. I remember when I thought my 20kg dumbell kit was enough! now I have 140+kg of plates, and to look at me you might not guess I lift.

Those big plates have a large diameter meaning the bar will be raised off the ground so you will be able to do deadlifts easier.
Which are probably the best exercise you can do. Squats are a great exercise too but you really need a squat rack- though starting out you can just use the weights. I have no squat rack so I am limited to what I can get onto my back, which is only around 60kg, so I do deep slow squats, 20reps, still kills my legs! I can deadlift around 130kg.

With all the plates you can load up the barbell and dumbell right away, so you do not have to go plate swopping so much.
You might not be able to lift the 2 20kg plates including the bar right off but you soon will, you will eventually have to get more plates so may as well get them now so you have more variations. The 20kg plates have big holes to hold them by, you can use the plates on their own as dumbells, hold them by your side and you can do squats.
I would also recommend getting a chinning bar and/or rings.

Protein shakes might help you, have you actually worked out your calorie intake, most thin lads I know simply do not eat enough, they think they do but when you work out the math they just don't. Best get your calories from whole foods, but protein shakes are convenient. You can work out estimated needs here

Nuts are a very easy way to get additional good calories in, and milk.


Right this minute you can start doing pushups and bodysquats,
www.simplefit.org
http://bodyweightculture.com/forum
http://www.bodyweighttraining.org/forum/

ambman

Hey Rub

Thanks for that post there is a lot for me there to get started with. Not very serious just want to bulk up a little and get some exercise.

Once again thanks for your help;)