gym routine.

ddoylers

Novice gym goer and pretty much clueless bout how to attack this. Looking for the usual bigger shoulders arms chest. Can't do much leg work at the moment due to ankle injury. Help needed with routine . ??
Eating pretty good porridge with blueberrys
Plenty eggs . Wholemeal bread chicken. Red meat. Spuds veg.
Drink 1 protein shake 20mins before gym.
Shoud i take more.?

MightyMandarin

ddoylers wrote: »

Novice gym goer and pretty much clueless bout how to attack this. Looking for the usual bigger shoulders arms chest. Can't do much leg work at the moment due to ankle injury. Help needed with routine . ??
Eating pretty good porridge with blueberrys
Plenty eggs . Wholemeal bread chicken. Red meat. Spuds veg.
Drink 1 protein shake 20mins before gym.
Shoud i take more.?

Google routines like Starting Strength or 5x5. They're great for beginners or novices and will help pack on mass if you eat enough. Most programs revolve around the same stuff really; compound exercises and progressive overload ie getting stronger each week. Don't work a specific bodypart more just because you think it's lagging, if you're a beginner everything is lagging and you want to build a proportionate, balanced physique, not a physique with huge arms and shoulders but no lats, it looks silly.

How serious is the ankle injury? You might be still able to do some isolation exercises for legs like leg curls etc. which isn't ideal but it's better than nothing.

Have you counted your calories and macros at all? You don't have to be exact all the time but try to gain about 1lb a week and get ~1g of protein/ lb of bodyweight each day. If you are going to take a protein shake, the best time is usually post workout, but it doesn't make too much of a difference in the grander scheme of things. Just focus on getting stronger, keeping good form, and eating loads.

ddoylers

MightyMandarin wrote: »

Google routines like Starting Strength or 5x5. They're great for beginners or novices and will help pack on mass if you eat enough. Most programs revolve around the same stuff really; compound exercises and progressive overload ie getting stronger each week. Don't work a specific bodypart more just because you think it's lagging, if you're a beginner everything is lagging and you want to build a proportionate, balanced physique, not a physique with huge arms and shoulders but no lats, it looks silly.

How serious is the ankle injury? You might be still able to do some isolation exercises for legs like leg curls etc. which isn't ideal but it's better than nothing.

Have you counted your calories and macros at all? You don't have to be exact all the time but try to gain about 1lb a week and get ~1g of protein/ lb of bodyweight each day. If you are going to take a protein shake, the best time is usually post workout, but it doesn't make too much of a difference in the grander scheme of things. Just focus on getting stronger, keeping good form, and eating loads.

Thanks mandarin.
Ankle is holding me back. Injured it running dublin marathon in oct. Squats deadlifts outa the question. Don't want to gain too much weight.!
was in gym today just feel lost . With no routine. Not looking for anything complex just simple routine to keep me moving for an hour.

MightyMandarin

ddoylers wrote: »

Thanks mandarin.
Ankle is holding me back. Injured it running dublin marathon in oct. Squats deadlifts outa the question. Don't want to gain too much weight.!
was in gym today just feel lost . With no routine. Not looking for anything complex just simple routine to keep me moving for an hour.

Have you consulted with a physio about your ankle? Depending on the seriousness, you might be able to some light squats/deadlift work; it'll help you strengthen up your joints even if it's just the bar. As for a routine, it's handy for beginners to have a routine when you start, just to keep you focused. I've never been on a 'program' as such, I just focused on compounds, good form and progressive overload. I probably should've gone on a program from the start, but a push/pull/legs, seemed to work best for me and once I stuck to the main principles of weight training, I made good strength and size gains. Do whatever you feel like doing, if you're unsure about your form, asking a reasonably sized lad to check your form is usually the best bet.

generic2012

Very limited ankle movement in a properly performed deadlift, if your able to stand on it comfortable you could try deadlifts. You could save the cost of a gym and get some dumbbells if you don't want to do legs and you don't want to get heavier? There's loads of dumbbell and bodyweight exercise routines online, mike chang (youtube) and mensfitness have lots of free ones.