#11: On Starting Out

Q: Great article in this month’s Planet Muscle! I'm in my mid-30s and just getting into bodybuilding. Do you have any recommendations for someone starting out as far as workout routines are concerned? I think I understand the need to eat clean, eat plenty of protein, and get plenty of sleep. If you could point me to info, that would be great too. I’m looking for straightforward advice on starting out.

Keep up the great work – it’s very inspiring! 

Take care and God bless

...Jeff Randall

A: Hi Jeff,

Thanks for the compliment. I thoroughly enjoyed doing the Planet Muscle interview. It allowed me to openly sound off on issues that need to be addressed in bodybuilding in order for it to survive as a sport.

With regard to your question, starting out in bodybuilding can be a daunting task if you don't have someone experienced showing you the ropes in the gym. And you might also find that your well-meaning friends may not be as knowledgeable as they think, and you may end up getting improper instructions which could hinder your progress or lead to injury.

For beginners, an exercise reference manual is always a great idea. You can learn how each exercise should be performed and which muscle groups are targeted by each exercise. There are many publications out there which you can pick up. One that I own and can recommend is Arnold Schwarzenegger's The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding. Although I would not recommend most training routines outlined in any of these publications (the routines tend to cater to the chemically enhanced), the how-to for the exercises are generally well-presented.

Which routine to employ is probably the most confusing aspect for the new bodybuilder. Each publication or magazine out there advertises that they have unlocked the key to building mass more quickly and easily than the issue before. Although this is a great sales technique, it really does not do much for the misguided athlete who thinks that this will be the easy street to the massive body he desires.

For the beginner, the best exercises to start with are compound exercises which use the largest number of muscles together to perform the exercise. These are better known as power movements and they allow you to use the greatest amount of weight, which translates to the most growth. Exercises such as presses (decline, incline, military), rows, chins, squats, and deadlifts are all great examples of compound exercises which employ a multitude of muscles in their execution. These will make the greatest impact on your developing physique and should form the backbone of your workouts.

I have found the best progress is made when you only hit each muscle group once a week. As outlined in my article, I generally work out five days a week and leave the weekends for my family and much needed rest. Some people, however, may not have the time to commit to five days a week in the gym. Covering the body in three or four days a week does also work, but it will mean that you will have to work more than one muscle group during a single workout, which usually means less energy available for the second muscle trained during that session, less ability to handle heavier weight, and, hence, less breakdown of the muscle tissue necessary for maximum muscle growth. To clarify, five days a week is best, but the minimum can be as low as three days a week to make progress.

I tend to work the three big body parts (chest, back, legs) at the beginning of the week as they require the most energy to lift the bigger poundages. If you are doubling up your exercises in a shorter number of training sessions, these body parts should be worked at the beginning of each workout. Of course, employ the "The Five Pound Rule" for these movements to keep your muscles challenged and your body growing.

With respect to cardio, the same is true in that you will need to do cardio three times a week to make progress and have a significant impact on your body. Depending on your current body composition and your metabolic rate, you may need to do more than three cardio sessions a week to burn off unwanted fat stores. My off-season cardio consists of three times a week for 30 minutes each session. This allows me to maximize my muscle gains while keeping my body fat at tolerable levels.

As you mentioned, you must also eat properly and get lots of rest in order to maximize muscle and strength gains. In a mass-building cycle, food quantity and quality are both important. If you starve your body, it will start feeding on itself. At the same time, you can't build a quality physique by eating junk. Therefore, concentrate on limiting your fats, sugars, and salty foods while at the same time eating a quality protein- and carb-loaded meal five to six times a day. If you need to indulge to keep your sanity, you can save the meal high in fat, sugar and salt for one victory meal on the weekend as a reward after a great week of working out.

Thanks for the question and best of luck with your training.

...Guy Bourgon, Canadian Champion 2006

If you would like to ask Guy a question, please e-mail: askguy@seriousaboutmuscle.com.

SeriousAboutMuscle.com contributor Guy Bourgon is from Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and is the winner of the Tall class in the Classic Bodybuilding division at the 2006 CBBF National World Qualifier. Guy also competed at the 2006 IFBB World Bodybuilding Championships held in Ostrava, Czech Republic, where he placed fifth in the Tall class of the Classic Bodybuilding division.