Getting Started in Weight Training

Recently I’ve been asked by a few different people at the gym about how they should get started in weight training and how to gain weight. Seems like a pretty simple question, right? Well it all depends on what your ultimate goal is. So for the purpose of this blog, I’m going to address the person that is trying to build muscle for sports, competition or just a new beach bod.

When it comes to training, I always say stick to the tried and true basic movements when you’re getting started. Movements like squats, deadlifts, some form of chest press (flat or incline) , pull ups and push-ups. These are all the gold standard for building that core base of muscle when getting started. The most important thing when getting started is to make sure that you are using proper form. Too many people want to try and put as much weight on the bar as they can and then end up getting hurt. We want to make sure that you work your way up with the weights and stay healthy. If you’re hurt, you can’t train

When you first start training, this is the period when you’re going to see some of your biggest gains or improvements. Not only size improvements, but also the weight on the bar will be going up. At this point, I should probably talk about nutrition. Training on its own, you’ll gain size. But you need to make sure that when you’re training hard and heavy that you are also refueling your body. Your muscles are breaking down during the physical activity. So you have to make sure you’re feeding them when you’re done. For beginners, just make sure you’re getting enough protein to support your weight. Example: For a 200lb guy, a recommendation would be to get 1g/lb of his body weight in protein. So he should take in 200g of protein to help build and refuel his muscle. Getting to your ideal protein number can be achieved a few different ways. First is through lean protein sources. Break down your total protein for the day into 4-5 meals. Protein sources include eggs, chicken breast, turkey breast, tuna, and lean ground beef. There are obviously many more options, but these are the basic ones. Along with whole foods, you can also use protein supplements like whey protein. I personally like and enjoy Rivalus Native Whey Protein. It’s got 30g of protein per serving. So you get a quick and easily digestible protein. Ideally you want to take this post workout.

Along with protein, making sure you get good healthy fats and some good carbs are going to also be important when trying to gain muscle. For Carbs and Fats, you want your carbs to be 45% of your calories and fats to be 20%. These are purely just guidelines. You can play around with them as you see fit.

Bottom line is that if you’re just starting out, you want to hit the basic movements and perfect the form on those. The weight on the bar will improve as you get better at the movement. And as for your diet, use the guidelines above. Just make sure you’re eating and getting enough good clean food in you to refuel the muscles. Train hard and eat clean!