The Big Weightlifting Topic Get big, Get ripped, LIFT

[TheArrow 0]

I'm surprised I haven't found any threads on this topic on the forums.
We have topics about everything else health-related except possible the most important one!

I'll offer some basic, beginner advice and links first, then the more advanced trainees can discuss, give advice, offer support, etc. I come from a strong, hardcore T-Nation background, so you'll see me post a lot of links to articles on their site. T-Nation is a really great community with several excellent contributors that write articles and post them on the site for you to read, for free! Spend some time browsing around the site, reading the 8+ years of articles in the archives, and read the forum.

If you want to change your body, If you're an overweight person or a skinny little twig, weightlifting can help tremendously. Perhaps the most important thing you can do to change your health is to change your dietary lifestyle. Forget everything you think you know about how to eat, and start over. Perhaps the simplest place to start is with the following:

7 Habits of Highly Effective Nutritional Programs
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/7-habits-of-highly-effective-nutritional-programs

If you're overweight, A low-card diet may be the best solution for you. Here's an excellent free one:

The T-Dawg Diet: Version 2.0
https://forums.t-nation.com/

If you're a skinny twig looking to bulk up, read these amazing articles:

Massive Eating: I, Caloric Needs
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/massive-eating-1

Massive Eating: II, Meal Combinations and Individual Differences
https://www.t-nation.com/diet-fat-loss/massive-eating-2


Once you get your nutrition dialed in, you can start hitting the weights. The most important thing initially is the form you use. Don't let your ego get in the way of making progress. If you need to use light weight to get started using proper form, do it!
Here is a video index of most lifts:
http://forums.xisto.com/no_longer_exists/

Here are some programs to get you started, but honestly, it doesn't matter all that much what you pick. As a complete beginner any serious routine will give you plenty of gains. Try to pick something with plenty of compound exercises such as deadlifts, squats, chins, dips, rows and of course bench presses. Do not go to the gym and single mindedly focus on curls and bench presses!

Bustin' **bottom** 101
https://www.t-nation.com/training/bustin-*bottom*-101

Total Body Training
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/total-body-training

The Anti-Bodybuilding Hypertrophy Program
https://www.t-nation.com/workouts/anti-bodybuilding-hypertrophy-program

Program Design 101
https://www.t-nation.com/training/program-design-101


In later posts I'll offer advice and articles on recovery and supplementation, but the most important aspects of changing your body are a good nutrition program and a solid lifting routine.

If you've read anything on T-Nation yet, you'd realize that the whole reason to lift weights is to break down muscle tissue in hopes of rebuilding it bigger.

If this is your goal, you better learn how to maximize recovery, or else you're left sore for days with a bunch of torn muscles!

Here are some articles to help with your recovery:

The Recovery Battlefield
https://www.t-nation.com/training/recovery-battlefield

The Real Scoop on Post-Workout Recovery Drinks
https://forums.t-nation.com/

Biotest (T-Nation's supplement manufacturing company) makes an excellent recovery drink called Surge
that you drink right after your workouts to create an insulin spike to help deliver nutrients and amino acids into the muscle.

Surge
https://forums.t-nation.com/

This leads me to the topic of supplementation. The main factors in a program that will get you results are your diet and training. Making changes to your body is a long process that takes years to get desirable results.

Supplements cannot do the work for you.

They are not a replacement for discipline and desire. They are something you use in addition to your other strategies in order to speed your progress.

For fat loss investigate HOT-ROX.

For muscle growth try Surge, Creatine, Metabolic Drive or Carbolin 19.

For focus, intensity and CNS recovery look into Spike and Power Drive.

If you are looking for a testosterone or libido boost, consider Alpha Male or Tribex

Most importantly, consider safety. Teens should not be taking testosterone boosters or steriods, their natural supply of testosterone is abundant already. Pay attention and read the warnings on the labels!

Last but not least, don't be an idiot in the gym!!!

People will look down on you and disrespect you because you have no idea what you're doing.

Read these:

Squat-Rack Curls
https://forums.t-nation.com/t/pumping-iron/20661/1

Top 10: Gym Etiquette Rules
https://forums.t-nation.com/t/top-10-gym-etiquette-rules/42276/1

Frat Curls
https://forums.t-nation.com/t/frat-curls/43065/1

Top 7 Ways to F-Up in the Gym
https://www.t-nation.com/training/top-seven-ways-to-f-up-in-the-gym


And if you ever need any motivation, I've saved the best article for last:

Merry Christmas, Bob
https://forums.t-nation.com/

Enjoy these articles, and this site, and good luck on your way to becoming ripped!

Hmmmm........evidently this isn't a very busy part of the forums, lol.......No one cares about their health anymore, all they want is technology.

Edited September 26, 2016 by OpaQue (see edit history)

[Joshua 0]

Hmmmm........evidently this isn't a very busy part of the forums, lol.......No one cares about their health anymore, all they want is technology.

Meh, I just advise anyone wanting to get in shape to play more sports. Weights are good for conditioning to get better at sports but if someone wants to get healthy I tell them to just play baseball, basketball, football, or soccer with some people nearby. Practice and get better. Race people, go jogging. I'm more a sports person then a weights person.

[TheArrow 0]

Sometimes fat people don't want to play sports.Skinny *BLEEP*s just play sports and end up even skinnier.Sometimes putting on a little muscle is healthy.

[squeaky 0]

T-nation seems to be an interesting site. I'll probably refer to it or read up on some stuff for information since I'm looking forward to changing my performance over the course of the summer. The article on recovery and effective nutritional ingestion may be helpful for me personally. Just for the record, if you don't mind, do you happen to know any information on improving upon endurance in strength or aerobic exercises (such as running). I am currently in high school and training for cross country over the summer, so it would be quite helpful if you would offer any advice in improving my performance/ endurance. The link to the site and your offered information is very much appreciated.

[roundball 0]

do you work for t nation or something ...i am sure there are better sites out there than just that one.a good resource for bodybuilding information is the getbig.com forums.

[Webber 0]

I think that weightlifting is something that is only suited for people with right types of frame's. I mean, I tried body building, and I really didn't enjoy it, and the bad thing for me was that if I was to have stopped, then all my muscle would just turn to flab. I advise people to take up one of the 'ultra sports' (martial arts, boxing, weight lifting etc), but don't force yourself to become good at them. Sure, it takes time to learn, and to become good, but if your body doesn't wanna do it, and you don't enjoy it, then is it really worth it? Find something your suited to, or that you passionatly enjoy. I think that's the way forwards. Personally all the little bits that go with weight lifting, well they dont take my fancy. I can keep very well toned, with larger muscles than most, with good cv (and overall muscle strenght, not just upper body) with my martial arts and boxing, so that's my choice, but I think it's always useful to perhaps do a little weight lifting on the side, just to give you a bit of a boost, but nothing to much. Well-- it's just my opinion... !