A Little Guide to Effective Training Strategies for Beginners

I started weight training over 30 years ago. The first time I set foot in a gym was at 18, and I quickly realized that I wouldn't get far by just following an instructor's advice. Like any good self-taught person, I armed myself with several specialized magazines and learned how muscles work and the best ways to train them. I decided to stimulate my muscles intensely, using free weights, bars, and dumbbells. I understood that the largest muscles were the legs and back, so those needed to be trained first and with the most effort since they demand the most energy. I established a training day division: the first day for legs, the second for back and biceps, and the third for chest, shoulders, and triceps. The logic was to train leg exercises, pull exercises, and push exercises. I learned that the basic exercises were squats, deadlifts, rows, pull-ups, and shoulder, chest, and tricep presses. These exercises, called compound exercises, work large muscle groups, which helps quickly develop strength and muscle mass.

To train legs, I performed barbell squats, used the incline press, and did stiff-legged deadlifts. In my mind, I had the idea of doing 100 repetitions of each exercise, divided into four sets. Today, I would recommend doing three sets of no more than 12 repetitions for someone starting out. For the back, I did deadlifts, barbell rows, and pull-ups. I trained biceps with barbell curls, hammer curls, and incline dumbbell curls. I ended the week with flat and incline barbell chest presses and repeated the incline press with dumbbells for chest. I did front military press and lateral dumbbell raises for shoulders. I finished with close-grip presses, French press behind the neck, and the so-called skull crushers. Today, I still do almost the same exercises, although with fewer sets and repetitions, and sometimes I increase the intensity with a brief pause between sets and weight decrement. I no longer train at the gym; I train at home with good basic equipment.

This approach worked very well for me and helped me gain muscle and strength quickly. I didn't rely much on machines or isolation exercises. I always looked for ways to do more with less, how to reduce my training time and increase intensity. I read about many people wanting to start weight training, and I see that they don't have much idea where to begin. At the start, it is important to have a good guide to progress quickly and not get discouraged. I hope this helps.

It is crucial not only to find a suitable routine but also to stay motivated and focused on your goals. Over the years, I have learned that consistency and determination are key to achieving significant results. So, if you're just starting, don't get discouraged by the initial difficulties. With a good strategy and the right mindset, you can reach your goals and experience the benefits of weight training.